2021 Lincoln Nautilus vs 2022 Honda Odyssey

The 2021 Lincoln Nautilus emerged from its predecessor, the Lincoln MKX, with a facelift in 2019 that brought a more appealing design and a new name. The 2021 model retained its exterior styling but introduced a refreshed cabin with a sleek dashboard, soft materials, and a large touchscreen. The unconventional "Piano Key" shifter-button layout was easy to use, though finding the stop-start button required a bit of searching. The infotainment system, featuring a 13.2-inch SYNC 4 touchscreen, was user-friendly and supported wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Nautilus offered three trims: Standard, Reserve, and Black Label, each with varying levels of luxury and technology.

In contrast, the 2022 Honda Odyssey was a minivan designed with family convenience in mind. Its sliding side doors made loading children easy, and it offered a comfortable third-row seat for additional passengers. The Odyssey's design included kinked sliding doors and character lines, with the Elite trim featuring 19-inch aluminum wheels. The interior boasted quality materials, a low console, and ample storage space. The Odyssey's Magic Slide second-row seats allowed for flexible seating arrangements, and the third-row seat provided comfort for adults. With 32.8 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row and up to 144.9 cubic feet with seats removed, the Odyssey excelled in cargo capacity.

The 2021 Lincoln Nautilus came standard with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. The Reserve and Black Label trims offered an optional twin-turbocharged 2.7-liter V6 engine, delivering 355 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque. Both engines were paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The four-cylinder engine offered front-wheel drive or optional all-wheel drive, while the V6 came standard with all-wheel drive. The V6 provided smooth and controlled acceleration, complemented by an adaptive suspension that handled road imperfections well.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey featured a 3.5-liter V6 engine with 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. Unlike some competitors, the Odyssey did not offer all-wheel drive or a hybrid powertrain. It achieved an EPA fuel economy estimate of 22 mpg in combined driving. The Odyssey was enjoyable to drive, with responsive handling and quick acceleration. However, its brakes tended to heat up during downhill driving, leading to pedal vibration and noise. Despite this, the Odyssey maintained composure on various road types.

The 2021 Lincoln Nautilus offered up to 68.8 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded and 37.2 cubic feet with them in use. It featured a power liftgate and available hands-free operation. The Nautilus prioritized two-row comfort, with spacious rear seats and luxurious front seats offering 22-way adjustments. The interior included a large center console bin and deep door pockets for storage.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey provided easy access with wide-opening doors and a low ride height. The Elite trim featured quality leather seats with power adjustments, heating, and ventilation. The Odyssey's interior included numerous storage options, such as door panel shelving and a center console tray. The Magic Slide second-row seats allowed for flexible configurations, and the third-row seat offered comfort for adults. With 32.8 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row and up to 144.9 cubic feet with seats removed, the Odyssey excelled in cargo capacity.

The 2021 Lincoln Nautilus featured a 13.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system with high-definition graphics and a user-friendly menu layout. It supported wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and the available Revel 19-speaker premium audio system provided excellent sound quality. The wireless charging pad added convenience for smartphone users.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey Elite included an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Touring and Elite trims offered CabinWatch and CabinTalk technology, along with a rear-seat entertainment system. However, the infotainment system was considered outdated compared to competitors, with a small screen and limited voice command functionality. The Elite trim added an 11-speaker premium audio system and a wireless charging pad.

The 2021 Lincoln Nautilus came with the CoPilot360 package, which included automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. Additional features like adaptive cruise control and a surround-view parking monitor were available. However, the backup camera quality was lacking.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey featured Honda Sensing as standard, offering adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and lane-keeping assist. It also included automatic high-beam headlights and a rear-seat reminder system. The Odyssey earned a five-star rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS. However, Honda Sensing lacked refinement, with some features responding too sharply or issuing invalid warnings.