2021 Toyota Venza vs 2021 Lincoln Navigator

The 2021 Toyota Venza was a sleek and stylish SUV that many critics noted bore a striking resemblance to a Lexus. Its design, from the grille to the elongated profile, blurred the lines between the Toyota and Lexus brands, reminiscent of the Lexus LF-1 Limitless concept. The Venza was available in three trim levels—LE, XLE, and Limited—and offered a choice of seven paint colors. Standard features included LED headlights and taillights, a wireless charging pad, and an 8-inch infotainment touch screen. The top-tier Limited trim added a digital rearview mirror, a 12.3-inch infotainment screen, and an optional Star Gaze panoramic roof.

The 2021 Lincoln Navigator, on the other hand, was a behemoth of luxury and elegance. Despite sharing its side glass and overall footprint with the Ford Expedition, the Navigator stood out with its unique design elements and high-end features. The exterior was defined by simple rectilinear shapes, a body-color grille, and 22-inch wheels. Inside, the Navigator impressed with seven color palettes, a 10-inch touchscreen, and a floating center console. The materials were top-notch, and the Perfect Position seats offered 30 different adjustments. The Navigator Reserve trim, priced at $92,000, was a testament to luxury, with features like heated rear seats and a three-zone climate control system.

The 2021 Toyota Venza came equipped with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine paired with a lithium-ion battery pack, delivering a combined 219 horsepower and 163 pound-feet of torque. The hybrid system, coupled with an electronically-controlled continuously-variable transmission (eCVT), provided smooth acceleration, though it was not particularly rapid. The Venza excelled in fuel economy, achieving an EPA-estimated 40 mpg on the highway, 37 mpg in the city, and 39 mpg combined. Toyota backed its hybrid powertrain with a 10-year/150,000-mile hybrid battery warranty and an eight-year/100,000-mile Hybrid System warranty.

The 2021 Lincoln Navigator boasted a twin-turbo V6 engine from the Ford Raptor, producing an impressive 450 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque. Paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, the Navigator offered a responsive and powerful driving experience. Its 4WD system was smooth and efficient, with a towing capacity of 8,300 pounds for 4WD models and 8,700 pounds for RWD models. However, the Navigator's fuel economy was less impressive, averaging in the teens and fitting the EPA-estimated 17-mpg combined rating. The suspension and steering were not as refined as some competitors, but the Navigator's overall power and highway refinement were commendable.

The 2021 Toyota Venza offered a practical and comfortable interior, with premium appointments in the center stack and a deep center console featuring various controls and ports. The driver and passenger seats were accommodating, and the rear seats provided ample comfort for two adults. The Venza had nearly the same passenger volume as the RAV4 but offered more headroom and slightly less legroom up front. Its cargo space, at a maximum of 55.1 cubic feet, was less than some competitors but sufficient for daily driving needs.

The 2021 Lincoln Navigator, with its tall boxy shape, provided ample space for six adults and their belongings. The SUV offered 19 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, 57 cubic feet behind the second row, and 103 cubic feet in total. The long-wheelbase Navigator L increased these figures to 34, 73, and 120 cubic feet, respectively. The Navigator's front seats were highly adjustable and comfortable, while the second-row seats could be removed for maximum storage. However, the lack of electrically reclining second-row seats and side window shades were notable omissions.

The 2021 Toyota Venza featured an 8-inch infotainment system on the LE and XLE trims, while the Limited trim had a larger 12.3-inch touchscreen. The Entune infotainment system, though not the best in the industry, offered Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa as standard. The Venza also included a Wi-Fi hot spot, a nine-speaker JBL premium audio system on higher trims, and various connected services like Safety Connect and Remote Connect.

The 2021 Lincoln Navigator's 10-inch touchscreen, though smaller compared to some competitors, was intuitive and easy to use. The Navigator included onboard 4G WiFi, wireless device charging, and a smartwatch app. The rear entertainment system featured Roku media streaming and various connection options. However, the Navigator lacked wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and its cameras were low-resolution. The 20-speaker Revel Ultima stereo was good but not exceptional.

The 2021 Toyota Venza came equipped with the Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 suite, which included features like a pre-collision warning system, lane-departure alert, lane-tracing assist, adaptive cruise control, and road sign assist. Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert was standard, with an upgrade to automatic braking available on higher trims. The Venza also had two full sets of LATCH connections on the rear outboard seats.

The 2021 Lincoln Navigator received five stars overall from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, with the exception of rollover resistance (four stars for 4WD models, three stars for RWD models). Standard safety features included automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and auto high beams. Adaptive cruise control was optional, but the Navigator's self-steering capabilities were not as advanced as some competitors.