2022 Lincoln Nautilus vs 2022 Lexus RX

The 2022 Lexus RX was available in several trims, including the base 350, F Sport, and L for its gas powertrain, with a hybrid model known as the RX 450h. The RX 350 and F Sport seated five, while the L trim offered a three-row, 7-passenger configuration. The RX's design, refreshed in 2020, remained modern and sporty, featuring aggressive styling that stood out among competitors like the Audi Q5 and BMW X5. The exterior boasted sharp character lines and angular features, creating a satisfying yet eye-catching design. The F Sport trim added performance-oriented aesthetics, including 20-inch wheels and unique front fascia, enhancing its sporty appeal.

Inside, the RX maintained a luxury feel across all trims, with the F Sport adding sporty elements like model-specific badging and Scored Aluminum trim. The cabin offered nearly a dozen color combinations, with non-F Sport models featuring a mix of NuLuxe or semi-aniline leather seats and various trim pairings. Despite the high-quality materials, the center stack felt dated due to an abundance of buttons. Comfort was a mixed bag, with the NuLuxe seats in the F Sport trim lacking cushioning and lumbar support. The limited-edition Black Line trim added exclusive black-colored features and contrast gray stitching, enhancing the premium look.

The 2022 Lincoln Nautilus, especially in the Black Label trim with 21-inch machined-finish wheels, was an attractive SUV with balanced styling and plenty of character. The Black Label trim offered specific interior design themes like Chalet and Flight, featuring premium leather upholstery and luxury floor mats. The Black Label trim included nearly every available feature, resulting in a decadent interior, though some chrome-plated plastic pieces looked cheap.

The Nautilus was priced starting at $44,225, with the loaded Black Label trim starting at $66,825. Our test vehicle, equipped with Ultra Comfort 22-way power-adjustable front seats with Active Motion massage, was perfect for long drives, providing exceptional comfort. The Nautilus proved to be a comfortable and cozy road-tripper, with features like massaging and heated seats, a heated steering wheel, and a 19-speaker Revel audio system. The twin-turbocharged V6 engine and adaptive suspension provided a smooth and enjoyable driving experience, though the steering lacked engagement.

The 2022 Lexus RX 350 featured a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 295 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque, while the hybrid RX 450h added two electric motors for a combined output of 308 hp. All RX models had an eight-speed automatic transmission, with FWD standard on the RX 350 and AWD available. The hybrid RX 450h came exclusively with AWD. Despite the F Sport designation, the RX lacked sporty performance, with a V6 engine that sounded more like a turbocharged four-cylinder and unimpressive acceleration. The F Sport Handling package added adaptive suspension and other tuning bits, but the driving modes (Eco, Normal, Sport, Sport+) offered minimal changes in driving dynamics.

The RX excelled in driving comfort and cabin quietness, absorbing rough patches and providing a serene ride. Fuel efficiency for the RX 350 was 20 mpg city, 27 mpg highway, and 23 combined, with slight drops for AWD and three-row models. The RX 450h hybrid achieved 30 mpg combined, with 31 mpg city and 28 mpg highway.

The 2022 Lincoln Nautilus offered a standard turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, with FWD and an eight-speed automatic transmission standard. The Black Label trim featured a twin-turbocharged 2.7-liter V6 engine producing 335 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque, requiring AWD. Driving modes included Comfort, Normal, and Sport, with the adaptive suspension adjusting accordingly. Comfort mode made the SUV feel woozy, while Sport mode made the steering too heavy. Normal mode provided a balanced driving experience.

The Nautilus had an 18-gallon fuel tank, with the twin-turbo V6 achieving an EPA rating of 21 mpg combined and 25 mpg highway. During a long road trip, the Nautilus averaged 25 mpg, proving to be a quiet, comfortable, and enjoyable road-tripper. The twin-turbo V6 and adaptive suspension provided a smooth ride, though the steering lacked engagement.

The standard two-row Lexus RX offered 99.8 cubic feet of passenger volume, comfortably seating four adults, with a snug fit for five. Front headroom was 39.4 inches, and rear headroom was 39.1 inches. Front legroom was 44.1 inches, with 38.0 inches in the rear. The three-row L models had limited cargo space, with only 7.45 cubic feet available with all seats upright. With the third row down, cargo capacity increased to 23.03 cubic feet, and up to 58.48 cubic feet with both back rows down. The rear seats did not fold completely flat, and the high load-in height made loading cargo challenging. Thoughtful interior features included a smartphone slot, adjustable-height cup holder, and a flat-bottomed cargo net.

The 2022 Lincoln Nautilus Black Label featured smooth leather, ambient lighting, and a quiet drive thanks to Active Noise Control and acoustic glass. Both front seats were heated and ventilated, with a heated power tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel. The optional 22-way power front seats with massage programs provided exceptional comfort. Rear passengers enjoyed heated outboard seats and air conditioning vents, though legroom was tight for a midsize SUV. Practical storage space was adequate, with a hands-free power liftgate revealing 37.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat and 68.8 cubic feet with the back seat folded down.

The 2022 Lexus RX came with an 8-inch touchscreen display, with a 12.3-inch version available. Despite being moved closer to the driver, the touchscreens were ergonomically unfriendly, with a lip in front of the screen creating access issues. The touchpad was frustrating to use, and the drive mode selector was often mistaken for an infotainment control knob. However, the RX offered a long list of tech features, including six USB ports, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integration, wireless charging, Amazon Alexa compatibility, a WiFi hotspot, premium audio systems, navigation, and heated and ventilated seats.

The 2022 Lincoln Nautilus featured a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation display and a 13.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Sync 4 software. Sync 4 offered over-the-air updates, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Lincoln Connect services, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and SiriusXM 360L satellite radio. The Black Label trim included connected navigation, wireless smartphone charging, and a 19-speaker Revel audio system. The system was intuitive and user-friendly, with physical stereo and climate controls. The natural voice recognition system worked well, and the Revel speakers provided excellent sound quality. The Nautilus also offered Phone as a Key, turning your smartphone into a digital key.

The 2022 Lexus RX came standard with the Lexus Safety System 2.0+, which included adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, road-sign recognition, lane-keeping assist, a pre-collision system, and intelligent high beams. Additional standard features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, a head-up display, and Lexus Enform Safety Connect. The RX was named a Top Safety Pick by the IIHS with optional triple-beam LED headlights but missed the top-tier "plus" designation. The NHTSA gave the RX a four-star overall rating, with five stars in side crash tests and four stars in frontal crashes and rollover resistance.

The 2022 Lincoln Nautilus came with Lincoln Co-Pilot360 1.0, which included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and automatic high-beam headlights. The Black Label trim added Co-Pilot360 1.0 Plus, which included adaptive cruise control, lane-centering assistance, evasive steering assist, a surround-view camera system, and parking sensors. The Black Label also featured a semi-autonomous parking assist system. The NHTSA gave the Nautilus a five-star overall rating, with a four-star rating for rollover resistance. The IIHS had not assessed the Nautilus for safety.