2025 Lincoln Aviator vs 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport

The 2025 Lincoln Aviator, built on a rear-wheel-drive platform shared with the Ford Explorer, showcased classic design proportions. It featured a blunt nose, short front overhang, and an appealing dash-to-axle ratio, complemented by a tapered roofline that, while compromising third-row passenger room, created an alluring silhouette. The design was fundamentally appealing, resembling a sports wagon more than a traditional SUV. However, the 2025 styling updates were perceived as less elegant and more generic, especially with the optional Jet Appearance Package. Inside, the Aviator offered a plush interior with a classic architectural sensibility, avoiding the overwhelming screens found in other Lincoln models. The traditional approach was appreciated, although the remote keyless entry fob was criticized for its cheap plastic construction. The Aviator was available in Premiere, Reserve, and Black Label trims, with our test vehicle in Reserve trim featuring optional all-wheel drive and several packages, bringing the MSRP to $83,550.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport reinforced its sporty SUV positioning within the Range Rover family with a taller stance and a more athletic appearance than the traditional Range Rover. Large front air intakes and fake vents added to its sporty look, though it appeared a bit too tall and narrow from some angles. The Range Rover Sport lineup included SE, Dynamic SE, Autobiography, and SV Edition Two trims, with the Dynamic SE offering a Stealth appearance package. Our test car, the SV Edition 2, was the highest-performance model, featuring carbon-fiber wheels and a hood with an exposed patch. The interior boasted red leather upholstery, sport seats with light-up “SV” inserts, and illuminated steering-wheel paddle shifters. The minimalist aesthetic was consistent across models, with a touchscreen, stubby shifter, and engine start button interrupting the smooth dashboard and center console. The high console, dash, and door panels created a cockpit-like feel, though the front seats felt cramped for a vehicle of this size.

The 2025 Lincoln Aviator was powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine, delivering 400 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque through a 10-speed automatic transmission. It offered Excite, Conserve, Normal, Slippery, and Deep Conditions driving modes, with adaptive air suspension firming up in Excite mode. Despite its power, the Aviator was not particularly exciting to drive, focusing instead on a composed and calming cruising experience. The EPA fuel economy rating was 20 mpg combined, but our test observed 17.7 mpg. The Aviator provided clear sightlines and a 360-degree camera view for parking. Ride quality was pleasant in urban settings, though larger bumps and cracks were felt due to the heavy 22-inch wheels. The adaptive Air Glide suspension effectively canceled excessive body motions, ensuring a secure ride.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport offered multiple powertrain options, all with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard 4WD. The base SE model featured a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six with 355 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque, while the Dynamic SE offered a higher output of 395 hp and 406 lb-ft, plus a plug-in hybrid powertrain rated at 454 hp and 487 lb-ft. The Autobiography trim increased hybrid output to 543 hp and 590 lb-ft, with an optional BMW-sourced twin-turbo V8 producing 523 hp and 553 lb-ft. The SV Edition Two used the same V8, tuned to 626 hp, making it the most powerful Range Rover model. It achieved 0-60 mph in 3.7 seconds, with a top speed of 180 mph. The sport-tuned air suspension and four-wheel steering provided agility and a luxurious ride, while the Terrain Response system and air suspension offered off-road capability.

The 2025 Lincoln Aviator offered exceptional comfort with its Perfect Position front seats, featuring 30-way adjustability, heating, ventilation, and massage functions. The second-row captain’s chairs were roomy and supportive, with heating and ventilation. However, the third-row seats were low and unsupportive, with limited legroom. Storage space was excellent, with a smartphone charging pad, cupholders, and a sizable bin in the center console. The Aviator provided 19.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 42.7 cu-ft with the third row folded, and a maximum of 78.6 cu-ft.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport, positioned between the Velar and full-size Range Rover, offered a two-row, five-seater configuration. Front-seat occupants found adequate headroom, while rear-seat headroom was not significantly impacted by the sloping roof. The Range Rover Sport provided 31.9 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row, expanding to 53 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. It featured power operation and an “access height” setting for easier loading and unloading. The maximum towing capacity was 7,716 pounds for turbo-six and V8 models, with plug-in hybrids rated at 6,614 pounds.

The 2025 Lincoln Aviator featured a 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster and a 13.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system powered by Lincoln Digital Experience. It included Google Built-in, Alexa Built-in, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. However, the Google Assistant was unresponsive in our test vehicle, though wireless Apple CarPlay and Siri worked well. The Aviator also offered an app called Elevated Journey with mindfulness coaching. The 28-speaker Revel Ultima 3D sound system provided excellent audio quality, and the head-up display offered a widescreen presentation of data.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport shared its screen setup with the larger Range Rover, featuring a 13.7-inch digital instrument cluster and a 13.1-inch touchscreen. It included wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa integration. The minimalist design had functional shortfalls, with limited options beyond the touchscreen. The Pivi Pro infotainment system was responsive, with natural-language voice recognition. The SV Edition 2 featured “Body and Soul Seats” with embedded transducers for a unique audio experience, though it felt somewhat gimmicky.

The 2025 Lincoln Aviator came standard with Lincoln Co-Pilot360 Drive 2.0, offering advanced driver assistance systems such as active blind-spot monitoring, intersection assist, evasive steering assist, and reverse braking assist. BlueCruise, a hands-free driving assistance system, was also standard, with a four-year subscription. The Aviator earned five-star ratings from the NHTSA and Good ratings from the IIHS.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport included standard driver-assist features like automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, and blind-spot monitoring. A 360-degree camera system and digital rearview mirror aided parking, though parking sensors were overly sensitive. Safety ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA were not available at the time of publication.