Ford Edge vs Lincoln Nautilus

The 2021 Ford Edge retained much of its styling from the 2019 refresh, which successfully aligned its exterior with Ford's more recent designs. This refresh gave the Edge a cleaner look compared to the more elaborate styling of competitors like the Chevy Blazer and Hyundai Santa Fe. The Edge Titanium models featured extra chrome accents, while the ST trim boasted a blacked-out grille, standard 20-inch wheels, and a body kit. The ST-Line offered the same exterior styling as the ST but without the performance upgrades and higher price tag. However, the interior of the Edge began to show its age, with a design that seemed less fresh and awkwardly modified over the years to fit new features like a larger touchscreen. The Titanium models came with leather upholstery, and the ST models had sporty front seats with added bolstering and a leather-wrapped steering wheel with contrast stitching.

The 2022 Lincoln Nautilus, especially in the Black Label trim with 21-inch machined-finish wheels, was an attractive SUV with balanced and detailed styling. The Lincoln Embrace lighting sequence greeted drivers after dark, and the Black Label models offered Chalet or new-for-2022 Flight design themes. The Chalet design featured light gray premium leather upholstery, while Flight had a classy Luggage Tan color. The Black Label trim included nearly every available feature on the Nautilus, along with a simulated suede headliner and luxury floor mats. Despite the luxurious feel, the center console design and some chrome-plated plastic pieces appeared a bit cheap. The Nautilus had a starting MSRP of $44,225, with the loaded Black Label starting at $66,825. Our test vehicle, equipped with Ultra Comfort 22-way power-adjustable front seats with Active Motion massage, was priced at $68,325 and proved perfect for long drives.

The 2021 Ford Edge offered a 2.0-liter turbocharged EcoBoost four-cylinder engine producing 250 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. It came with standard front-wheel drive (FWD) and optional all-wheel drive (AWD). The Edge ST performance model featured an EcoBoost twin-turbo 2.7-liter V6 engine with 335 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque on 93-octane fuel, standard AWD, an eight-speed automatic transmission, and model-specific suspension tuning. An option package added upgraded brakes and 21-inch wheels with summer tires. The Edge ST aimed to compete with performance SUVs like the Porsche Macan, though it fell short of that benchmark. The Edge had respectable towing capacities: 3,958 pounds for the base FWD four-cylinder, 4,122 pounds for four-cylinder AWD models, and 4,525 pounds for the V6-powered Edge ST.

The 2022 Lincoln Nautilus offered a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque for the standard and Reserve models, with FWD and an eight-speed automatic transmission as standard, and AWD as an option. The Black Label trim included a twin-turbocharged 2.7-liter V6 engine producing 335 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque, requiring AWD. The Nautilus featured Comfort, Normal, and Sport driving modes, adjusting powertrain behavior, steering effort, and adaptive suspension. The twin-turbo V6 had an EPA fuel economy rating of 21 mpg combined (25 mpg highway) and a maximum range of 450 miles. Over 871.1 miles, it averaged 25 mpg. The Nautilus excelled as a road-tripper, with a quiet and comfortable ride, a 19-speaker Revel audio system, and impressive grip from its 21-inch wheels. However, the steering lacked engagement, despite the SUV's grace and athleticism on mountain roads.

The 2021 Ford Edge remained competitive in interior space, offering the most rear-seat headroom among two-row midsize crossovers and ample legroom in both rows. It featured dual-zone automatic climate control and a cargo space of 39.2 cubic feet with the rear seats in place, expanding to 73.4 cubic feet with the seats folded. A foot-activated power liftgate was available on higher trims. The rotary shift knob freed up space on the center console, but the narrow width limited its usefulness. The raised console provided a storage nook below, though it was difficult to reach and easy to forget items placed there.

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, adjustable thigh extensions, and head restraints offered exceptional comfort. The outboard rear seats were heated, but legroom was tight for a midsize SUV. Practical storage space was adequate, though some areas were hard to access. The hands-free power liftgate revealed a nicely finished luggage compartment with 37.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat, expanding to 68.8 cubic feet with the seats folded.

The 2021 Ford Edge featured the latest Sync 4 infotainment system with a 12-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, Bluetooth, SiriusXM with 360L satellite radio, and a built-in 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. The Edge ST models included a 12-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system. The Edge had four USB ports, including two rear USB ports added for the 2021 model year. Sync 4's simple graphics and straightforward menu layouts were user-friendly, and the wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were notable features not offered by all competitors.

The 2022 Lincoln Nautilus included a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation display and a 13.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system running 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 added connected navigation, wireless smartphone charging, and a 19-speaker Revel premium audio system. The system's intuitive interface and physical stereo and climate controls were user-friendly, and the natural voice recognition worked well. The Revel speakers provided excellent sound quality. The Nautilus also featured Phone as a Key, turning a smartphone into a digital key.

The 2021 Ford Edge was an IIHS “Top Safety Pick,” with top “Good” ratings in all crash tests and a “Superior” rating for vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention. It received an “Advanced” rating for vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention, “Acceptable” for LATCH ease of use, and “Acceptable” and “Poor” headlight ratings. The NHTSA gave the Edge a five-star overall safety rating, with five stars in frontal and side crash tests, and four stars in rollover tests. Standard safety features included automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, post-collision braking, dynamic brake support, and rear parking sensors. Adaptive cruise control and Evasive Steering Assist were standard on all but the base SE trim.

The 2022 Lincoln Nautilus came with Lincoln Co-Pilot360 1.0, including forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and automatic high beams. The Black Label added Co-Pilot360 1.0 Plus, with 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.