Land Rover Range Rover Velar vs Lincoln Nautilus

The 2024 Land Rover Range Rover Velar embraced a "reductive" design philosophy, focusing on simplifying and modernizing both its exterior and interior. This design ethos, initially introduced in 2018, was taken to new heights in 2024 with notable tweaks. The Velar showcased a new grille, revised headlights and taillights, fresh wheel options, and updated exterior details. Efforts to emphasize the SUV's width rather than height resulted in a new rear bumper and a full-length upper stop lamp, giving it a broader and lower appearance.

Inside, changes centered around a larger 11.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system, which now floated in front of the dashboard. The center console was redesigned to replace physical climate and stereo controls with touchscreen functions, an update that drew mixed reactions. While the cabin looked sleek and modern, the omission of physical controls for everyday functions was considered a drawback. Furthermore, the natural voice recognition system required a connected services subscription or an Amazon account for activation.

Despite these qualms, the Velar’s interior was a visual treat, albeit with some substandard quality elements like cheap-looking plastic on the lower door panels. However, the introduction of an animal-free Kvadrat wool blend seat upholstery and the Cabin Air Purification Plus system with PM 2.5 filtration were positive moves.

The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus, available in Premiere, Reserve, or Black Label trims, showcased a more sophisticated and streamlined exterior design, suggesting a new direction for Lincoln. The grille, reminiscent of Mercedes Benz’s bifurcated design, featured LED lighting extending through it, illuminating the Lincoln star logo—a stunning detail. The horizontally-oriented design continued at the rear with a full-width animated LED light bar and dual exhaust ports. Unique door handle placements along the beltline added a distinctive twist to the profile.

Inside, the Nautilus took the crown with its supreme interior quality. The materials included polished metal, ambient lighting, open-pore wood, and fine leather, creating a luxurious atmosphere. The 48-inch full-width display was the centerpiece, complemented by top-notch features such as 24-way adjustable “Perfect Position” front seats in the Black Label trim. With massage and extended heating functions, these seats were arguably the most comfortable in the mid-size luxury SUV category, surpassing even the likes of Mercedes-Benz and Genesis. Rear passengers enjoyed a spacious 43 inches of legroom, making it superior in comfort compared to competitors like the BMW X5 and Mercedes-Benz GLE.

The 2024 Land Rover Range Rover Velar offered a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system, producing 394 horsepower between 5,500 rpm and 6,500 rpm and 406 lb-ft of torque between 2,000 rpm and 5,000 rpm. This engine upgrade was recommended over the 247-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine for its performance and speed. The more powerful engine accelerated the Velar to 60 mph nearly two seconds faster, though it sacrificed a bit of fuel efficiency, averaging 19.5 mpg during tests.

Equipped with an eight-speed automatic transmission and an all-wheel-drive system, the Velar had 8.4 inches of ground clearance, extendable to 9.9 inches with the optional air suspension. It also boasted water fording capabilities between 20.9 inches and 22.8 inches, depending on the suspension setup. Standard Terrain Response driving modes included Eco, Comfort, Grass-Gravel-Snow, Mud-Ruts, Sand, and Automatic modes, with a Dynamic mode for on-road driving.

In Dynamic mode, the Velar felt nimble and athletic on mountain roads, while Comfort mode provided a quiet and soothing highway ride. However, urban driving in Comfort mode revealed some soft handling characteristics, remedied somewhat by switching to Dynamic mode. Despite its impressive on-paper off-road capabilities, real-world testing was restricted.

The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus came standard with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine generating 250 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The power delivery was smooth, and shifts were unobtrusive. However, the recommended upgrade was the hybrid option, offering 310 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque, with an EPA estimated 30 mpg in combined driving and over 600 miles of range—a significant advantage over the gas-only engine's 24 mpg combined.

All Nautilus models featured all-wheel drive (AWD) and five drive modes, with an adaptive suspension available for enhanced control. The hybrid model included a continuously variable transmission (CVT), designed to avoid the typical droning and high engine speeds associated with CVTs. While not a driver’s car, the Nautilus could comfortably meet occasional sporty driving demands.

The 2024 Land Rover Range Rover Velar featured flush-mounted handles that powered out upon unlocking the doors, although they posed a minor hazard when opening. The front seat entry proved challenging for tall individuals due to angled windshield pillars and a narrow opening. However, new-for-2024 seat cushions with added support, 14-way power-adjustable front seats, and optional heated and ventilated seats ensured comfort once inside. The rear seats comfortably accommodated two adults, benefiting from excellent backrest angles, lumbar support, legroom, and a panoramic sunroof extending overhead.

In-cabin storage was adequate, with generous door panel bins and a hidden wireless smartphone charger. However, the storage tray lacked a liner, potentially causing noise from items placed there. Cargo space stood at 30.9 cubic feet behind the second row, expandable to 62.7 cubic feet with the 40/20/40-split folding back seat, making it a practical choice for cargo-carrying needs.

The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus offered power-adjustable, heated, and cooled front seats across all trims, with the Black Label model featuring the ultimate 24-way "Perfect Position" front seats—with extended massage and heating functions. Rear passengers enjoyed 43 inches of legroom, making it one of the most accommodating vehicles in its class. The Lincoln Rejuvenate feature combined massage, lighting, and screen images to enhance relaxation, a unique addition to the luxury experience.

Cargo space in the Nautilus was generous, offering 36 cubic feet behind the second row and 71 cubic feet with the seats folded down in the Premiere trim. However, Reserve and Black Label trims sacrificed some cargo capacity. Unlike some competitors, the Nautilus only offered seating for five, prioritizing cargo space over additional passenger capacity.

The 2024 Range Rover Velar received a significant upgrade with the next-generation Pivi Pro infotainment system, featuring an 11.4-inch touchscreen display with over-the-air updates, Amazon Alexa compatibility, and an improved user interface. However, integrating climate control, stereo volume, and defrost functions into the touchscreen increased complexity. While the new sidebar shortcuts were intended to simplify use, their small icons proved challenging to read at a glance, and the lack of physical controls made adjustments difficult while driving.

Pivi Pro offered wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, alongside a standard 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel and optional head-up display (HUD) and surround-view camera. The HUD effectively communicated safety system status, but the absence of the surround-view camera in the test vehicle was noted.

The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus featured an impressive 48-inch curved display, divided into segments for driver information and customizable sections for weather, audio, and other data. A smaller 11.1-inch touchscreen on the center console managed basic infotainment duties, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Despite the permanent HVAC icons, adjusting vents through menus was distractingly complex.

Unlabeled steering wheel controls added to the distraction, though features like Google Maps and Alexa Built-in enhanced the experience. Gaming and web browsing capabilities, along with over-the-air updates, kept the Nautilus current. Wireless charging and multiple USB ports were standard.

The 2024 Land Rover Range Rover Velar included a comprehensive suite of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS). Features like adaptive cruise control with speed-limiting function and Steer Assist offered semi-autonomous driving assistance. The adaptive cruise control performed well, but Steer Assist added unwanted steering inputs and struggled with road bends and other vehicles, resulting in a stressful driving experience.

The Velar’s optional HUD was beneficial in conveying ADAS status, while other safety features like lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and emergency braking were standard. However, the semi-autonomous systems required improvement for a more seamless driving experience.

The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus provided numerous standard safety features within the Lincoln CoPilot 360 suite, including lane-keeping assist, park assist, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and emergency braking. The standout feature was the Blue Cruise 1.2 hands-free/eyes-up technology, included on all trims. This system combined adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist, with automatic lane-change assist and in-lane repositioning for safer highway driving.

While the 2024 Nautilus hadn’t been rated yet, the 2023 model scored highly with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), providing confidence in its crash protection and safety systems.