Lincoln Aviator vs Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid

The 2026 Lincoln Aviator was essentially a luxurious version of the Ford Explorer, offering a premium feel thanks to its rear-wheel-drive unibody platform. Its exterior design exuded elegance with a long dash-to-axle ratio, a slightly raked profile, and restrained character lines, complemented by large 20–22-inch wheels. The Aviator's reverse-horseshoe grille, adorned with chrome jewelry in the shape of the Lincoln logo, was flanked by LED headlights with distinctive light signatures. The sides featured an "Aviator" badge as a piece of body jewelry, while the rear boasted a full-width LED taillight and "Lincoln" lettering under the window. Inside, the Aviator's interior was its main attraction, especially in the Black Label trim, offering curated designs with upgraded leather and unique themes like Flight, Moonbeam, and Invitation, each with distinct materials and design elements.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid, on the other hand, offered a more conservative and familiar design, drawing inspiration from the previous-generation RAV4. This approach resulted in a vehicle that looked and felt like a larger RAV4, with seating for up to eight and ample cargo space. The interior emphasized function over form, with a layer of luxury in the Platinum trim. While the glossy hard plastic and unlined storage surfaces explained the base model's value, the controls were logically laid out with matte black surfaces and white iconography. The climate system was simple and user-friendly, but the infotainment interface had a tiny volume knob and lacked a tuning knob, which could be frustrating for some users.

The 2026 Lincoln Aviator focused on passenger comfort, offering a smooth and placid ride with plenty of power. It was powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine producing 383 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. The Aviator could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in less than six seconds, with smooth transmission shifts and a powertrain that remained in the background. The suspension system, featuring adaptive dampers, provided a forgiving ride, though it resulted in considerable body lean through corners and ponderous steering. An optional Air Glide suspension added control and versatility, allowing for adjustments in ride height for different driving conditions. The Aviator also came with a Class III trailer tow package, capable of towing up to 5,000 pounds.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Max emphasized performance with a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and electronic full-time AWD, producing 362 net horsepower. This setup allowed the Grand Highlander to accelerate quickly, with a traditional six-speed automatic transmission avoiding the droning common in CVTs. While the Hybrid Max offered impressive acceleration and towing capacity of up to 5,000 pounds, it came with a fuel economy trade-off, achieving 27 mpg compared to the regular hybrid's 36 mpg. During testing, the Hybrid Max averaged 23.3 mpg on a mountainous route. The ride quality was soft and isolating, though undulations in the road could cause vertical bounding and lateral rocking. Handling was secure at moderate speeds, but the vehicle felt large on mountain roads. The Grand Highlander offered excellent outward visibility, aided by front, rear, and top-down cameras, though the front camera's frequent takeover of the infotainment screen was a minor annoyance.

The 2026 Lincoln Aviator offered a range of comfort features across its trims. The base Premiere trim included a 10-way power-adjustable driver's seat, heated and ventilated front seats, and tri-zone automatic climate control. The Reserve trim added a power tilt/telescoping steering column and quad-zone climate control. The Black Label trim provided a 30-way power-adjustable driver's seat with massagers and heated and ventilated second-row seats. The Aviator could seat up to seven with a second-row bench seat, though most versions featured captain's chairs with a mini-console. The second-row seats offered good space and could slide forward and back to balance legroom among the three rows. The third row, however, was less hospitable to adults, with low seat bottoms making longer journeys uncomfortable. Cargo space was generous, with 16.9 cubic feet behind the third row, expandable to 75.9 cubic feet with the second row folded down.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid provided comfortable seating in all three rows, with almost 100 cubic feet of maximum cargo space. The Platinum-trim test vehicle featured a Portobello interior with a mix of leather and artificial suede upholstery, offering a smart and upscale look. The front and second-row seats were heated and ventilated, with supportive cushions. The second-row captain's chairs, a no-cost option, allowed for easy access to the third row. The third-row seats were reasonably comfortable for adults and tall teens, with ample space from the head restraint to the rear liftgate. Cargo space was impressive, with 20.6 cubic feet behind the third row, expandable to 97.5 cubic feet with the second row folded down.

The 2026 Lincoln Aviator featured a tech suite that, while modern, felt somewhat outdated compared to other Lincoln models. It included a 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster, a 13.2-inch infotainment touchscreen, and a 5.8-inch second-row touchscreen. The Lincoln Digital Experience provided access to apps like Google Assistant and the Google Play store. Standard tech features included a 5G Wi-Fi hotspot, remote start, digital key functionality, and a 10-speaker audio system. The Reserve trim added a head-up display and a Revel 14-speaker audio system, while the Black Label offered a high-end Revel 28-speaker audio system.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid, in LE and XLE trims, featured a 7-inch digital driver display with traditional analog gauges. Higher trims offered a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel. All models came with a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, and access to Apple Music and Amazon Music accounts. Toyota Connected Services provided features like a Wi-Fi hotspot, automatic collision notification, and a digital voice assistant. The infotainment system was user-friendly, though it lacked the ability to display multiple main-menu screens simultaneously. The Platinum test car included a color head-up display, a camera-based digital rear-view mirror, and a JBL premium audio system.

The 2026 Lincoln Aviator came standard with Lincoln Co-Pilot360 Drive 2.0, offering a comprehensive suite of safety features. These included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, and a surround-view camera system. The Aviator performed well in crash tests, earning five stars from the NHTSA and top scores from the IIHS, though it lacked a rating for its headlights.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid was equipped with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, providing a range of standard safety features and driver-assistance technologies. Proactive Driving Assist was also standard, though it could be irritating in certain situations. The Grand Highlander received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA but fell short of a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS due to "Acceptable" ratings for headlight performance and small overlap frontal-impact protection.