Lincoln Nautilus vs Volvo XC90

The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus came in three trims: Premiere, Reserve, and Black Label, each sporting an exterior design that exuded sophistication and refinement. The updated grille bore a resemblance to Mercedes Benz's bifurcated design, but it was the integrated LED lighting and illuminated Lincoln star logo that truly caught eyes. This horizontal aesthetic flowed into the rear with a full-width animated LED light bar and dual exhaust ports, creating a cohesive visual theme. A unique profile twist featured door handles incorporated into the beltline, enhancing the overall sleekness.

However, the real showstopper of the Nautilus was its interior. The materials were top-notch, showcasing polished metal, open-pore wood, and fine leather. Ambient lighting added to the luxurious feel, although opinions were divided on the piano key shifter, a long-standing Lincoln tradition dating back to the mid-1950s. The cabin also offered a Jet Appearance Package for an extra $3,000, including two-tone paint, black trim, and black wheels in sizes up to 22 inches. This package also introduced some unique interior elements, further elevating the vehicle's posh ambiance.

In contrast, the 2024 Volvo XC90, available in B5, B6, and Recharge T8 models, maintained a subdued and earthy exterior palette in line with its luxury yet practical ethos. Wheel designs varied up to 21 inches in diameter, with most trims featuring a Bright theme accented by chrome and polished metal, a stark contrast to the current trend of blacked-out elements. The XC90’s Ultimate trim brought in a high-end feel, with features including massaging front seats, a premium headliner, active air suspension, a Bowers & Wilkins audio system, and a trailer hitch with a 5,000-pound towing capacity. The starting price ranged from $56,000 to $79,600, with an MSRP of $89,145 for the top trim with all the bells and whistles.

Inside, Volvo mastered the art of design with rich materials, offering options such as wool-blend upholstery or ventilated Nappa leather in various colors. The interior, although somewhat dated, felt luxurious with touches like the Orrefors crystal shift knob and natural wood trim. The XC90's approach to design allowed for significant customization, enabling buyers to mix and match paint, wheels, and upholstery to meet their specific tastes.

The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus offered a standard turbocharged four-cylinder engine delivering 250 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The power delivery was smooth and the shifts were nearly imperceptible, creating a relaxed yet capable driving experience. For those seeking more power, an extra $1,500 bought the hybrid setup, boosting performance to 310 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque with an impressive EPA-rated 30 mpg in combined driving. The gas-only engine, in comparison, managed 24 mpg combined. The hybrid version boasted over 600 miles of total driving range.

All Nautilus trims came equipped with all-wheel drive (AWD) and five adjustable drive modes. The adaptive suspension available on higher trims provided the best dynamic response, with modes such as Normal, Excite, Conserve, Slippery, and Deep Conditions catering to different driving scenarios, from urban commutes to off-road adventures in snow, sand, or mud. Despite the hybrid's continuously variable transmission (CVT), which usually detracts from driving pleasure, this setup was surprisingly engaging.

For the 2024 Volvo XC90 Recharge T8, Volvo added an 18.8-kWh battery and a 107-kW electric motor to the B6 model's supercharged and turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. This combination yielded an impressive 455 horsepower and 523 lb-ft of torque, delivered via an eight-speed automatic transmission. The XC90 Recharge T8 offered 32 miles of electric-only range, switching to hybrid mode when the battery depleted to achieve about 27 mpg combined. Utilizing Power mode, the SUV could sprint from 0-60 mph in five seconds.

Recharging options were convenient, with a standard household outlet requiring 12 hours or a 240-volt, 16-amp outlet cutting the time to less than six hours. Various driving modes, including Pure, Power, Hybrid, Constant AWD, and Off-Road, allowed for versatile driving experiences. The XC90 also featured Charge and Hold battery modes to optimize electric driving based on situational needs.

However, during testing under hot Southern California conditions, the XC90 Recharge T8 fell short of its electric-only range, delivering only 28 miles out of the promised 32. Further, once the gas engine activated, the fuel economy lagged behind the EPA's predicted 27 mpg combined, achieving only 24.5 mpg. Despite this, the SUV remained efficient for short trips and daily errands when consistently charged.

Inside the 2024 Lincoln Nautilus, all trims featured power-adjustable, heated, and cooled front seats, with the Black Label model boasting 24-way Perfect Position seats that many deemed the most comfortable in the mid-size luxury SUV market. These seats offered continuous massage and heating functions, adding to the luxury experience. The rear seats, though not as opulent, provided significant space with 43 inches of legroom, surpassing that of competitors like the BMW X5 and Mercedes-Benz GLE, making it comfortable for taller passengers.

The Lincoln Rejuvenate feature combined massage, lighting, and screen images to create various relaxing moods, enhanced by optional scented cabins. Cargo space in the Nautilus was competitive, with 36 cubic feet behind the second row and up to 71 cubic feet with the seats folded down in the Premiere trim. Higher trims slightly reduced this space but still offered more than rivals like the Lexus RX. The Nautilus seating was limited to five, lacking the third-row option found in some competitors.

The 2024 Volvo XC90, even in its base Core trim, was furnished with power-adjustable, heated front seats, leather upholstery, wood trim, and a four-zone climate control system with air purification, topped by a panoramic glass roof. Higher trims like Plus and Ultimate added features such as a heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, ventilated front seats with massage, upgraded lighting, and more. The seats included adjustable lower leg support bolsters, although these occasionally caused issues when entering the vehicle.

The XC90 accommodated up to seven passengers, with an alternative six-seat configuration featuring second-row captain's chairs. While the front and rear seats were comfortable and featured individual climate controls, access to the third-row seat was tight but still more comfortable than expected for adults. In terms of cargo capacity, the XC90 offered 65.5 cubic feet with the third row folded down and up to 85.7 cubic feet with the second row down, providing significantly more space than the Nautilus.

A standout feature of the 2024 Lincoln Nautilus was its 48-inch curved display, seamlessly integrating a digital dash and navigation information with customizable sections. The graphics were crisp, and colors were vibrant. The center console housed an 11.1-inch touchscreen for infotainment, with permanent icons for HVAC controls, although adjusting the vents required navigating through menus. Unlabeled steering wheel controls posed some initial usability challenges, but the system included Google maps, Alexa Built-in, wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and OTA updates for keeping the system current. Additional tech included wireless charging and multiple USB ports throughout the cabin.

In contrast, the 2024 Volvo XC90 featured a 9-inch touchscreen with Google Built-in technology, including Google Maps, Google Play access, and Google Assistant voice recognition, free for four years before requiring subscriptions. The system also supported Apple CarPlay and SiriusXM satellite radio. The XC90's infotainment options included either a 14-speaker Harman Kardon sound system or a 19-speaker Bowers & Wilkins audio system, both offering superior audio quality.

Volvo’s infotainment introduced in 2023 significantly improved the user experience, despite the screen's smaller size compared to Lincoln’s large display. The minimalistic cabin design included a stereo volume knob and radio tuning buttons, adding to usability. Saying “Hey Google” activated the assistant for commands, creating a generally pleasing interaction, although occasionally requiring varied prompts for optimal responses. The XC90 also included a 12-inch digital instrumentation panel and available features like a head-up display and surround-view camera.

The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus was equipped with the Lincoln CoPilot 360 suite of ADAS features, including lane-keeping assist, park assist, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and emergency braking. A standout was the hands-free/eyes-up Blue Cruise 1.2 technology, available as a trial on lower trims and standard for four years on the Black Label. This system combined adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist with new features like automatic lane-change assist and In-Lane Repositioning, though there was a desire for more space between the Nautilus and adjacent vehicles.

While the 2024 model hadn’t been rated, the 2023 Lincoln Nautilus received five stars from NHTSA for frontal and side crash protection and four stars for rollover protection. The IIHS rated it “Good” in crashworthiness, though ratings for the current model were pending.

Volvo's longstanding commitment to safety was reflected in the XC90's design and features. The NHTSA rated the XC90 with five stars in all but rollover resistance, where it received four stars. The IIHS named the 2023 XC90 a Top Safety Pick+, with 2024 ratings pending.

However, the XC90 lagged in advanced driver assistance features compared to industry standards. Its Pilot Assist system combined adaptive cruise control with lane-centering and worked well overall, though it struggled with certain driving conditions and posed some accuracy issues, such as attempting to re-enter the highway unexpectedly during an exit. While Pilot Assist performed adequately, it wasn’t free from shortcomings in more complex traffic situations.