2025 Lincoln Aviator Needs To Try Harder

It’s hard to believe that the Lincoln Aviator is already five years old. Credit the SUV’s sleek styling and luxurious interior, which were a real head-turner back in the day. Having nearly 500 horsepower didn’t hurt, either, but a lot has changed in the world since then. You know what hasn’t changed much? The Lincoln Aviator.

While the Aviator received a minor mid-cycle refresh for 2025, it wasn’t enough. Plus, some of the changes feel like steps backward. And there’s still no high-horsepower hybrid powertrain in sight after it’s discontinued in 2023. Overall, the refreshed Aviator doesn’t do much to differentiate itself from the Ford Explorer in tone and asks a lot for buyers with an as-tested price of $91,575. And that’s not even the most expensive Aviator specification.

Let’s take a quick look at what’s changed for 2025, starting with the Aviator’s front fascia. The grille is larger, and by a considerable margin. It’s still rectangular, but it’s lower, meeting a redesigned lower fascia. Vertically oriented angular vents replace the old model’s simple horizontal vents and running lights, and up top, the headlights are smaller.

These changes result in a design that’s less well-proportioned and satisfying than before. Frankly, the 2025 Aviator has just one set of split headlights that make it look like a BMW X7. This is an unintended consequence of sharing its chassis with the Ford Explorer, which is also getting a similar facelift for 2025. Unfortunately, there are too many similarities between the two for me to see the Explorer’s mouth gaping at the sight of a Lincoln.

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Pros: Still Beautiful, BlueCruise—Finally

This isn’t the only time I’ll raise a red flag about the Aviator’s overly close relationship to the Explorer. Fortunately, the Lincoln looks as elegant as ever, and the exterior changes—while I think they’re a step backward—aren’t a deterrent. There’s still plenty of charm here.

The interior changes center around a new 13.2-inch touchscreen. If that sounds familiar… well, you guessed it. The new Explorer has the same screen with the same Google Assistant technology and the same layout for its various features. Admittedly, I’m not a huge fan of Ford’s current infotainment system, finding it a bit too complicated for simple tasks like adjusting the climate control. Add extras like massaging seats into the mix and interacting with the screen becomes even more distracting. Still, it’s a system you can use without much hassle, so again, it’s not a big deal.

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Like most touchscreens, this Lincoln’s is mounted like a tablet on the dashboard. It’s an outdated design trend that needs to go. A redesigned dashboard that combines the driver and center displays into one screen is sorely needed here. At the very least, an integrated infotainment screen in the dashboard would differentiate the nearly six-figure Lincoln from the $40,000 Explorer Active. The Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class has it. The BMW X5 has it. Audi has it. Genesis. The list goes on.

I’m not saying the Aviator’s interior is cheap. The wood trim looks nice, and while I don’t quite understand the weird checkered pattern scattered throughout the interior, it’s a nice touch. The leather is soft, the seats are lovely, and I’ve always been a sucker for the big, power-operated moonroof. However, the abundance of black trim looks and feels cheap. The chrome trim ends up feeling tacky as a result. And you might as well fold down the third-row seats and leave them there. Unless you regularly haul small children, no one wants to sit in the back.

Christopher Smith/Motor1

Christopher Smith/Motor1

Cons: Too Noisy, Old-Fashioned Interior, Feels Like a Ford Explorer in a Suit

At least the Lincoln is very comfortable. The active suspension with Air Glide is very cushy over rough roads, providing a very soft but not overly isolating ride. Frankly, I never noticed it doing anything dramatic in any of the drive modes, and I consider that a plus in this context. The Aviator is not a Lincoln hot rod, and no one should assume it is. Even if the driver is using the 400-horsepower, twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6—which is still the only engine choice—the only pleasant acceleration is what you’ll get.

You’ll also get reasonable fuel economy. The EPA lists the Aviator at 17 city, 25 highway and 20 combined. At 75 mph on the highway, I was getting between 23 and 25 mpg, but going a little slower on country roads got me to 27. Can you do better in the 400-horsepower range? Yes, but not by much. And you won’t be doing 150-mile hands-free BlueCruise trips on those competitors. Ford’s advanced Level 2 system is arguably the best in the business, and it’s standard on the Black Label.

Christopher Smith/Motor1

But even on quiet highways, where luxury vehicles are supposed to shine, there are frustrating instances of cost-cutting. Wind and road noise are loud, and the V-6’s roar is loud even when the accelerator is pressed lightly. I get the impression that this drivetrain is a direct Ford swap with little refinement for the luxury brand. Then there are the little things like the non-adjustable second-row seatbelts, which can be uncomfortable for kids and short adults. Really, Lincoln?

A few weeks before my long Lincoln vacation, I spent a day driving the 2025 Explorer. I really wanted to try the Aviator; even with its refreshed looks, it’s one of the coolest midsize SUVs on the market. But it turned out to be just a Ford Explorer dressed up in an expensive suit. Platform sharing is certainly nothing new in the automotive world; every automaker does it to some degree. But this felt like the old days of logo engineering—minimum effort with the expectation of maximum return.

To be honest, I still think the Aviator looks great. It just needs a good personality to fit.