Base price: $39,995; 4wd, $42,915
Vehicle type: front-engine, rear- or 4-wheel-drive; 5-door 7-passenger wagon
Interior volume, F/M/R (cu ft) 57/47/37
Cargo volume, seats up/maximum (cu ft) 12/77
Wheelbase 113.7 in
Length/width/height 193.3/83.9/71.4 in
Turning circle 40.5 ft
Curb weight 4900–5100 lb
EPA city/highway mpg 13/18
Fuel-tank capacity/range 22.5 gal/293 mi
Passive restraints driver and passenger front and head airbags, rear head airbags
POWERTRAIN
4.6-liter DOHC 32-valve V-8, 302 hp; 5-sp auto
SUSPENSION
F ind, unequal-length control arms, coil springs, anti-roll bar
R ind, unequal-length control arms, coil springs, anti-roll bar
BRAKES
F/R vented disc/vented disc
ABS standard
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LINCOLN AVIATOR
The Aviator is like a trimmed-down version of the biggest SUV in the Lincoln lineup, the Navigator. But while the Navigator is based on the full-size 17-foot-long Ford Expedition, the Aviator is based on the Explorer, Ford’s bestselling, mid-size 16-footer. While there’s already an Explorer derivative, the Mercury Mountaineer, the Aviator has numerous mechanical differences.
The Aviator’s interior is very Lincoln, being swathed in fine leather, satin nickel, and walnut burl wood. The second row is available in two configurations: a three-passenger bench or two outboard seats with a center console, like the Navigator. Either configuration folds down, leaving 77 cubic feet of space, five less than the Acura MDX and 23 less than the GMC Envoy XL. The Navigator’s power liftgate and power folding third seat are not offered.
Lincoln ditched the Explorer’s steering rack and swapped in variable-assist and variable-ratio steering gear. There’s also a set of shocks and springs that are exclusive to the Aviator. Thus, there’s no floatiness found in lesser SUVs. In fact, the Aviator provides a quiet, serene ride and pulled 0.74 g on the skidpad—on the grippy side among its peers.
Just one engine is available in the Aviator, a 4.6-liter version of the aluminum DOHC 32-valve V-8 sold in the Mustang. It produces 302 horsepower at 5750 rpm and 300 pound-feet of torque at 3250 rpm. This motor not only outpowers the 240-hp V-6 that’s in the $35,000 MDX, it also has two more ponies than the Navigator’s 5.4-liter V-8 and 63 more than the Mountaineer’s V-8. The 60-mph sprint took only 7.6 seconds, and it pulled through the quarter in 16.2 seconds at 89 mph.
The standard five-speed automatic transmission is the best Ford slushbox we’ve ever sampled. Upshifts are transparent, downshifts timely, and it always picks the right gear. With the well-tuned suspension and steering, you won’t feel tentative about using the engine’s grunt. We searched for a bump or dip that would upset the Aviator but never found one.
The Aviator is offered in two- or all-wheel drive and in two series: Luxury and Premium. The Premium series includes upgrades like high-intensity discharge (HID) headlamps, heated and cooled seats, an in-dash six-disc CD changer, and 17-inch aluminum wheels.
It will take a comparison test to find out where the Aviator ranks in its class, but we can’t see how it would finish out of the top three. It’s quick, can tow a maximum of 7300 pounds, and has an agility that belies its girth. Lincoln hopes to sell 30,000 Aviators a year, a target it should hit.
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