This year brings a wholesale change to Lincoln's mid-size crossover strategy as it replaces its MKX model with the restyled and renamed Nautilus.
The move marks the latest step in the brand's shift away from its "MK" naming convention, which will see Ford's upscale division instead give its vehicles proper names.
While the Nautilus is not a completely new design, it applies Lincoln's latest styling cues to this mid-size model and brings a pair of turbocharged engines and an eight-speed transmission to replace the MKX's 3.7L V6 and six-speed.
Lincoln offers the Nautilus in Select and Reserve trim levels. Both are standard with a 2.0L four-cylinder that makes 245 hp and 275 lb-ft of torque, and Reserve can be optioned with a 2.7L V6 good for 335 hp and 380 lb-ft, both of which are standard with AWD.
Notably, those engines are similar in specification to those in the BMW X3, and they should lend the Nautilus straight-line performance comparable to that model, along with other key competitors like the Audi Q5, Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class, Volvo XC90 and Cadillac XT5.
Lincoln fits the Nautilus with an adaptive suspension that provides competent handling, even if this brand leans more toward comfort than outright performance the way BMW does.
Other standard features the Nautilus introduces to Lincoln's mid-size crossover range include wireless smartphone charging, a 12.3-inch instrument cluster display, frameless rearview mirror, LED fog lights, cornering lights and a backup camera washer. The Nautilus is also available with the Lincoln Co-Pilot 360 active safety suite, which comprises automatic high beams, blind spot monitoring with cross traffic alert, adaptive cruise, lane keeping alert and assist and a pre-collision assist system that makes automatic emergency braking standard for the first time.
Select trim comes with 18-inch wheels, while Reserve gets 20s; other standard items include dual-zone automatic climate control, ambient lighting, electric parking brake, passive keyless entry, push-button shifter, power steering column adjustments, 10-speaker stereo, Sync infotainment with navigation, heated front seats, leather seating, hands-free tailgate and a backup sensing system.
Reserve trim adds a heated steering wheel, ventilated front seats, heated rear seats and a Revel sound system.
So far, Lincoln has only published fuel consumption estimates for the 2.7L engine, which is rated 12.6/9.2 L/100 km (city/highway).
