Want a Hidden Gem That Whispers Quiet Luxury? Take the 2025 Lincoln Aviator For a Spin

Open the driver’s side door—an electronic door with no moving parts to pinch fingers!—and the leather seating welcomes and cradles. Our Black Label edition, priced from $87,245, was fully loaded, so it was even more pampering.

While the cognac-colored Flight Theme interior on our test model would not be my preference, it was comfortable and felt good. I would go for the Light Space Gray, or on the Black Label model, Moonbeam Theme. Both are a light creamy gray with black cabin accents, but the Moonbeam adds elegance with sharp black piping and more details to the scultpted, Eames-esque seating.

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The Lincoln Aviator was updated for 2025 with more standard features, a new 13″ multimedia screen and a slimmed-down trim line of only three models: Premiere, which starts at $58,930; Reserve, which starts at $66,030 and Black Label. All wheel drive is standard in the Black Label edition but available for $4,000 on the other trims.

In the driver’s seat, the steering wheel feels good in your hands. The digital driver’s display is easy to see. The multimedia touchscreen is simple and intuitive. And the angled center console, where you’ll find the gear selector and climate controls, is easy to reach. The angled phone charge pad allows you to see your phone while it charges.

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Under the hood Lincoln Aviator now has a single engine offering: A V6 that delivers 400 HP. Prior models also had a plug-in hybrid that generated 494 HP, but that’s now a thing of the past. And while I loved the all-electric driving option, in this SUV the hybrid really was intended to deliver power rather than fuel efficiency. Driving around for a few days I found the less powerful option to be just fine. In fact, if you didn’t know there’d been a more powerful option, you wouldn’t question it.

I also found that the Lincoln Aviator, which is built on the same frame as the Ford Explorer, to be lovely around town. Easy to park, agile in traffic and delightful on the highway. The cabin is very quiet and the ride is comfortable yet responsive thanks to the luxury-tuned suspension, something we expect in a luxury car.

I also loved the get-in-and-go luxury that comes with wireless phone charging, wireless Apple CarPlay and Google voice: just say “Hey Google” and it’s at your service.

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If you don’t want to look at your phone, or the cup holders, there are retractable covers that lend a more elegant look to the console. Just above are quick-access buttons for climate, hazard blinkers, exterior cameras and auto stop/start. Above that is the gear selector panel that clears up space on the console for other things like storage and the drive mode selector.

I don’t always get the chance to drive a test car at night, but when I do, I’m glad. And I love this detail: before the Lincoln Aviator is powered on, the steering wheel is dark. But tap the starter and its controls are backlit making them really easy to see. Tabs just below the main controls also light up as you tap them for cruise control and Blue Cruise hands-free highway driving, which is standard.

There is also ambient lighting throughout, including under the center console and along the door panels so everything is easy to see.

Maybe my favorite feature in the Lincoln Aviator is the electronic door release, the small rectangular button at the center of door just under the window controls. I’m picky when it comes to ergonomics and that’s what wins me over: Just place your fingers in the door hold, your thumb on the door release, push it lightly then push the door open, all in a single, simple move. You’ll learn something really important: You’ve used way too much energy opening the door all these years.

Also on the door panels you’ll find the seat position controls, which I also appreciate because you can actually see the control you’re looking for rather than fumbling around on the side of the seat pushing buttons you can’t see.

There’s nothing like a lovely light-filled cabin to make you feel good, and that’s the story here. Even in warm weather its worth keeping the sunroof screen open as much as possible; the upholstery glows, as do the passengers.

Notice two things about the photo of the 3rd row entrance: First, the center row captains chairs slide and tilt for access. This can be easily done with a child passenger car seat installed, and for families who need a rear facing seat, a rotating seat will work too.

Then, notice the console between the two center row seats. This is standard in the Black Label model and an option in other models, and while I would normally advise against it so that you have pass-through access to the 3rd row, with slide-and-tilt seats, access is good. There is one exception, however: using the 3rd row for kids car seats.

There are four full sets of child car seat LATCHES so car seats can be LATCH installed in both the center row and 3rd row. For families who know this is a necessity, I’d forgo the fixed center console to make installing the kids and securing their seatbelts easier.

With the center row seat pushed forward a bit I was comfortable in the 3rd row, largely because of the center row captains chairs which give the cabin a more open feel. However, I’m 5’8″ and would probably not be all that comfortable in the 3rd row for a long period. Those who do sit in the 3rd row, though will find air vents, cup holders and USB-C ports for charging their devices.

I love a good puddle light, but it has to meet certain criteria: It needs to be solid, cover a bit of ground and light up as you approach with the key. Those that only light up when you open the door—and are already standing in a puddle—clearly didn’t understand the assignment. Lincoln understood the assignment.

Lincoln brought back the Aviator in 2020 not only as a mid-size 3-row SUV, but as the flagship for Lincoln’s new design journey. It included a number of things that not only have we seen with Lincoln, but across the industry, the first or among the first to add things such as backlit steering wheel controls, push-button gears, under console storage, electric door handles inside and out, digital phone-as-key function and slide-and-tilt center row seats. Add the new Google Built In system with voice activation, and it’s even more tech-forward.

What Lincoln didn’t mess with for 2025 is the look and feel of the Aviator; there are small evolutionary changes on the front face—the front grille is wider and the headlights have a more distinct frame—and on the interior, changes were made to accommodate the new tech system. But overall, the Aviator remains a favorite for its quiet approach to luxury and it’s hidden gem status: If you know, you know, and if you don’t, you’re missing out.