Used 2021 Lincoln Aviator Consumer Reviews
See Edmunds pricing data
Has Your Car's Value Changed?
Used car values are constantly changing. Edmunds lets you track your vehicle's value over time so you can decide when to sell or trade in.
Fatal flaw
I drove my Aviator Reserve for 18 months. Love the ride, the trim, and the electronics. In every regard it is a luxury vehicle and very well thought out. But... It has a fatal flaw that, in the end, drove me to trade it in. Specifically, the door opening mechanism on the inside of each door is electric. It depends on electrical components inside each door and on the overall health of the electrical system. Only one of the four doors, the driver's door, has a mechanical override release in case of electrical failure. Imagine an auto accident where the electrical system is compromised and the driver is disabled. How do passengers get out? Since the release is located in the lower front corner of the driver's door, passengers must first move the driver to get to the release. And if there's a fire.... I drove the car for 12 months before this problem really became real to me. One morning I went out to get into the car and the driver's door would not open. Passengers' doors opened, but not the driver's. I got in the passenger's side and crawled over the console to get into the driver's seat. The driver's door would not open from the inside, either. And if you're 76 like I am, getting to that mechanical release is no easy trick. Lincoln towed the car. It took over five weeks for them to get the parts to fix it. Slowly but surely it sunk into my rather thick skull that my son had been exactly right when I showed him the car for the first time. He said it's a fire trap. I gave the car two stars because it is a dream to drive. If you buy one, make sure you keep hammers available for each seat to knock out the windows for emergency exit.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Garbage
2021 Aviator 1600 miles. Factory paint defects, rattles, faulty fuel gauge. Currently in the shop for 16 days. Lincoln refusing to authorize a repair because the problem comes and goes, even though the dealer witnessed it happening and I have video of the faulty gauge. Satellite radio stopped working then magically started again. It seems the problems still affect the 2021 models.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
- Grand Touring Plug-In Hybrid 4dr SUVMSRP: $33,90016 mi away
- Reserve 4dr SUVMSRP: $35,99014 mi away
- Reserve 4dr SUVMSRP: $35,998In-stock online
Catastrophic Transmission Failure
I purchased a 2021 Feb 18, 2021. It has approximately 8900 miles on it. Feb 5, 2022, driving on the freeway at 70 mph when all of a sudden, I pressed on the gas and the engine just revved. I started to coast at 60 mph when the car went BAM. It shifted to first gear at 60 mph. I tried getting over on the side of the road when all of a sudden it went back into neutral. Then trying to get off the freeway the car shifted into first gear again. This was terrifying. I am blessed that I was driving and not my wife. Finally, I was able to find a safe parking lot and got the car towed. Dealer said the transmission is completely gone. A catastrophic failure. I now have to wait several weeks for Lincoln to get a replacement transmission to the Lincoln dealer. I am also battling to get a same size loaner. I usually drive an Escalade. I sold it and got the Aviator. Up until Feb 5 I was extremely happy with the Aviator.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
$81k for 3 weeks. Now this is true Luxury LOL
It all began 1 year ago when I first test drove my absolutely amazing Aviator or at least I thought it was . I drove it 3 blocks and said "I love this car and bought it". Next day I went to pick up my Aviator Reserve and drove off to pick up my 3 daughters. Once I was on the highway I looked over at my daughters and knew instantly I made the right decision . I could see how comfortable and safe they felt in this amazing car. Well that did not last long. 3 weeks after that we were all driving home from my sons house and the entire dash started to light up, with warning signs and failure signs everything changed our seats where now in different setting, the suspension ride itself was different not smooth at all, failure sign for my braking and my AWD failure was on, my front end was shimming and it felt like I was driving with my parking brake on, it was and still is very stressful. This was just the beginning of a year long torture of being promised "everything was going to be OK ,just have patience we will take care of everything". Now after a year of being patient there are more problems and nothing has been resolved After a year of this, Lincoln offered me a 2022 Aviator if I payed them another $20k I'm not sure how or why this is happening to me but I can not give this vehicle any type of positive review, after seeing how the attitude of the dealership and the manufacturer can not in any manner conduct themselves in a adult and responsible fashion. It is safe to say " now I can understand why the Lincoln brand is losing there popularity, instead of "Lets do better for the consumer they are taking the attitude " Lets do less and charge more " If only Henry and Wilfred were here to see such a disgrace Shame on you .
Stuck with GM
Last week of December, I traded a 2016 Cadillac CT6 Platinum edition on a $75,000 Lincoln Aviator. Reserve 'll, with ALL packages available. Upon delivery, I was promised that the misaligned hood would be corrected before I take delivery. When I went to get it, it still was not right so they worked more, and never got it exactly aligned. I worked with a Lincoln Concierge who made some concession offer which I accepted and gave up on getting it perfectly aligned. Now, with 3,300 mile I developed a tire leak and was told by a tire repair shop that the 22" Goodyear Eagle touring could not be repaired since the tire has some kind of soundeadening liner which you can't patch through. I'm riding on the donut until I can arrange with dealer to replace, supposedly under warranty....God forbid that I have another leak. Besides that the owners manual is worthless and you need lessons to operate all equipment. The air glide suspension is,not function as I was told it would. That problem needs to be addressed. A friend bought a 2020 like my 2021 and was so frustrated that he,took it back and swapped for a truck. I should have listened but thought the 2020 bugs had been addressed. The many options are not used friendly and I would suggest you do your homework and avoid the regrets I have. If my Caddy was still on the lot I would work a swap. Bottom line, my exoerience has not been good and I recommend caution before you shell out $75,000 OR MORE. .For what it's worth, that's my review.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Cricket sounds in sunroof area
My Aviator is just over 12 months old. About 6 months ago, completely out of the blue, it developed a couple of squeaks and rattle sounds that should not be in a vehicle of this price. I've had the car in to the dealer several time. They fixed the dashboard issue but have not been able to resolve the problem sound around the sunroof.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
2021 aviator in the shop more than my garage
This car is beautiful! BUT, it has been in the shop more than in our garage. It is a constant different issue, from transmission, faulty computer system, now oil leak, hood never aligned proper,back row seats stopped working ECT.... I WANT A NEW CAR UPDATE !!!!GOT RID OF THE PIECE OF JUNK! BEST DAY EVER!
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Trouble
My 2021 Lincoln Aviator has a new problem every other day. Navigation doesn’t work most of the time, The same time stayed on the clock for 3 hrs. Doesn’t detect rain. Braked 5 different times on its own while Moving @ 75 mpg on interstate 35 that jerked the car. Lincoln help was a joke. Transferred my call from one person to another over & over. So I’m stranded for 4 hrs before anyone came with a wrecker in Waco that did not have a Lincoln dealership. The personnel I spoke with were very untrained & had trouble with everything that he was suppose to be helping with. This was a scary situation stranded alongside Interstate 35 in Waco where we knew nothing about except they do not have a Lincoln dealership.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
My Black Label is a falling star...
When I decided to sell my sportscars and move into what I call "the sofa age" of driving I researched all the luxury suvs and really like what I was hearing about the Aviator aside from the first year run of 2020's which seemed to have quite a lot of issues. To be fair, many 1st year runs of cars have more issues than subsequent years. Anyway, partly because of that and partly because I want to experience several more cars before my driving years are over we decided to lease a Black Label Aviator which included dealer pickup and drop off service. 2years into our lease everything was proceeding well except for those 30way massaging seats. The seat bottoms are rock hard after about an hour in the car and the massage is a joke, being nothing more than some airbags that only work on the seat and lower back. Then coming home from Los Angeles on the freeway I accelerated to pass another car and the engine power just vanished. I was able to get over to the shoulder and no sooner did we stop the engine magically came back and we were able to get back home. Then a few days later the same thing happened on a city street so I called Lincoln to come get the car for service. Here I am a month later and they have decided that I need a completely new transmission. I can't complain too much as thank goodness I got the black label lease where they have to provide a car for me to drive. It's a smaller model though and I'm still paying the big lease payment. Hopefully it won't take too long to fix this thing but I'm not really happy that a $90k car with only 10k miles needs a new transmission!!! I'm pretty sure we won't be purchasing this car at the end of the lease, nor will we be looking at another Lincoln. I expect better for that much money.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Very Impressed so far with 3000 miles driven.
I purchased a 2021 Aviator Grand Touring II. Has everything except the rear seat screen system. First things first.. besides the distinctive exterior, the interior is just fantastic. Really comfortable, quiet and pleasing to the eye and touch. The air ride is great ... you still feel imperfections with from the tires on the pavement but the ride is very comfortable. I normally don't listen to anything when I drive to let me think internally, but the Revel sound system is truly stunning. Super crisp highs and accurate bass without being unnatural or boomy. Been averaging 31 miles per gallon in normal mode with the hybrid system doing it's thing. I've also not experienced any squeaks or rattles. The salesman mentioned that Lincoln had made a modification to a common rattle in the 2020 model years. The not perfect items for me owning the Aviator is the whole thing is so high tech that there is always something going on with the car.. little machine noises doing some thing or other.. sometimes in breaking you can feel some magic going on with the pedal (i think associated with the change in engine/electric regenerative breaking). But, all in all being my first Hybrid ... i'm sold on electric cars. A lot of trips involving 30 minutes or less drive time I'm on pure electricity and it is so quiet yet incredibly powerful.
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
70,000 piece of junk
Beautiful car, love the interior, drives very smooth....overall piece of crap other than actual aesthetics. Navigation screen goes black, can't connect. Radio acts as if the battery died and looses all presets, phone as a key NEVER works. I've now done a factory reset on the system and had to completely set everything back up. Went to reset the Phone as a key and now it won't even read my phone and sync it to the car at all. Customer service at my local lincoln stinks! they have a text in feature and no one will respond to me!
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Best Lincoln Yet!!
Just bought the 2021 Aviator, Reserve 2, has all the bells and whistles. We went with the Ocean Drive Blue and it is a head turner. We had the vehicle about a week and we've had one snow storm and handled well in snow mode. I have owned Lincolns since 2000 and this is by far the best one I've ever owned. This is my wife's car and she absolutely fell in love with it during the test drive. We love the room it has and the 30 way front seats are the best. I've read many reviews and decided to go for it. No regrets.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Flashy but Modest
After owning several BMW’s, especially X3 and X5 we decided to give the new Lincoln Aviator a go. The Aviator exterior is down right beautiful and the interior is second to none. Compared to the BMW X5 interior all I can say about the Lincoln is WOW. Leather is soft & supple, real wood trim and the controls are very simple to use. We purchased the Grand Touring Hybrid and the power is incredible. The V6 alone is 400hp and couple that with almost 100hp from the electric motors you are looking at almost 500hp. Combined the hp with the 630 foot pounds of torque and you have a rocket on your hands. Combined electric and gas and you are looking at over 50 mpg. One feature I love is I don’t have to use premium gas, only regular which in the long run saves you money. Way to go Lincoln you out did yourself on this one. UPDATE: Purchased or 2021 Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring approximately 1-1/2 years ago. Right out of the gate the check engine light came on after only 1 week. I thought to myself “ what’s up”? Took it right in to the dealership and they took it right in and took care of the issue, said it was just a glitch. Whether that was true or not we never had this problem again. Secondly we had a driver’s seat start making a popping noise. Long story short after the second visit they found some fasteners that where loose and broken so they were replaced, end of issue. All in all the aviator has served us well. MPG, whether you are using the battery, gas or both it does really well. Anywhere from 27mpg upward. The exterior styling is fantastic and the interior is second to none of the other luxury class SUV’s. Power wise, all I can say is get ready for a rocket ride. 0 to 60mph in less than 6 seconds. WOW! Why we bought the Lincoln? Exterior styling fantastic, interior, as I said second to none. Overall performance great. I’m a true Bimmer fan, owned several, but this Lincoln stole my heart. Don’t get me wrong, I still love Bimmers, but if this Lincoln continues to shine I just might be staying with a Lincoln. Keep up the great work Lincoln, we live you.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
2021 Grand Touring Hybrid
I Love This Ride. I have had this car since April of 2021. Everything mentioned below such as paint flaws, door dings, satellite radio issues has happened. The satellite seems to be because of its updates which sucks especially when you’re on the road but once it’s complete it goes back to normal a little inconvenience. The paint effect I found two after purchasing the vehicle but the dealer took care of it. Although it took a week, they provided me a rental and picked up my vehicle from my house. They did an amazing job on those defects. As for the dings I purchased a warranty which is well worth it. The dealer removed three dings. Immaculate job. Got a free rental at no cost and paid nothing all for just paying $300 for the ding and rim protection. As for the noise vibration I had that had that happened to me and discovered that it was the strip below the front windshield. I love the hybrid option on this vehicle. I know sometimes it says maximum charge and mileage range is 18 miles but I’ve gotten anywhere up to 24 miles per charge. What I have noticed is if all you do is drive your vehicle during charges without consuming fuel the vehicle a smart enough to eventually cause you to use your fuel especially if you haven’t filled up your tank within two months. The vehicle is smart who wants to have two months worth of unused gas in the tank causes buildup Finally I am vested in a electric vehicle outlet well worth the money especially if you’re only driving 10-12 miles each way to work. This baby is well worth it. The HUD is awesome. My gosh, the driver and passenger seat with the massage so comfortable. We’ve taken this car to Tampa and Panama City Florida from Charlotte North Carolina such a comfortable ride and so powerful. Thank you for making an amazing vehicle and providing the service at your dealership Mark Ficken/Felix Sabates Lincoln
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
So much to love but...
Been looking for a replacement for our 2017 Lexus RX350 for a while. Looked at quite a few cars and finally landed on the Lincoln Aviator. Thanks to the current market, I paid top dollar and had to drive 3hrs away to get the one we wanted. Love the car but there's a good number of things that bug me. Also, the rear A/C blower motor started making noise within a week and since it's on national backorder Lord only knows when it will get fixed. There's also a few odd noises, squeaks and rattles that will need fixing. There's also so rather poor fit and finish issues that will never be fixed since from what I've read online, others have tried and failed. Overall, there's a lot to like about the Aviator but I'm discouraged that Lincoln brought it out with so many obvious faults.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
"Catastrophic engine failure" for a 2 week old car
It took possession of a brand new Lincoln aviator and in less then 2 weeks, the vehicle died on the side of the road. I had to tow it into the nearest dealer (roadside assistance told me it would be 90 min! I found a tow truck in 10). Told it has a catastrophic engine failure and needs a new engine. Not happening. Now I have to fight Lincoln to provide me a new car, I'm not taking a lemon junk for $100k
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Stay away - tire pressure module problem
Loved and leased a 2021 Flight Blue Reserve in mid December. Within the 1st week tire pressure monitor module which resides above the headliner is faulty. Vehicle now in the garage for more than in our driveway over the last 2 months. Asked Lincoln to get out of the lease as there is no eta on the replacement however denied. Option to have vehicle put back together or stay in the Navigator (25k miles and smells like a cigar) that they rented from Enterprise - this after being in 1 Corsair and 2 Nautilus’ during this last month. Starting the formal Lemon Law process next. Apparently ours was the 1st of now 4 units in the USA with the issue. Would not recommend Lincoln at all at this time.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Really enjoying the car
I have been eyeing the Aviator for over a year...and I was concerned about buying a first year car...so I waited for the second model year. So far the car has been great. I feel it is a great American made vehicle! Support American jobs, American companies and the American economy!
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Has everything
This vehicle has every kind of tech feature I could want. A luxury vehicle with room for anything you could want to do.
Lemon?
2021 Aviator, 32,000 miles. Sync is awful. Have to strategically plug the phone in every time I start the car is it won't connect. The dealer can't fix it. Both front windows rattle, been back 3 times and they can't fix it. In for service the last 8 days. When I start the car, sounds like the exhaust is loose and there is a rattle. Found out today it's the VCT selenoids ( I don't even know what they are) Motor has to come out to replace them. Noticed a drone sound at highway speeds. Found out today the rear end is bad and that has to be replaced. Not fixable, has to be replaced, part is on back order. No timetable to get the car fixed. When it's fixed, I don't want it. Trading it in.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Lincoln's are terrible cars
My 2021 Lincoln Aviator is a terrible car. Only had 6 months and 3 recalls with 3 issues myself. Never again. My 1st and last Lincoln.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Hate it
Button on steering wheel for phone - hit it every time I turn. Second row less than 6" for center seat. Rain sensor has no button to turn it off in car wash - lost wiper blade
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
No probems,man
Powerful engine matched perfectly with the transmission to provide terrific performance for all types of driving. No quality issues. The interior is gorgeous and comfortable. Information system is intuitive and easy to navigate.My biggest complaint is no one offers a CD anymore, but I purchased a CD player from Amazon which syncs perfectly with the audio system and sounds great.
One of the best vehicles I have ever owned!!
I absolutely love my 2021 black label, it’s has exceeded all our expectations! Comfortable, quiet, and it’s got a ton power! The fit and finish are top notch!! Nice to see Lincoln coming back strong into the luxury segment. We tow our 3800lb camper with it and it feels as if our camper isn’t even there. It’s a perfect blend of comfort, power, and design. They really hit it out of the park with this one! Even has friends and family who prefer European luxury vehicles pleasantly surprised. Over 6 months with it and still love it, 2 1400 mile road trip rips and it tows our camper. SUV is a head turner.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Love the Vehicle
We just took this brand new vehicle to New Orleans from Kingsville, TX. Love it. However, the carfax did not reveal a wreck that the vehicle has been in. I can assure you I would have not ever even looked at this car had I known it was involved in an accident. So, far it does not appear to be a very bad accident, but the hood is not aligned correctly and an emblem is missing on the front of the hood. We are praying that AutoNation is going to fix everything we have taken pictures of and shown to them. If not I believe there is a Consumer Fraud that is good for 30 days.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Kaboom
Great vehicle with lots of great options...LUXURY X’s 10
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
American Luxury
The Aviator is luxury at its best. The car handles and rides a lot better than my good friends European SUV’s. The Aviator has a lot of room and the leg room in front and second row is great! My wife drives the car and she is constantly getting people who comments and what a beautiful vehicle. We would recommend to anyone who wants a quality SUV and it’s design.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
5300 miles Catastrophic engine failure
Brand new 2021 Lincoln aviator reserve 5 months with 5300 miles, the vehicle died on the side of the road. Told it has a catastrophic engine failure and needs a new engine. Now I'm fighting Lincoln to provide me with a new car.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Unsafe in snow
The material used in the wheel wells has a soft, but rough texture which snow sticks to and in a fairly short distance on a snowy road, the wheel wells become packed to the point where steering becomes difficult. Lincoln Motors claim they have not had any complaints but our local dealer says they have had several.
Comfortable Not a reliable car
I bought a brand new Aviator 2021 and faced some technical problems in Fuel Gauge, Rear Camera, software and rubber!! Yes , it is a comfortable car, but it is not reliable!! Plus the local dealer in UAE has no experience to solve all defects smoothly.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Love it!
Very comfortable ride. And enough power for any occasion.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
2021 Lincoln Aviator New Owner
just bought my white black label aviator and i love it. I traded in my 2019 Nautilus and do have to say that it roomy and has alot of power to make this girl happy!
Rattle and display issues
I bought a 2021 used aviator with 20k miles and after a brief ownership of six months I traded it for a Jeep grand Cherokee ; the car was at the dealership for couple of weeks ; some times it does phantom braking while driving out of my garage on reverse ; or in the office garage - really concerning ; sometimes the display goes complete dead ; dealership swapped the display but could not fix the severe door rattle and suggested to create a ticket with Ford : enough said , I ended up swapping it ; totally frustrating experience for a so called “ luxury car “
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Par at best.
I have a 2021 we have owned since new. Currently it has 26k miles. The back window leaks water. We have taken back to fix but only made it better but not water tight. The 360 camera the screen sometimes just goes back. The dealer tells me there isn’t a fix for it yet. Current at 26k miles the cam phasers in the engine need replaced. To do this they have to drop the transmission, transfer case, and take apart the engine. If you are looking to spend 80k go buy something else.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Still Love It!!
My Aviator is a 2021 Black Label Grand Touring. I bought it new and haven’t left a review before now. I can confirm I love this SUV just as much today as I did when I bought it. I had a 2019 Cadillac CT6 Platinum which I liked, but the ride and comfort of the aviator beats Cadillac by a mile. I haven’t had any major issues, and the very few minor issues were handled quickly and to my satisfaction the first time. I doubt I’ll trade it when the warranty expires in 2025, but I know I’ll have no hesitation buying another Lincoln vehicle since my household requires the addition of another vehicle. Lincoln has really stepped up their game since the days of the MKS, MKT & MKS. Lincoln made a very strong comeback from those days and I couldn’t be happier.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value