By Gary S. Vasilash

The biggest surprise about the Lincoln Aviator—and as a three-row vehicle that offers 140.6 cubic feet of passenger room or a maximum 78.6 cubic feet of cargo capacity (with the second and third rows folded) it is itself fairly big—is that there aren’t more of them sold.

That is, in all of 2023 there were just 15,551 Aviators sold in the U.S., putting it in last place in the four SUV Lincoln lineup.

Actually, that goes to an even bigger point, which is that Lincoln, for some reason, has become one of the best-kept secrets in the luxury market.

Lincoln, which positioned itself using the design philosophy “Quiet Flight” over the past several years and which uses the term “sanctuary” to describe the interior experience of its cabins, perhaps did too good a job of being stealthy.

Perhaps they should have made more noise.

The exterior designs of the Lincoln vehicles are sophisticated and unostentatious; the interior executions—particularly in the higher trim Black Label variants—are absolutely first rate. Anyone who sits in a vehicle from its crosstown rival and then gets into a Lincoln will be surprised at how well done the Lincoln interior is.

It is nothing short of striking.

Lincoln has done a refresh for the 2025 Aviator.

While there are some exterior modifications—

“The new Aviator looks more planted with a more dynamic presence than ever before. The changes we made to our signature grille shows our laser-focus on details and design that pulls you in. And with our new lighting features which we call ‘jewelry,’ the Lincoln star comes to life and immediately catches your attention.” – Kemal Curic, design director, Lincoln

–the real story for this model is upping the ante on the interior tech—

“With the new Aviator, technology takes an even larger role in helping create a relaxing, luxurious space that our clients have come to appreciate and expect from Lincoln. With advanced, connected features like the Lincoln Digital Experience and BlueCruise hands-free driving technology, we are creating a new, digital sanctuary on the road.” – Heidi Shaffer, director, Lincoln

The Lincoln Digital Experience is accessed through a 13.2-inch touchscreen or via voice, using Google Assistance or Alexa. For those who are part of the Apple ecosystem, there is CarPlay, as well. (An available Revel Ultima 3D audio system, with 28 speakers, makes the SiriusXM or Spotify or other music sound all the better.)

There is a leaning towards Google, however, as there is the ability to download apps from the Google Play store.

The BlueCruise feature, standard, allows hands-free driving on some 130,000 miles of roads in North America. There is Lane Change Assist—which allows the Aviator to switch lanes when safe to do so by simply using the turn signal indicator—and In-Lane Repositioning—which determines where the SUV is in relation to vehicles on either side of it and makes steering adjustments to provide the most room.

The midsize lux SUV category has a number of competitors, many of which (e.g., Genesis, Lexus, BMW) have solid options.

But sit in a Lincoln with a 30-position driver’s seat and then think about what your daily drive will be like.

Even if it is a two-year lease, you’re going to be spending a considerable amount of time in an interior, so it is best to get the one that you’ll be most comfortable with–and it could very likely be in a Lincoln.