Making its official debut at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show is the all-new 2020 Lincoln Aviator. Slotting in between the soon-to-be-launched Nautilus and the gargantuan Navigator in the Lincoln lineup, it will rival the Audi Q7 and the Land Rover Discovery, among others, when it reaches showrooms in summer 2019. The Aviator will effectively replace the MKT, but it's a mark of how far Lincoln has come in recent times that its executives are keen to avoid any association with its unloved forebear. Roughly the same size as a Range Rover, the Aviator has a familiar SUV silhouette but tries hard with the details. The dramatic front grille is a new Lincoln signature and so is the horizontal red lighting strip across the rear — a visual motif also now employed by Porsche. It's hardly revolutionary, but in a class not blessed with beauties, it will hold its own. The Aviator will be offered as either a six-passenger with two individual chairs in the middle row or as a seven-passenger with a middle bench. Lincoln claims a 6-foot adult can fit in the third row, but a high floor makes entering or exiting an awkward affair. It also means third-row passengers sit fairly close to the floor, so they might feel scrunched. Overall, we'd say the rearmost quarters are best left for kids or overly amicable adults. By default, the Aviator is powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6, driving the rear wheels via a 10-speed automatic transmission (all-wheel drive is optional). It produces an impressive 400 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque, which should be more than enough to move the Aviator with authority. Eco-minded drivers — or those who want even more impressive performance — might consider the plug-in hybrid. Available in Grand Touring trim, the hybrid powertrain pairs the turbo V6 with an electric motor to rival Volvo's XC90 T8. With 450 hp and 600 lb-ft on tap, the plug-in Aviator could be the sleeper of the year. Ride comfort will be a key priority addressed by Lincoln's Suspension Preview Technology, which scans the road ahead and preloads the suspension. It's a feature already employed with success in the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. For now at least, Lincoln is being publicly defensive about its pricing strategy for the 2020 Lincoln Aviator. Privately, though, we're told it will be priced somewhere between the Audi Q5 and the Q7, so reckon on a starting price around $45K. It's a hugely competitive market, but for the first time, Lincoln might just have a vehicle capable of taking on the best of Europe and Japan.
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