Lincoln has been an SUV-only brand since the discontinuation of the Continental in 2020, and the second-oldest model from Ford’s luxury arm is now getting a refresh. The 2025 Lincoln Aviator gets a number of subtle yet important tweaks, from an updated front end to standard hands-free tech and a totally new infotainment system.
Almost six years on from its introduction the Aviator remains an excellent piece of design, so Lincoln hasn’t needed to do much to keep it fresh. The grille is larger and has a mesh pattern inspired by the Lincoln logo, and the redesigned headlights now connect to the grille border and have an LED strip that cuts through it. The Aviator is available with a lit grille logo as well as pixel LED headlights that have welcome animations and sequential turn signals. There are a few new exterior colors and wheel designs, plus new option packages that add more black exterior trim.
At first glance, even less has changed inside. The Aviator has new color and trim options, including an open-pore Khaya wood that has laser-etched shapes on its surface. There are fewer buttons and switches on the center console, as nearly all of the climate controls and other vehicle functions have been moved to the touchscreen, with a new Lincoln emblem being put in their place. (You still get a physical volume knob and buttons for some of the most-used features like the camera and heated windshield.)
That screen is the centerpiece of the updated Aviator. In addition to a new 12.4-inch gauge cluster screen, in place of the old 10.1-inch unit every Aviator now has a 13.2-inch central touchscreen that’s running the new 5G-based Lincoln Digital Experience infotainment system that debuted on the new Nautilus. Lincoln says it was designed to “prioritize the use of voice,” with built-in Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa as well as Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The system also has integrated Google Maps, web browsers like Vivaldi and Google Chrome, and the Google Play app store for apps like YouTube, Prime Video, Spotify and Audible. The new infotainment looks a lot cleaner than the old system, and a row of climate controls are always on display at the bottom of the screen.
The hybrid versions of the Aviator and its Ford Explorer were recently discontinued for everyone except cops, so the only powertrain option is a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 that still makes 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque. Rear-wheel drive is standard and all-wheel drive is optional, and the Aviator can also be optioned with air suspension that Lincoln calls “Air Glide.”
The other big piece of news is that Ford’s BlueCruise Level 2 system will now be available on the Aviator for the first time, and it’s standard across all trims, with the first four years of hands-free highway driving coming free. Every 2025 Aviator also has the Co-Pilot 360 2.1 suite of driver-assist features including blind-spot monitoring, evasive steering assist, lane-keeping assist, reverse brake assist, a 360 camera and parking sensors.
Lincoln says almost 70 percent of Aviators have been conquest buyers, the highest number for the brand. The 2025 Aviator will go on sale this summer, likely at a slight upcharge over the 2024 model’s $54,735 base price.
