The 2026 Lincoln Nautilus vs the Competition

Lincoln Nautilus vs. Lexus RX 350

The Lexus RX debuted in 1999 and is often considered the first luxury crossover. Today, the RX is in its 5th generation, introduced in 2023. Earlier models offered a third-row option, but the current version is only a 5-seater.

The RX 350 is offered as a traditional gasoline model with a 2.4-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine delivering 275 horsepower and 317 lb-ft of torque. Additionally, there are hybrid options including the 350h and 500h, along with a 450+ plug-in hybrid variant.

• The Lexus has nothing comparable to the Nautilus’ standard Lincoln Digital Experience 48-inch pillar-to-pillar display.
• The RX also lacks a counterpart to Lincoln’s available BlueCruise hands-free highway driving system.
• The Nautilus is more spacious inside than the RX. It has advantages in most key interior measurements, ranging from slight to significant, particularly in rear legroom:
• Front headroom: 39.6 inches vs. 39.5
• Front legroom: 43.5 inches vs. 41.1
• Rear legroom: 43.1 inches vs. 38.0
• Rear shoulder room: 58.0 inches vs. 56.5
• The Nautilus also offers significantly more cargo space than the RX, both with the rear seats up (36.4 cubic feet vs. 29.6) and with the rear seatbacks folded (71.3 vs. 46.2).
• The Nautilus extends time between gas stops with a 20.0-gallon tank, compared with 17.8 for the RX.
• The Nautilus comes standard with the convenience of a surround view camera system, which requires a trim upgrade on the RX.
• Driver seat position memory is also standard on the Nautilus but not on the RX.
• Power lumbar adjustment on both front seats is standard on the Nautilus but not on the RX.
• Wireless phone charging is another standard Nautilus feature that is not standard on the RX.

Lincoln Nautilus vs. Cadillac XT5

The XT5 is Cadillac’s entry in the luxury segment of the popular and highly competitive compact crossover genre. The XT5 has aged a bit, as it was introduced in 2016 has only received modest updates since. The XT5 offers a choice of two engines: the standard 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder produces 235 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. An available 3.6-liter V-6 increases horsepower to 310 and torque to 271 lb-ft. Both engines are paired with a 9-speed automatic and come standard with AWD.

The XT5 costs less than the Nautilus but is also noticeably smaller in length, width, height, and wheelbase. With the discontinuation of the XT6, the only comparable-size model to the Nautilus is the Lyriq EV, a different proposition entirely.

• Both models share a base 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine, but the Nautilus offers more horsepower (250 vs. 235) and more torque (280 vs. 258 lb-ft).
• The XT5’s V-6 matches the Nautilus Hybrid’s 310 horsepower but offers less torque (310 vs. 271) and has significantly lower fuel efficiency (29/31/30 vs. 18/26/21).
• The Nautilus has more interior space in most metrics, including a little more space when seating three in the second row:
• Front headroom: 39.6 inches vs. 39.7
• Rear headroom: 39.8 inches vs. 38.4
• Front legroom: 43.5 inches vs. 41.2
• Rear legroom: 43.1 inches vs. 39.0
• Rear shoulder room: 58.0 inches vs. 56.3
• Rear hip room: 56.3 inches vs. 54.8
• The Nautilus also has more cargo space both with the rear seats up (36.4 cubic feet vs. 30.0) and with the rear seatbacks folded (71.3 cubic feet vs. 63.0).
• The XT5 has nothing resembling the Lincoln Digital Experience 48-inch dash display of the Nautilus.
• The Nautilus is available with the BlueCruise hands-free highway driving system. GM has a similar system, but it is not available on the XT5.
• Additional features not available on the XT5 include the Nautilus’ available 24-way adjustable, massaging Perfect Position Front Seats with Active Motion®, and Active Noise Control.

Lincoln Nautilus vs. Genesis GV70

The Genesis GV70 is essentially a long-roof version of the G70 sport sedan. It sits on a rear-wheel-drive platform (though AWD is standard) and delivers a sport-sedan-like ride and handling. The GV70 is available with either a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder or a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6 engine. The four-cylinder produces 300 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque, while the V6 delivers 375 hp and 391 lb-ft of torque. All GV70s have an eight-speed automatic.

The GV70 features a distinctly upscale interior with a standard digital display and a center touchscreen, both housed in a single 27-inch unit. With a starting MSRP of $48,985, it has a lower entry price than the Nautilus, but it is also smaller overall. The GV70 is available in base, Select Advanced, and Sport Prestige trim levels, with the latter available with the larger engine. There is also a Genesis GV70 EV that is not part of this comparison. If you want your luxury crossover to feel like a sport sedan, the GV70 is a good option, but if you prioritize space and ride comfort, the Nautilus is the better choice.

• The Nautilus standard drivetrain gets one EPA-estimated mpg better across the board than the GV70 (21/29/24 MPG city/ highway/ combined vs. 20/28/23)
• The GV70 V6 offers power significantly beyond the Nautilus model line, but the lack of a hybrid model means it doesn’t come close to the Nautilus hybrid’s EPA-estimated 29/31/30 MPG city/ highway/ combined.
• The GV70 27-inch display cluster is attractive but doesn’t have nearly the capability or make the same impression as the Lincoln Digital Experience 48-inch dash display.
• The GV70 has no counterpart to the Nautilus’ available BlueCruise hands-free highway driving system.
• The GV70 also offers nothing comparable to the Nautilus’ available 24-way adjustable, massaging Perfect Position Front Seats with Active Motion®.
• If you want your rear passengers to be comfortable, there is no contest. The Nautilus offers almost half a foot more rear legroom (43.1 inches vs. 37.1).
• The Nautilus also offers rear passengers more shoulder room (58.0 inches vs. 56.9).
• When off pavement or in unplowed snow, the Nautilus provides more ground clearance (7.9 inches vs. 7.3).
• The Nautilus offers significantly more cargo space with the rear seats up (36.4 cubic feet vs. 28.9) and with the rear seatbacks folded (71.3 cubic feet vs. 56.9).

Lincoln Nautilus vs. Volvo XC60

The Volvo XC60 is a veteran in this segment, dating back to its 2009 model year debut from a company long known for its wagons, which were somehow cool when other wagons weren’t. Volvo had already begun moving upscale then and has only solidified its position as a luxury brand since. The current model is only in its second generation, but it gets updated regularly. Volvo brand cues are everywhere, from the diagonal “ls” slash across the grille, flanked by the “Thor’s Hammer” LED bisecting each headlight, to the taillights stretching into the D-Pillars. The interior is even more distinctly Volvo, with the Scandinavian design of the dash and interior materials.

Mechanically, however, the XC60 follows the conventional wisdom of the category with a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine paired to an 8-speed automatic that sends the power to either the front or all four wheels. The engine produces 247 horsepower and 266 lb-ft and has a 48-volt mild hybrid system to assist in start-from-stop and acceleration. If you want more power, the available Plug-in Hybrid model uses a variant of the same engine but produces 455 horsepower and 523 lb-ft of torque in conjunction with the hybrid system.

• The Nautilus has a small advantage in horsepower (250 vs. 247) and a more notable advantage in torque (280 lb-ft vs. 266).
• The XC60 gets one to two more MPG than the Nautilus (21/29/21 MPG city/ highway/ combined vs. 23/30/26). However, the Nautilus Hybrid beats them both with ratings of 29/31/30 MPG city/ highway/ combined
• The extra cost for the Nautilus Hybrid is $3,000, compared with the over $11,000 additional cost for the XC60 PHEV, and it still gets better combined mileage (30 vs. 28)
• The Nautilus is a noticeably larger vehicle with a longer wheelbase 114.2 vs. 112.8 inches) about 8 more inches of length (193.2 vs. 185.4) an inch more in width 79.8 vs. 78.7), and almost three more inches in height (68.2 vs. 65.4).
• Rear passengers will be much happier in the Nautilus, with more than five additional inches of legroom (43.1 vs. 38.0 inches).
• The Nautilus also has more interior space in other metrics, including:
• Front head room: 39.6 inches vs. 38.0
• Rear head room: 39.8 inches vs. 38.0
• Front legroom: 43.5 inches vs. 41.5
• Front shoulder room: 58.9 inches vs. 58.2
• Rear shoulder room: 58.0 inches vs. 56.3
• Front hip room: 56.8 inches vs. 55.4
• Rear hip room: 56.3 inches vs. 55.4
• The Nautilus offers the cargo a little more breathing space as well, both with the rear seats up (36.4 cubic feet vs 21.6) and with the rear seatbacks folded (71.3 cubic feet vs. 63.3).
• The XC60 has no counterpart to the Nautilus’ available BlueCruise hands-free highway driving system.
• The XC60 also has nothing like the Lincoln Digital Experience 4-foot-wide display at the base of the windshield.
• The XC60 has a lower entry price, so the middle Core model is priced comparably to the base Nautilus. Their equipment levels are also fairly comparable, though the base Nautilus has a few items not found on the XC60 Plus:
• Remote engine start
• In-car WiFi
• Heated steering wheel
• Onboard navigation