Car review: Lincoln Nautilus long on luxury and technology

https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/2026/06/13/lincoln-nautilus-long-on-luxury-and-technology/

Publish Date: 2026-06-13 00:01:00

We’ll bet Captain Nemo didn’t have it this nice.

The fictional skipper of Jules Verne’s “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” likely would have taken a few cues from Lincoln’s design department in refitting his submarine, the Nautilus.

A case in point is this week’s test ride, the 2026 Lincoln Nautilus, a midsize luxury crossover/SUV designed to compare with the likes of BMW’s X5, Cadillac’s XT5 and Audi’s Q5.

Start with several square yards of glove-soft, perforated and stitched leather, toss in some tasteful brushed metallic accents, pleasing-to-the-touch cabin materials, imaginative ambient illumination, and a huge 48-inch digital display worthy of the next Star Trek remake, and the enigmatic mariner of Verne’s tale would be cruising the depths in style.

This land-locked take on the Nautilus also sports a supple, quiet and refined ride quality complemented by a choice of gas-only and hybrid-assisted drivetrains, both of which deliver more than enough accelerative oomph to handle daily-driving demands.

Last redesigned for the 2024 model year, the Nautilus rolled into the current model year largely unchanged save for tweakings to the entertainment system, some new interior and exterior color choices and an update of the company’s subscription-based Blue Cruise self-driving system.

There are three tony-sounding trim levels — Premiere, Reserve and Black Label — all of which are equipped with a standard gas-only 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four engine making 250 horsepower and 275 foot-pounds of torque. Power is routed to a standard all-wheel-drive system via an eight-speed automatic transmission. There’s a cost-added 310-horsepower hybrid option, as well, which tosses in a pair of electric motors and rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack. A continuously variable automatic transmission is standard here.

Pricing starts at $53,995 for gas-powered Premiere-trimmed samples and can rocket skyward to better than 80 grand for those in…

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