Lincoln Aviator

Cabin

The dashboard has a 13.2-inch center touchscreen running Lincoln's Digital Experience software, paired with a 12.4-inch driver display and an Advanced Heads-Up Display that projects speed and navigation prompts onto the windscreen. The ambient lighting runs along the dashboard and door panels, tying into a wider design language Lincoln has built around the idea of flight.

There are Google apps and services that come built-in alongside wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, so buyers are not locked into Lincoln's own navigation if they would rather use Google Maps. A piano-key gear shifter sits low on the centre console, freeing up storage space traditional gear lever would otherwise take up.

Horizontal lines run the length of the cabin rather than anything stacked vertically, the way some German rivals lay out their dashboards. For a quality entertainment or music experience, Lincoln offers Revel Ultima 3D audio with 28 speakers that come standard on both variants, which is quite unusual for a mid-size SUV at this level.

Front Seat

• 30-way perfect position seats for the driver and passenger
• Heated and ventilated front seats
• Active motion massage
• Thigh extenders
• Adjustable head restraints
• Advanced Heads-Up Display

The 30-way Perfect Position seats are one of the Aviator's strongest features. Lincoln UAE lists them as standard equipment, so buyers do not have to move to a higher variant simply to get the basic luxury-seat package.

Rear Seat

• Reserve gets a 35/30/35 second-row bench
• Presidential gets second-row captain’s chairs
• Presidential captain’s chairs include a full rear console
• Panoramic roof controls are built into the rear console
• Two smart-charging USB ports are included in the rear console
• The third row uses a 50/50 PowerFold split bench

The Aviator offers seven seats in the Reserve and six seats in the Presidential. The third row is usable, but its 741mm of maximum legroom makes it better suited to children or shorter adults than long-distance travel for taller passengers.

Climate Control

Quad-zone climate control is standard on both UAE variants, allowing the cabin to be divided into four temperature zones. This is particularly useful in the UAE, where front and rear passengers can have very different preferences during the hotter months.

Storage

• 354 liters behind the third row
• 1,038 liters with the third row folded
• 2,096 liters with both rear rows folded
• Eight smart-charging USB ports
• 230V and 12V power outlets

The official UAE specification lists 354 liters behind the third row, 1,038 liters behind the second row, and 2,096 liters behind the first row. The PowerFold third row is particularly useful because it allows the cargo area to be expanded without manually removing the seats.

Lincoln Co-Pilot360 Drive 2.0 is standard on both UAE variants. The system includes a broad range of driver-assistance features.

• Eight airbags with Safety Canopy
• AdvanceTrac with Roll Stability Control
• Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop-and-Go and Lane Centering
• Blind Spot Information System with Cross Traffic Alert
• Lane Keeping System
• Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking
• Pedestrian Detection
• Forward Collision Warning
• Evasive Steering Assist
• Reverse Brake Assist
• Intersection Assist
• 360-degree camera
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Auto high beams
• Rear-view camera

The 360-degree camera and parking sensors are particularly useful in the UAE, where the Aviator's width can make tight parking structures more challenging.

Front

The Aviator's front end follows Lincoln's modern design language, with a wide grille and the Lincoln Star positioned at its center. Adaptive LED headlamps with Dynamic LED Signature Lighting sit on either side, while configurable daytime running lamps and speed-dependent lighting are standard on the UAE model. The front design is noticeably lower and more horizontal than the larger Navigator, giving the Aviator a more planted appearance despite its three-row layout.

Side Profile

From the side, the Aviator uses long horizontal lines and a relatively low roofline to create a more streamlined appearance than many three-row SUVs. The UAE-spec model measures 5,073 mm in length, 2,284 mm in width, including the mirrors, and 1,769 mm in height, with a 3,025 mm wheelbase. The glass is solar-tinted across all rows, which is particularly useful in the UAE climate. 

Alloy Wheels

Both variants use 22-inch alloy wheels with 275/40R22 107W-rated tires. An 18-inch mini spare wheel is also listed in the specification. The large wheels give the Aviator a substantial road presence, although the relatively low-profile tires provide less sidewall to absorb sharp impacts on rougher roads.

Rear

At the back, the Aviator continues Lincoln's clean horizontal design approach with LED taillamps and LED turn indicators. The power liftgate and Hands-Free Open on Approach functions are standard on both UAE variants, making the large cargo area easier to access when carrying shopping or luggage.

Colors

• Whisper Blue
• Red Carpet
• Pristine White
• Harbor Gray
• Infinite Black

Lincoln's official UAE color range for the Aviator goes from the two whites and Harbor Gray for buyers who want something that will not show desert dust between washes to Red Carpet for a more distinctive choice. Inside, buyers can pick between four cabin color schemes: plain Onyx, a lighter Light Space, Grey paired with smoked truffle trim, Onyx combined with hot chocolate, or Onyx with harvest bronze detailing on the seats and steering wheel, which is described further below.

City Performance

Driving the Aviator around Dubai and Abu Dhabi, its size is noticeable, but the twin-turbo V6 makes low-speed driving easy. The 563 Nm of torque gives it enough response to move confidently through stop-start traffic without having to work the engine hard. The Air Glide Suspension with Dynamic Lower Entry is also useful when getting in and out, as the suspension can lower the vehicle to make access easier.

• Air Glide Suspension helps with easier entry and exit
• A 360-degree camera assists in tight parking areas
• 563 Nm of torque provides a strong low-speed response
• 10-speed automatic keeps shifts smooth in traffic
• AWD provides additional traction when required

Highway Performance

As far as the highway drivers are concerned, no matter where you drive, either on the E11 toward Abu Dhabi or elsewhere, the V6's mid-range pull makes overtaking slower traffic a non-event, with the 10-speed automatic keeping the engine in its strongest band without hunting for gears. Being a premium SUV, the wind noise is well taken care of, and the cabin stays mostly even when you are touching three-digit speeds, this is largely due to the Noise Reduction Module fitted as standard.

• An advanced heads-up display keeps navigation perfectly in the driver's eyeline, easy to read, and keeps focus on driving. 
• For your long highway driving and ease of cruising with minimum fatigue, there is the adaptive cruise control with lane centering 
• With a larger fuel tank, refueling breaks are less frequent than the V6's output might suggest
• The engine settles into a relaxed cruise rather than working hard to maintain it; you can consider it one of the strengths of the SUV. 

Ride and Handling

The quality of a ride depends on the tuning of the suspension. The air glide adaptive suspension comes as standard across both variants, and as one might expect, it does real work, smoothing out the joints and patches found on older roads around Sharjah and Ajman. Similarly, the body control stays composed through faster sweeping bends, helped by the Aviator's lower stance compared with the Navigator, though this is still a three-row SUV built for comfort rather than cornering enthusiasm.

• Whenever you engage the Excite mode, expect the SUV to sharpen its throttle and steering for a livelier backroad drive
• Also, the Slippery mode tightens throttle response in sudden heavy rain, another positive feature to have in a big SUV. 
• A lower stance than the Navigator keeps body roll in check
• Suspension stays composed over patched roads in Sharjah and Ajman

Lincoln offers the Aviator in the UAE across two trim levels, with the core V6 powertrain, Air Glide suspension, and Lincoln Co-Pilot360 Drive 2.0 shared across both.

Reserve

This is the base variant and is offered with seating for up to seven with a 35/30/35 second-row bench, Perfect Position front seats with massage, and the full Lincoln Digital Experience infotainment suite. This is clearly for those buyers who want the Aviator's comfort and performance without paying for the six-seat captain's chair layout.

Presidential

This is a top-end variant with features like swapping the second-row bench for two captain's chairs with a full rear console, panoramic roof controls, and dedicated USB charging. Those buyers who don’t mind paying the premium for rear-passenger comfort over outright seating count and want the Aviator in its most complete form.

Zigwheels Recommendation

Since there are only two variants to consider, the choice here comes down to how the second row will actually be used rather than which variant offers more equipment, as both Reserve and Presidential share the same engine, suspension, and front-row comfort features. And so families looking for an extra middle seat for a seventh passenger should go for the Reserve's bench layout, while buyers who mostly carry four or five people and want the rear two treated properly should step up to the Presidential's captain's chairs.

Looking at this segment as well as the key rivals, it is obvious the Aviator does not try to out-brand the BMW X5 or Mercedes-Benz GLE, and in a market where brand recognition carries real weight, that is worth going in unaware of. But it does come with a V6, front seats that are more comfortable than anything at this price point from the German rivals, and cabin technology that does not feel like an afterthought. Buyers who test drive it with an open mind about the brand are most likely to come away impressed by how little the Aviator actually gives up to more familiar names, with the only shortcomings being a smaller network and less pull in the resale market. But overall, this SUV is worth considering for its feel, power, comfort, and capability. 

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