The Lincoln Nautilus is MotorTrend's 2025 SUV of the Year! | MotorTrend

37 vehicles participated in Motortrend's 2025 SUV of the Year competition, and it was a broad spectrum, from subcompacts to three-row SUVs, mainstream and luxury models, and prices that ranged between $35,000 all the way up to $150,000. There could only be one winner, and while this year's field was quite competitive, only one vehicle stood out by the end of the competition. That's why the Lincoln Nautilus is Motortrend's 2025 SUV of the Year. It has a refined and elegant design, and the remarkable cabin experience it offers made every judge feel special when they got behind the wheel. The Nautilus has that kind of quality that when you drive it, it makes you feel truly luxurious and exceptional. And when looking at the Six of the Year criteria, it's easier to see why the Lincoln Nautilus took home the Golden Calipers. The Nautilus is debuting Lincoln's new design language, and it starts right here in the front with a new glider grille. It's a new interpretation that is now more elegant and sophisticated. Then you have these very slim headlights that give the whole front an aggressive but very luxurious look. The rear, however, looks very wide thanks to those slim taillights that just extend from one end to the other. But the real magic starts inside. Sit inside the cabin, and the first thing you'll notice is this 48-inch screen that sits atop the dashboard. Now, we've seen wide screens in other cars before, but this is the first screen where it's meant to be for every single passenger inside the Nautilus. It displays the graphic in a very cool way. It brings a very cool atmosphere into the cabin, and best of all, it doesn't block your view. The other cool thing that we like about the cabin is the styling. There's a mid-century-like styling around this interior that's both innovative and luxurious. And more than anything, it brings a first-class interior experience to every single occupant riding in here. Doesn't matter if you're riding here in the front or in the back, the quality of materials, the attention to detail, every single place where you touch, every single place you look, it feels luxurious, and that matters. How well does the Nautilus do what it's supposed to do? Exceptionally well. The impact it makes is so significant that we believe it's going to shift how people think about the Lincoln brand. And it's not just an upgrade, it's redefining luxury in its own way. And more than anything, people are noticing the industry is noticing, and we are noticing. The Nautilus comes with two powertrain options. The standard engine is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo delivering 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, which already packs a solid punch. But if you're looking for more power, you can opt for the hybrid version for an additional $1,500. With this upgrade, the engine's output will boost to 310 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, giving you that extra edge in performance while still maintaining efficiency. And the hybrid engine is really going to deliver that little bit more boost, especially going off the bat. That low-end torque from the electric motor is going to really make a difference compared to the gas engine. Now, let's get one thing out of the way, and that is that the Nautilus is not a performance SUV. It's not a numbers SUV. It's not going to deliver fantastic handling. I think, on the contrary, this is an SUV that's going to be focusing on making sure that everybody riding in here is calm, is peaceful, has a very relaxing atmosphere. And that is because everything is tailored to that purpose. The suspension absorbs every bump inside the cabin, every broken pavement bit. All that vibration is reduced to a minimum to make sure that nobody really feels that movement. There's a lot of sound insulation around the cabin to make sure that there's no wind noise or there's no tire noise. Whether you're riding up here in the front or in the rear, the whole riding experience is going to be very quiet and very peaceful. And that's part of performance of intended function. That's part of engineering excellence. And that's partly why it won Motor Trends SUV of the Year. How big is the Nautilus on safety? Huge! Just look at it this way. The Nautilus was the only car out of all 10 finalists at SUV of the Year that received the Top Safety Pick Plus award from the IIHS. And that, my friends, really makes a difference. Now, on top of that, we also have Blue Cruise in the Nautilus. That's a handful of technologies that let you take your hands and feet off the wheels and the pedals. And on top of that, it can change lanes on its own on certain highways, certain sections of certain highways in North America. Now, let's say you're driving, you're commuting to work every day, and you don't have to put your hands on the wheel or your feet on your pedals. That's going to take away some stress of the driver. And that's going to really make a difference by the time you get to work a little stressed or more relaxed. You might be thinking, hey, you know, the Nautilus, it's a nice SUV, but it's got to be expensive. And, you know, it starts at $50,000, which that's not on the very affordable side of things. However, when you look at the segment, that's right in line with it. Now, the other good news is that there is a $50,000 model and an $80,000 model like the Black Label behind me. Now, for about $65,000, you can find one that's very well equipped with tons of the features that you find in the Black Label at a very decently affordable price. Both the gas and the hybrid powertrains offer pretty respectable fuel efficiency. The hybrid averages around 30 miles per gallon in combined driving, while the gas version delivers about 24 miles per gallon. At first glance, that difference might not seem like enough, but over time, you're going to notice it at the pump. Now, let's be real here. The hybrid engine is not just more fuel efficient, it's also the better performing option. So there you have it. Motortrend's 2025 SUV of the year is the Lincoln Nautilus, an outstanding midsize luxury SUV. If this is the start of something new at Lincoln, we can't wait to see what's in store.