Compare the2023 Lincoln AviatorVS 2023 BMW X5 xDrive45e

For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Lincoln Aviator have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The BMW X5 xDrive45e doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Lincoln Aviator are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW X5 xDrive45e doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the Aviator and X5 xDrive45e have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Aviator has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The X5 xDrive45e’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

Both the Aviator and the X5 xDrive45e have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Lincoln Aviator is safer than the BMW X5 xDrive45e:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Lincoln Aviator is safer than the BMW X5 xDrive45e:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Lincoln’s powertrain warranty covers the Aviator 2 years and 20,000 miles longer than BMW covers the X5 xDrive45e. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the X5 xDrive45e ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 2 times as many Lincoln dealers as there are BMW dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Aviator’s warranty.

The Lincoln Aviator’s engines use a cast iron block for durability, while the X5 xDrive45e’s engine uses an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

The Aviator has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The X5 xDrive45e doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Lincoln vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lincoln above average in long-term dependability. With 12 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, BMW is rated lower.

The Aviator’s standard 3.0 turbo V6 produces 11 more horsepower (400 vs. 389) than the X5 xDrive45e’s 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid. The Aviator Grand Touring’s standard 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid produces 105 more horsepower (494 vs. 389) and 187 lbs.-ft. more torque (630 vs. 443) than the X5 xDrive45e’s 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid.

On the EPA test cycle the Aviator Grand Touring running on electricity gets better mileage than the X5 xDrive45e running on electricity (54 city/58 hwy vs. 47 city/54 hwy MPGe).

On the EPA test cycle the Aviator running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the X5 xDrive45e running its gasoline engine:

Both the Aviator and X5 xDrive45e have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. The Aviator (except Aviator Grand Touring) has a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Lincoln Aviator uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The X5 xDrive45e requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Aviator’s standard fuel tank has 2 gallons more fuel capacity than the X5 xDrive45e (20.2 vs. 18.2 gallons).

The Aviator has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The X5 xDrive45e doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

A 10-speed automatic is standard on the Lincoln Aviator, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the X5 xDrive45e.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Aviator offers optional 22-inch wheels. The X5 xDrive45e’s largest wheels are only 21-inches.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Aviator’s wheelbase is 2 inches longer than on the X5 xDrive45e (119.1 inches vs. 117.1 inches).

The Aviator’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (51% to 49%) than the X5 xDrive45e’s (47.2% to 52.8%). This gives the Aviator more stable handling and braking.

For better maneuverability, the Aviator’s turning circle is 2.1 feet tighter than the X5 xDrive45e’s (39.2 feet vs. 41.3 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Aviator has a greater minimum ground clearance than the X5 xDrive45e (8.7 vs. 8.3 inches), allowing the Aviator to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Lincoln Aviator may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs up to about 900 pounds less than the BMW X5 xDrive45e.

The Aviator (except Standard) offers available computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The X5 xDrive45e doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Aviator has .7 inches more front headroom, 3.2 inches more front legroom, 1.5 inches more front shoulder room, 1 inch more rear headroom, 1.6 inches more rear legroom and 3.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the X5 xDrive45e.

The Aviator’s cargo area provides more volume than the X5 xDrive45e.

The Aviator’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The X5 xDrive45e’s tailgate’s top part raises up, but the bottom part lowers, getting in the way of loading and making an uneven surface for sliding cargo.

Optional Trailer Sway Control on the Aviator uses the AdvanceTrac® sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The X5 xDrive45e doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Aviator’s exterior PIN entry system. The X5 xDrive45e doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its BMW Assist can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Aviator has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the X5 xDrive45e only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

Optional air conditioned front and second row seats keep the Aviator’s passengers comfortable and take the sting out of hot leather in summer. The X5 xDrive45e doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.

The Aviator has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The X5 xDrive45e doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Aviator is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The X5 xDrive45e doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.