Compare the2023 Lincoln AviatorVS 2022 Lexus RXL

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics

Safety

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Both the Aviator and RXL 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 RXL’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.

The Aviator has standard Post Collision Braking, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The RXL doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Both the Aviator and the RXL have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, 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 Lexus RXL:

	Aviator	RXL
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	3 Stars
HIC	125	194
Neck Injury Risk	26.3%	33.2%
Neck Stress	167 lbs.	412 lbs.
Neck Compression	26 lbs.	60 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	230/210 lbs.	433/719 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.7 inches
Neck Injury Risk	29.2%	40.1%
Neck Stress	187 lbs.	267 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	380/405 lbs.	403/457 lbs.

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 Lexus RXL:

	Aviator	RXL
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	86	165
Spine Acceleration	38 G’s	44 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	14 inches
Spine Acceleration	39 G’s	44 G’s
Hip Force	573 lbs.	685 lbs.

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

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Aviator is 1.6% to 2% less likely to roll over than the RXL.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard front crash prevention system, and its headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Aviator its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2019, a rating granted to only 122 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The RXL is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2019.

Warranty

There are almost 3 times as many Lincoln dealers as there are Lexus dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Aviator’s warranty.

Reliability

The Lincoln Aviator’s engines use a cast iron block for durability, while the RXL’s engines use 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 RXL doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

Engine

The Aviator’s standard 3.0 turbo V6 produces 110 more horsepower (400 vs. 290) and 152 lbs.-ft. more torque (415 vs. 263) than the RX 350L’s standard 3.5 DOHC V6. The Aviator’s 3.0 turbo V6 produces 92 more horsepower (400 vs. 308) than the RX 450hL’s standard 3.5 DOHC V6 hybrid. The Aviator Grand Touring’s standard 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid produces 186 more horsepower (494 vs. 308) than the RX 450hL’s standard 3.5 DOHC V6 hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Lincoln Aviator turbo V6 is faster than the RX 350L 3.5 DOHC V6:

	Aviator	RXL
Zero to 60 MPH	5.4 sec	7.6 sec
Quarter Mile	14.1 sec	15.8 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	97.7 MPH	89.3 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Aviator running on electricity gets better mileage than the RXL:

			MPGe
Aviator
	AWD	Grand Touring Electric Motor	54 city/58 hwy
RXL
			MPG
	FWD	3.5 DOHC V6	19 city/26 hwy
	AWD	3.5 V6 Hybrid	29 city/28 hwy
		3.5 DOHC V6	18 city/25 hwy

On the EPA test cycle the Aviator Grand Touring running its gasoline engine gets better fuel mileage than the RX 350L AWD (22 city/25 hwy vs. 18 city/25 hwy).

The Aviator Grand Touring can travel with zero emissions for 21 miles. The RXL can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regardless of its engine, the Aviator’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip (not available Grand Touring). Lexus only offers an automatic engine start/stop system on the RXL Hybrid.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Lincoln Aviator uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The RX 450hL requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Aviator’s standard fuel tank has a gallon more fuel capacity than the RXL’s standard fuel tank (20.2 vs. 19.2 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 RXL doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Transmission

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 RXL.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Aviator’s brake rotors are larger than those on the RXL:

	Aviator	RXL
Front Rotors	13.6 inches	12.9 inches
Rear Rotors	13.8 inches	13.3 inches

The Aviator stops much shorter than the RXL:

	Aviator	RXL
60 to 0 MPH	119 feet	133 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Aviator has larger standard tires than the RXL (255/60R19 vs. 235/65R18). The Aviator’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the RXL (275/40R22 vs. 235/65R18).

The Aviator’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the RXL’s standard 65 series tires. The Aviator’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the RXL’s optional 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Aviator has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the RXL. The Aviator’s optional 22-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels optional on the RXL.

Suspension and Handling

The Aviator offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The RXL’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Aviator has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Aviator’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The RXL doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Aviator’s wheelbase is 9.3 inches longer than on the RXL (119.1 inches vs. 109.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Aviator is 2.5 inches wider in the front and 2.9 inches wider in the rear than on the RXL.

The Aviator Grand Touring AWD handles at .83 G’s, while the RX 350L AWD pulls only .75 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Aviator Grand Touring AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2 seconds quicker than the RX 350L (26.5 seconds @ .72 average G’s vs. 28.5 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Aviator has a greater minimum ground clearance than the RXL (8.7 vs. 8.1 inches), allowing the Aviator to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The front grille of the Aviator uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The RXL doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

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 RXL doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The Aviator has 27.7 cubic feet more passenger volume than the RXL (144.7 vs. 117).

The Aviator has 1.7 inches more front headroom, 1.6 inches more front legroom, 2.7 inches more front hip room, 3.2 inches more front shoulder room, 1.2 inches more rear headroom, 8.1 inches more rear legroom, 2.5 inches more rear hip room, 3.5 inches more rear shoulder room, 2.1 inches more third row headroom, 5.7 inches more third row legroom and 8.3 inches more third row shoulder room than the RXL.

Cargo Capacity

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

	Aviator	RXL
Behind Third Seat	18.3 cubic feet	7.5 cubic feet
Third Seat Folded	41.8 cubic feet	23 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	77.7 cubic feet	58.5 cubic feet

Towing

The Aviator’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the RXL’s (5600 vs. 0 pounds).

Servicing Ease

The engine in the Aviator is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the RXL. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because there are no rear spark plugs and the accessory belts are in front.

Ergonomics

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 RXL doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Aviator’s available headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the RXL’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Marginal.”

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 RXL doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.

The Aviator (except Standard) offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the RXL.

The Aviator (except Standard)’s optional Active Park Assist Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The RXL doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

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