Compare the2023 Lincoln AviatorVS 2023 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid

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

Safety

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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 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

Both the Aviator and Crosstrek Hybrid 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 Crosstrek Hybrid’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 Lincoln Aviator has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Crosstrek Hybrid doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

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 Crosstrek Hybrid 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.

The Aviator Reserve/Grand Touring/Black Label has a standard 360-Degree Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Crosstrek Hybrid only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

Both the Aviator and the Crosstrek Hybrid have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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 and available all wheel drive.

The Lincoln Aviator weighs 1028 to 1956 pounds more than the Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

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 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid:

	Aviator	Crosstrek Hybrid
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	26.3%	36%
Neck Stress	167 lbs.	304 lbs.
Neck Compression	26 lbs.	42 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	230/210 lbs.	252/363 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.7 inches
Neck Injury Risk	29.2%	44.6%
Neck Stress	187 lbs.	195 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 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid:

	Aviator	Crosstrek Hybrid
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	65	138
Abdominal Force	161 lbs.	196 lbs.
Hip Force	224 lbs.	346 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	86	303
Spine Acceleration	38 G’s	58 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	13 inches
Spine Acceleration	39 G’s	49 G’s
Hip Force	573 lbs.	824 lbs.

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

Warranty

The Aviator comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck. The Crosstrek Hybrid’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

Lincoln’s powertrain warranty covers the Aviator 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Subaru covers the Crosstrek Hybrid. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Crosstrek Hybrid ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

Reliability

The Lincoln Aviator’s engines use a cast iron block for durability, while the Crosstrek Hybrid’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 Crosstrek Hybrid 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 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Lincoln vehicles are better in initial quality than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lincoln above average in initial quality. With 24 more problems per 100 vehicles, Subaru is rated below average.

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 Subaru 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, Subaru is rated below average.

Engine

The Aviator’s standard 3.0 turbo V6 produces 252 more horsepower (400 vs. 148) than the Crosstrek Hybrid’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid. The Aviator Grand Touring’s standard 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid produces 346 more horsepower (494 vs. 148) than the Crosstrek Hybrid’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Lincoln Aviator turbo V6 is faster than the Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid:

	Aviator	Crosstrek Hybrid
Zero to 30 MPH	2.5 sec	3.4 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	6.2 sec	9 sec
45 to 65 MPH Passing	4.2 sec	5.7 sec
Quarter Mile	14.8 sec	17.1 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	98 MPH	83 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

The Aviator Grand Touring can travel with zero emissions on electricity, only, on a full charge for 21 miles. The Crosstrek Hybrid has to start its internal combustion engine after only 17 miles.

Both the Aviator and Crosstrek Hybrid 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.

The Aviator Hybrid’s standard fuel tank has 4.8 gallons more fuel capacity than the Crosstrek Hybrid (18 vs. 13.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Aviator’s standard fuel tank has 7 gallons more fuel capacity than the Crosstrek Hybrid (20.2 vs. 13.2 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 Crosstrek Hybrid doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Aviator	Crosstrek Hybrid
Front Rotors	13.6 inches	11.6 inches
Rear Rotors	13.8 inches	11.2 inches

The Aviator’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Crosstrek Hybrid are solid, not vented.

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Aviator has larger standard tires than the Crosstrek Hybrid (255/60R19 vs. 225/55R18). The Aviator’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Crosstrek Hybrid (275/40R22 vs. 225/55R18).

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

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Aviator has standard 19-inch wheels. Only 18-inch wheels are available on the Crosstrek Hybrid. The Aviator offers optional 22-inch wheels.

The Aviator has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Crosstrek Hybrid; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

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 Crosstrek Hybrid’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 Crosstrek Hybrid doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

The Aviator offers optional vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Crosstrek Hybrid doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Aviator’s wheelbase is 14.2 inches longer than on the Crosstrek Hybrid (119.1 inches vs. 104.9 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Aviator is 5.9 inches wider in the front and 5.7 inches wider in the rear than on the Crosstrek Hybrid.

Chassis

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 Crosstrek Hybrid doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The Aviator has standard seating for 7 passengers; the Crosstrek Hybrid can only carry 5.

The Aviator has 43.9 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Crosstrek Hybrid (144.7 vs. 100.8).

The Aviator has 1.7 inches more front headroom, 3.4 inches more front hip room, 4.8 inches more front shoulder room, 2 inches more rear headroom, 2.3 inches more rear legroom, 4.3 inches more rear hip room and 5.7 inches more rear shoulder room than the Crosstrek Hybrid.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Aviator’s middle row seats recline. The Crosstrek Hybrid’s rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

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

	Aviator	Crosstrek Hybrid
Third Seat Folded	41.8 cubic feet	n/a
Third Seat Removed	n/a	15.9 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	77.7 cubic feet	43.1 cubic feet

Pressing a button automatically lowers the Aviator’s second and third row seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Crosstrek Hybrid doesn’t offer automatic folding second row seats.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the Aviator has a standard power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button, or on the Aviator Reserve/Grand Touring/Black Label, by just kicking your foot under the back bumper, completely leaving your hands free. The Crosstrek Hybrid doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

Towing

The Aviator’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Crosstrek Hybrid’s (5600 vs. 1000 pounds).

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 Crosstrek Hybrid doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Servicing Ease

The Aviator uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Crosstrek Hybrid uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

Ergonomics

When three different drivers share the Aviator, the memory system makes it convenient for all three. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position, steering wheel position (with optional power wheel adjuster), suspension setting, power steering assist, outside mirror angle, climate settings and radio stations. The Crosstrek Hybrid doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Aviator’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Crosstrek Hybrid doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Aviator (except Standard) offers an available heads-up display that projects speed, certain gauge, warning, turn signal and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Crosstrek Hybrid doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Aviator’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Crosstrek Hybrid has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

The Aviator’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Crosstrek Hybrid’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the Aviator the driver can close them all from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can also lower the windows the same way. The driver of the Crosstrek Hybrid can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Aviator’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Crosstrek Hybrid’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Aviator to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Crosstrek Hybrid doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The Aviator’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Crosstrek Hybrid offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the Aviator and the Crosstrek Hybrid have standard heated front seats. The Aviator also offers optional heated second row seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Crosstrek Hybrid.

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 Crosstrek Hybrid doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

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 Crosstrek Hybrid.

The Aviator’s standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The Crosstrek Hybrid doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

Both the Aviator and the Crosstrek Hybrid offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Aviator has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Crosstrek Hybrid doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Lincoln Aviator Reserve/Grand Touring/Black Label has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Crosstrek Hybrid doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

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 Crosstrek Hybrid doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

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 Crosstrek Hybrid doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Model Availability

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