Compare the2023 Lincoln AviatorVS 2022 Infiniti QX60

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 QX60 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 QX60 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger 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, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Lincoln Aviator is safer than the QX60:

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 vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its available headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Aviator the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2022, a rating granted to only 155 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The QX60 has not been fully tested, yet.

There are over 3 times as many Lincoln dealers as there are Infiniti 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 QX60’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 QX60 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 Infiniti vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lincoln above average in initial quality. With 37 more problems per 100 vehicles, Infiniti 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 Infiniti 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, Infiniti is rated below average.

The Aviator’s standard 3.0 turbo V6 produces 105 more horsepower (400 vs. 295) and 145 lbs.-ft. more torque (415 vs. 270) than the QX60’s 3.5 DOHC V6. The Aviator Grand Touring’s standard 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid produces 199 more horsepower (494 vs. 295) and 360 lbs.-ft. more torque (630 vs. 270) than the QX60’s 3.5 DOHC V6.

As tested in Motor Trend the Lincoln Aviator turbo V6 is faster than the Infiniti QX60:

On the EPA test cycle the Aviator running on electricity gets better mileage than the QX60:

On the EPA test cycle the Aviator Grand Touring running its gasoline engine gets better fuel mileage than the QX60 AWD (22 city/25 hwy vs. 20 city/25 hwy).

The Aviator Grand Touring can travel with zero emissions for 21 miles. The QX60 can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the Aviator Grand Touring’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The QX60 doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

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 QX60 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 a nine-speed automatic is available for the QX60.

The Aviator stops shorter than the QX60:

For better traction, the Aviator’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the QX60 (275/40R22 vs. 255/50R20).

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 QX60 Luxe/Sensory/Autograph’s 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Aviator has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the QX60. The Aviator’s optional 22-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels on the QX60 Luxe/Sensory/Autograph.

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 QX60’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 QX60 doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Aviator’s wheelbase is 4.9 inches longer than on the QX60 (119.1 inches vs. 114.2 inches).

The Aviator’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (51% to 49%) than the QX60’s (55.1% to 44.9%). This gives the Aviator more stable handling and braking.

The Aviator Grand Touring AWD handles at .83 G’s, while the QX60 Sensory AWD pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Aviator Grand Touring AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.5 seconds quicker than the QX60 Sensory AWD (26.5 seconds @ .72 average G’s vs. 28 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Aviator has a 2 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the QX60 (8.7 vs. 6.7 inches), allowing the Aviator to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

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 QX60 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 QX60 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Aviator has 4.1 cubic feet more passenger volume than the QX60 (144.7 vs. 140.6).

The Aviator has .7 inches more front headroom, .9 inches more front legroom, .9 inches more front shoulder room, 2.2 inches more rear headroom, 1.3 inches more rear legroom, 1.6 inches more rear hip room, 1.6 inches more rear shoulder room, 1.2 inches more third row headroom and 1.2 inches more third row legroom than the QX60.

The Aviator’s cargo area provides more volume than the QX60.

Pressing a button automatically lowers the Aviator’s second and third row seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The QX60 doesn’t offer automatic folding second row seats.

The engine in the Aviator is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the QX60. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because there are no rear spark plugs and the accessory belts are in front.

The power windows standard on both the Aviator and the QX60 have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Aviator is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The QX60 prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

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 QX60 doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its Infiniti Connection can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Aviator to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The QX60 doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

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 QX60 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.

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 QX60 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The Lincoln Aviator outsold the Infiniti QX60 by over two to one during the 2021 model year.