Compare the2023 Lincoln NautilusVS 2023 BMW X3

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Lincoln Nautilus 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 X3 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Lincoln Nautilus 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 X3 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Nautilus are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The X3 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Both the Nautilus and the X3 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, plastic fuel tanks, 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, 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 Nautilus is safer than the BMW X3:

	Nautilus	X3
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Compression	21 lbs.	64 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	35.2%	38%
Neck Compression	44 lbs.	72 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 Nautilus is safer than the BMW X3:

	Nautilus	X3
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	192 lbs.	275 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	103	133
Spine Acceleration	41 G’s	45 G’s
Hip Force	635 lbs.	794 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	257	281
Spine Acceleration	38 G’s	43 G’s
Hip Force	425 lbs.	624 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 Nautilus is 1.6% to 1.7% less likely to roll over than the X3.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, and daytime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Nautilus the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 53 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The X3 has not been fully tested, yet.

Warranty

Lincoln’s powertrain warranty covers the Nautilus 2 years and 20,000 miles longer than BMW covers the X3. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the X3 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 Nautilus’ warranty.

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Nautilus’ reliability 13 points higher than the X3.

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.

Engine

The Nautilus’ standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 2 more horsepower (250 vs. 248) and 22 lbs.-ft. more torque (280 vs. 258) than the X3 s/xDrive30i’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The Nautilus’ optional 2.7 turbo V6 produces 11 lbs.-ft. more torque (380 vs. 369) than the X3 M40i’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Lincoln Nautilus turbo V6 is faster than the X3 s/xDrive30i 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder:

	Nautilus	X3
Zero to 60 MPH	5.8 sec	6.7 sec
Quarter Mile	14.4 sec	15.1 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	95.8 MPH	91.5 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Lincoln Nautilus uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The X3 requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Nautilus 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 X3 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Nautilus’ front brake rotors are larger than those on the X3:

	Nautilus	X3	X3 M40i
Front Rotors	13.8 inches	13 inches	13.7 inches

The Nautilus stops much shorter than the X3:

	Nautilus	X3
60 to 0 MPH	117 feet	127 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Nautilus’ optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the X3 (265/40R21 vs. 245/45R20).

Suspension and Handling

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Nautilus is 1.3 inches wider in the front and .7 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the X3.

The Nautilus Reserve AWD handles at .83 G’s, while the X3 xDrive30i pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Nautilus Reserve AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the X3 xDrive30i (27.1 seconds @ .68 average G’s vs. 27.6 seconds @ .63 average G’s).

Chassis

The Nautilus uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The X3 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The Nautilus has 6.9 cubic feet more passenger volume than the X3 (108.3 vs. 101.4).

The Nautilus has 2.5 inches more front legroom, 1.3 inches more front shoulder room, .1 inches more rear headroom, 3.2 inches more rear legroom and 3 inches more rear shoulder room than the X3.

Cargo Capacity

The Nautilus has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the X3 with its rear seat up (37.2 vs. 28.7 cubic feet). The Nautilus has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the X3 with its rear seat folded (68.8 vs. 62.7 cubic feet).

The Nautilus’ cargo area is larger than the X3’s in almost every dimension:

	Nautilus	X3
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	41.5”/75”	36.5”/69”
Max Width	45”	47”
Min Width	45”	43.3”
Height	31”	30.1”

Towing

The Nautilus 2.7 Turbo can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Nautilus can be unhitched and driven around locally. The X3 can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Optional Trailer Sway Control on the Nautilus 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 X3 doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

The Nautilus’ 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 X3 doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Nautilus’ exterior PIN entry system. The X3 doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its BMW Assist eCall can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

The Nautilus Reserve/Black Label offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the X3.

The Nautilus Reserve/Black Label offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet in the cargo area, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The X3 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Nautilus owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Nautilus will cost $915 less than the X3 over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Nautilus is less expensive to operate than the X3 because it costs $490 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Nautilus than the X3, including $383 less for a water pump, $492 less for a muffler, $52 less for front brake pads, $583 less for a starter, $344 less for fuel injection, $228 less for a fuel pump, $267 less for front struts, $81 less for a timing belt/chain and $538 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Lincoln Nautilus and the BMW X3, based on reliability, safety and performance.