Compare the2023 Lincoln AviatorVS 2024 Mazda CX-90

Both the Aviator and CX-90 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 CX-90’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.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Aviator has standard Cross-Traffic Alert with Braking with automatic braking, systems which detect vehicles approaching from the sides and can automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. Only the CX-90 Premium Plus/Turbo S Premium offers Rear Cross Traffic Braking.

Both the Aviator and the CX-90 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.

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 175 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The CX-90 has not been tested, yet.

The Aviator comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck. The CX-90’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 Mazda covers the CX-90. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the CX-90 ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

There are over 26 percent more Lincoln dealers than there are Mazda dealers, which makes it 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 CX-90’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 CX-90 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 Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lincoln above average in initial quality. With 13 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is rated lower.

The Aviator has more powerful engines than the CX-90:

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 CX-90 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 CX-90.

For better stopping power the Aviator’s standard brake rotors are larger than those on the CX-90:

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 CX-90 Premium/Turbo S’ 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Aviator offers optional 22-inch wheels. The CX-90’s largest wheels are only 21-inches.

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 CX-90’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 CX-90 doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For greater off-road capability the Aviator has a greater minimum ground clearance than the CX-90 (8.7 vs. 8 inches), allowing the Aviator to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Aviator’s minimum ground clearance is .6 inch higher than on the CX-90 PHEV Premium/Turbo S (8.7 vs. 8.1 inches).

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 CX-90 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 CX-90 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Aviator has 3.1 cubic feet more passenger volume than the CX-90 (144.7 vs. 141.6).

The Aviator has 1.8 inches more front headroom, 1.3 inches more front legroom, 2.3 inches more front shoulder room, .4 inches more rear headroom, 3.2 inches more rear shoulder room and .7 inches more third row shoulder room than the CX-90.

The Aviator’s cargo area provides more volume than the CX-90.

Pressing a button automatically lowers the Aviator’s second row seats and pressing a button automatically lowers or raises the third row seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The CX-90 doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Aviator. The CX-90 doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The Aviator’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the CX-90’s (5600 vs. 3500 pounds).

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 CX-90 doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The power windows standard on both the Aviator and the CX-90 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 CX-90 prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

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 CX-90 can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

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 CX-90 doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

The Aviator’s power window switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The CX-90’s power window (except driver window) switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

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 CX-90.

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 CX-90 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The Aviator is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The CX-90 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.