Compare the2023 Lexus GXVS 2023 Lincoln Nautilus

The GX’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Nautilus doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

For enhanced safety, the front and middle seat shoulder belts of the Lexus GX 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 Lincoln Nautilus has only front height-adjustable seat belts.

The GX has standard Active Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Nautilus doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the GX. But it costs extra on the Nautilus.

The GX’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Nautilus doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the GX and the Nautilus 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, plastic fuel tanks, 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 and available around view monitors.

The Lexus GX weighs 581 to 1027 pounds more than the Lincoln Nautilus. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The GX’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Nautilus’ (6 vs. 5 years).

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 GX’s reliability 18 points higher than the Nautilus.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are better in initial quality than Lincoln vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus above average in initial quality. With 10 more problems per 100 vehicles, Lincoln is rated lower.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Lincoln vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus above average in long-term dependability. With 33 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Lincoln is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Lincoln vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Lexus second in overall reliability. Lincoln is ranked 10th.

The GX’s 4.6 DOHC V8 produces 51 more horsepower (301 vs. 250) and 49 lbs.-ft. more torque (329 vs. 280) than the Nautilus’ standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Lexus GX is faster than the Lincoln Nautilus turbo 4 cyl.:

The GX has 5 gallons more fuel capacity than the Nautilus (23 vs. 18 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The GX has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Nautilus. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

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

For better traction, the GX has larger tires than the Nautilus (265/60R18 vs. 245/60R18).

The Lexus GX’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Lincoln Nautilus only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The GX has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Nautilus; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which has mileage and speed limitations, or roadside assistance and a tow-truck.

The GX has active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Nautilus doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The GX 460 Luxury has a standard automatic rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Nautilus doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

The GX has standard seating for 7 passengers; the Nautilus can only carry 5.

The GX has 21.4 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Nautilus (129.7 vs. 108.3).

The GX has .1 inches more front hip room and 1.2 inches more rear headroom than the Nautilus.

The GX’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the right swing out door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The Nautilus’ rear cargo window doesn’t open.

The GX’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Nautilus’ (6500 vs. 1500 pounds).

A Trailer Sway Control is standard on the GX, using the Vehicle Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. A trailer sway program costs extra on the Nautilus.

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

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Lexus service is better than Lincoln. J.D. Power ranks Lexus first in service department satisfaction. With a 43% lower rating, Lincoln is ranked 12th.

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

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the GX has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Nautilus only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The GX offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Nautilus doesn’t offer headlight washers.

When the GX is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Nautilus’ mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The GX will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the GX will retain 46.1% to 47.91% of its original price after five years, while the Nautilus only retains 45.16% to 45.45%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the GX is less expensive to operate than the Nautilus because typical repairs cost less on the GX than the Nautilus, including $19 less for a water pump, $59 less for front brake pads and $132 less for front struts.

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

The Lexus GX outsold the Lincoln Nautilus by 45% during 2022.