Compare the2024 BMW X5VS 2023 Lincoln Nautilus

The X5’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.

The X5 has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Nautilus doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The X5 offers an optional Active Park Distance Control that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Nautilus doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

Both the X5 and Nautilus have rear cross-traffic warning, but the X5 has Cross Traffic Warning with Braking (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Nautilus’ Cross-Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

The X5’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 X5 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 seatbelt pretensioners, 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 and available all wheel drive.

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 BMW X5 is safer than the Nautilus:

The BMW X5 achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2024 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The Nautilus has not yet been fully evaluated by the IIHS for 2024.

The X5’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the Nautilus’ (12 vs. 5 years).

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the X5 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. BMW will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Lincoln only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Nautilus.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that BMW vehicles are better in initial quality than Lincoln vehicles. With 16 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks BMW higher than Lincoln.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Lincoln vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks BMW 14 places higher in reliability than Lincoln.

The X5 has more powerful engines than the Nautilus:

On the EPA test cycle the X5 running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the Nautilus:

The X550e xDrive can travel with zero emissions for 40 miles. The Nautilus can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the X5’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Nautilus doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The X5 has 3.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the Nautilus (21.9 vs. 18 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The X5 has a standard locking fuel door and a locking charge port on the xDrive50e which lock and unlock with the power locks. The Nautilus doesn’t offer a locking fuel filler door. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank and a locking charge port prevents tampering and damage.

The X5’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Nautilus doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the X5 M Sport’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Nautilus:

The X5’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 X5 has larger standard tires than the Nautilus (265/50R19 vs. 245/60R18). The X5’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Nautilus (F:275/40R21 & R:315/35R21 vs. 265/40R21).

The X5’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Nautilus’ standard 60 series tires. The X5’s optional 275/35R22 front and 315/30R22 rear tires have a lower 35 series front and 30 series rear profile than the Nautilus’ optional 40 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the X5 has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Nautilus. The X5’s optional 22-inch wheels are larger than the 21-inch wheels optional on the Nautilus.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the X5 can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Nautilus doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The X5 M60i offers 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 X5 M60i xDrive offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Lincoln doesn’t offer an active suspension on the Nautilus.

The X5 has a standard automatic load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Nautilus doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the X5’s wheelbase is 4.9 inches longer than on the Nautilus (117.1 inches vs. 112.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the X5 is 1.4 inches wider in the front and 2 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Nautilus.

The front grille of the X5 uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Nautilus doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The X5 has .8 inches more front headroom, 1.1 inches more front shoulder room and .2 inches more rear headroom than the Nautilus.

The X5 has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Nautilus with its rear seat folded (72.3 vs. 68.8 cubic feet).

The X5’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the tailgate door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The Nautilus’ rear cargo window doesn’t open.

The X5’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Nautilus’ (5952 vs. 1500 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Lincoln Nautilus is only 3500 pounds. The X5 offers up to a 7209 lbs. towing capacity.

The engine in the X5 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 BMW service is better than Lincoln. J.D. Power ranks BMW 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 12% lower rating, Lincoln is ranked 12th.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Nautilus, the X5 M60i has a passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position, outside mirror angle, climate settings and radio stations and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The X5 offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, warning, navigation instruction and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Nautilus doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The power windows standard on both the X5 and the Nautilus have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the X5 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.

The X5’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Nautilus’ cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The X5’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 Nautilus’ standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the X5 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Nautilus doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

When the X5 is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The Nautilus’ mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the BMW X5 has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Only the Nautilus Reserve/Black Label offers wireless charging.

The X5’s Parking Assistant Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Control Parking will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Nautilus (except Standard)’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park and it doesn’t offer remote control parking.

Both are recommended, but Consumer Reports® chose the BMW X5 as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The BMW X5 outsold the Lincoln Nautilus by almost three to one during 2023.