Compare the2024 BMW X4VS 2023 Lincoln Nautilus

The X4’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 X4 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 X4 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.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the X4. But it costs extra on the Nautilus.

The X4’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 X4 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 around view monitors.

The X4’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the Nautilus’ (12 vs. 5 years).

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the X4 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 2023 Auto Issue reports that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Lincoln vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks BMW third in overall reliability. Lincoln is ranked 10th.

The X4 M40i’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 47 more horsepower (382 vs. 335) than the Nautilus’ optional 2.7 turbo V6.

On the EPA test cycle the X4 gets better mileage than the Nautilus:

Regenerative brakes improve the X4’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Nautilus doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The X4 has a standard locking fuel door with a power remote release 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 X4’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.

The X4 stops shorter than the Nautilus:

The X4’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 X4’s optional 275/35R21 rear tires have a lower 35 series profile than the Nautilus’ optional 40 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the X4 has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Nautilus.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the X4 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 X4 M40i handles at .89 G’s, while the Nautilus Reserve AWD pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The X4 M40i executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2 seconds quicker than the Nautilus Reserve AWD (25.6 seconds @ .73 average G’s vs. 27.6 seconds @ .65 average G’s).

The front grille of the X4 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 engine in the X4 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.

The X4 offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction 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 X4 and the Nautilus have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the X4 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 X4’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.

When the X4 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.

The X4’s optional Parking Assistant Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Nautilus (except Standard)’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the X4 first among compact premium suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Nautilus was rated third in its category.