Compare the2024 Honda PilotVS 2023 Lincoln Aviator

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 Pilot are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Aviator doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Both the Pilot and the Aviator 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, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

Honda pays for scheduled maintenance on the Pilot for 2 years and 24,000 miles. Honda 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 Aviator.

There are over 55 percent more Honda dealers than there are Lincoln dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Pilot’s warranty.

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 Pilot’s reliability 42 points higher than the Aviator.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Honda vehicles are better in initial quality than Lincoln vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda above average in initial quality. With 18 more problems per 100 vehicles, Lincoln is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Lincoln vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda 5 places higher in reliability than Lincoln.

On the EPA test cycle the Pilot gets better mileage than the Aviator running its gasoline engine:

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Pilot’s fuel efficiency. The Aviator doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

Both the Pilot and the Aviator have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. All Pilots have a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily. The Aviator Grand Touring doesn’t offer a way to disable start/stop.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Honda Pilot uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Aviator requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Pilot has a standard locking fuel door that locks and unlocks with the power locks. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Aviator. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Honda Pilot higher (7 out of 10) than the Lincoln Aviator (5 to 7). This means the Pilot produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Aviator every 15,000 miles.

For better stopping power the Pilot’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Aviator:

The Pilot stops shorter than the Aviator:

The Pilot has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Aviator doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Pilot TrailSport has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Aviator; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

The Pilot TrailSport handles at .81 G’s, while the Aviator AWD pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Pilot TrailSport’s turning circle is 1.5 feet tighter than the Aviator’s (37.7 feet vs. 39.2 feet). The Pilot’s turning circle is 1.4 feet tighter than the Aviator’s (37.8 feet vs. 39.2 feet).

The Honda Pilot may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 700 to 1000 pounds less than the Lincoln Aviator.

The Pilot offers optional seating for 8 passengers; the Aviator can only carry 7.

The Pilot has 13.7 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Aviator (158.4 vs. 144.7).

The Pilot has .4 inches more front shoulder room, .5 inches more rear headroom, 1.8 inches more rear legroom, .4 inches more rear shoulder room, 2.4 inches more third row headroom, 3.3 inches more third row legroom, 3.7 inches more third row hip room and 5.5 inches more third row shoulder room than the Aviator.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Pilot’s middle and third row seats recline. The Aviator’s third row seats don’t recline.

The Pilot’s cargo area provides more volume than the Aviator.

A Trailer Stability Assist is standard on the Pilot, using the Vehicle Stability Assist 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 Aviator.

Consumer Reports rated the Pilot’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the Aviator’s headlights, which were rated “Poor.”

When the Pilot EX-L/TrailSport/Touring/Elite 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 Aviator’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Honda Pilot, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Lincoln Aviator isn't recommended.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Pilot third among upper midsize SUVs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Aviator isn’t in the top three.

The Honda Pilot outsold the Lincoln Aviator by almost five to one during 2022.