Compare the2024 Lincoln NautilusVS 2024 Infiniti QX50

Both the Nautilus and QX50 have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Nautilus 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 QX50’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.

The Nautilus has standard Post Collision Braking, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The QX50 doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Nautilus. But it costs extra on the QX50.

Both the Nautilus and QX50 have rear cross-traffic warning, but the Nautilus has Rear Cross Traffic Braking (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The QX50’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

The Nautilus’ 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 QX50 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Nautilus and the QX50 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 and rear cross-path warning.

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 Lincoln Nautilus is safer than the QX50:

The Lincoln Nautilus has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2024 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The QX50 is not even a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2024.

There are almost 3 times as many Lincoln dealers as there are Infiniti dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Nautilus’ warranty.

The Nautilus 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 QX50 doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

The Nautilus’ optional 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 32 more horsepower (300 vs. 268) and 15 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 280) than the QX50’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the Nautilus gets better mileage than the QX50:

Regenerative brakes improve the Nautilus Hybrid’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The QX50 doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Nautilus’ engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The QX50 doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Lincoln Nautilus uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The QX50 requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Nautilus Hybrid’s standard fuel tank has 4.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the QX50 (20.1 vs. 16 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Nautilus’ standard fuel tank has 4.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the QX50 (20.3 vs. 16 gallons).

The Nautilus 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 QX50 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Lincoln Nautilus higher (7 out of 10) than the Infiniti QX50 (6). This means the Nautilus produces up to 1.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the QX50 every 15,000 miles.

For better stopping power the Nautilus’ brake rotors are larger than those on the QX50:

For better traction, the Nautilus has larger tires than the QX50 (255/60R19 vs. 235/55R19).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Nautilus offers optional 22-inch wheels. The QX50’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

The Nautilus has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the QX50; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed.

The Nautilus has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The QX50’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The Nautilus 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 QX50’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Nautilus’ drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The QX50 doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Nautilus’ wheelbase is 4 inches longer than on the QX50 (114.2 inches vs. 110.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Nautilus is .8 inches wider in the front and 1.3 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the QX50.

The Nautilus has 9.1 cubic feet more passenger volume than the QX50 (113.5 vs. 104.4).

The Nautilus has 3.9 inches more front legroom, 1.2 inches more front hip room, 1 inch more front shoulder room, .7 inches more rear headroom, 4.4 inches more rear legroom, 2.5 inches more rear hip room and .9 inches more rear shoulder room than the QX50.

The Nautilus has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the QX50 with its rear seat up (36.4 vs. 31.4 cubic feet). The Nautilus has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the QX50 with its rear seat folded (71.3 vs. 65.1 cubic feet).

The Nautilus Hybrid can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Nautilus can be unhitched and driven around locally. The QX50 can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Nautilus uses the AdvanceTrac® sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The QX50 doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The power windows standard on both the Nautilus and the QX50 have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Nautilus is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The QX50 prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Nautilus’ exterior PIN entry system. The QX50 doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its Infiniti Connection can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

The Nautilus’ 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 QX50’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

The Nautilus has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel is only available on the QX50 Sport/Sensory/Autograph.

The Nautilus Black Label has standard massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the QX50.

The Nautilus’ standard oscillating air vents move back and forth and distribute air evenly inside the vehicle, making everyone more comfortable. The QX50 doesn’t offer oscillating vents.

The Nautilus offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The QX50 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Nautilus’ Active Park Assist 2.0 can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The QX50 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The Lincoln Nautilus outsold the Infiniti QX50 by over two to one during 2023.