Compare the2024 Lincoln NautilusVS 2024 Lexus RX

Both the Nautilus and RX 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 RX’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.

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

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Nautilus has standard Cross-Traffic Alert with Rear Cross Traffic Braking, systems which detect vehicles approaching from the sides and can automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. Parking Support Brake costs extra on the RX.

Both the Nautilus and the RX 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, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH moderate front offset crash tests on new cars. In this updated test, results indicate that the Nautilus is much safer than the RX:

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 RX is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2024.

There are over 2 times as many Lincoln dealers as there are Lexus 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 RX doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

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

Both the Nautilus and the RX have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. All Nautilus’ have a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily. The RX 350h/500h doesn’t offer a way to disable start/stop.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Lincoln Nautilus uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The RX 350 requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Nautilus Hybrid’s standard fuel tank has 5.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the RX 450+’s standard fuel tank (20.1 vs. 14.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Nautilus Hybrid’s standard fuel tank has 2.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the RX 350h/500h’s standard fuel tank (20.1 vs. 17.2 gallons). The Nautilus’ standard fuel tank has 2.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the RX 350’s standard fuel tank (20.3 vs. 17.8 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 RX doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

For better stopping power the Nautilus’ standard front brake rotors are larger than those on the RX:

The Nautilus stops much shorter than the RX:

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

The Nautilus’ optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the RX’s optional 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Nautilus offers optional 22-inch wheels. The RX’s largest wheels are only 21-inches.

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

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 RX doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Nautilus’ wheelbase is 2 inches longer than on the RX (114.2 inches vs. 112.2 inches).

The Nautilus uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The RX doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Nautilus has .1 inches more front headroom, 2.4 inches more front legroom, .1 inches more front hip room, .8 inches more front shoulder room, 1.2 inches more rear headroom, 5.7 inches more rear legroom, .3 inches more rear hip room and 1.5 inches more rear shoulder room than the RX.

The Nautilus has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the RX with its rear seat up (36.4 vs. 29.6 cubic feet). The Nautilus has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the RX with its rear seat folded (71.3 vs. 46.2 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 RX can’t be towed flat on the ground.

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 RX doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

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 costs extra on the RX.

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 RX.

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

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Lincoln Nautilus has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the RX.