Compare the2024 Lincoln AviatorVS 2024 BMW XM

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Lincoln Aviator are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW XM doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

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

Both the Aviator and the XM have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its available headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Aviator the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2022, a rating granted to only 165 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The XM has not been tested, yet.

Lincoln’s powertrain warranty covers the Aviator 2 years and 20,000 miles longer than BMW covers the XM. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the XM ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 53 percent more Lincoln dealers than there are BMW dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Aviator’s warranty.

The Lincoln Aviator’s engine uses a cast iron block for durability, while the XM’s engines use an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

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

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Lincoln vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lincoln above average in long-term dependability. With 12 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, BMW is rated lower.

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

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

The Aviator has 2 gallons more fuel capacity than the XM (20.2 vs. 18.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Aviator 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 XM doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

A 10-speed automatic is standard on the Lincoln Aviator, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the XM.

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

For better maneuverability, the Aviator’s turning circle is 1.8 feet tighter than the XM’s (39.2 feet vs. 41 feet).

The Lincoln Aviator may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 1250 to 1350 pounds less than the BMW XM.

The Aviator (except Premiere) offers available computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The XM doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Aviator has standard seating for 7 passengers; the XM can only carry 5.

The Aviator has 1.1 inches more front headroom, 2.6 inches more front legroom, 1.2 inches more front shoulder room, .9 inches more rear headroom and 3.8 inches more rear shoulder room than the XM.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Aviator’s middle row seats recline. The XM’s rear seats don’t recline.

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

The Aviator’s standard folding rear seats are split to accommodate bulky cargo. The XM’s standard single piece folding rear seat is not as flexible; long cargo and a passenger can’t share the rear seat.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Aviator Reserve/Black Label’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The XM doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

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

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Aviator has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the XM only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

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

Optional air conditioned front and second row seats keep the Aviator’s passengers comfortable and take the sting out of hot leather in summer. The XM doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats in the rear.

The Aviator has a 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 XM doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Aviator is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The XM doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

The Lincoln Aviator outsold the BMW XM by almost seven to one during 2023.