Compare the2025 Lincoln NautilusVS 2025 BMW X5

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Lincoln Nautilus have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The BMW X5 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Lincoln Nautilus 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 X5 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the Nautilus and X5 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 X5’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 X5.

Both the Nautilus and the X5 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Lincoln Nautilus is safer than the BMW X5:

	Nautilus	X5
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	146	209
Neck Injury Risk	29.7%	34%
Neck Compression	33 lbs.	112 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	359/332 lbs.	636/584 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	333	342
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.8 inches
Neck Stress	192 lbs.	220 lbs.
Neck Compression	37 lbs.	91 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	434/440 lbs.	527/418 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH, results indicate that the Lincoln Nautilus is safer than the BMW X5:

	Nautilus	X5
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	60	72
Abdominal Force	121 lbs.	130 lbs.
Hip Force	154 lbs.	279 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	491 lbs.	584 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

Lincoln’s powertrain warranty covers the Nautilus 2 years and 20,000 miles longer than BMW covers the X5. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the X5 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 36 percent more Lincoln dealers than there are BMW dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Nautilus’ warranty.

Reliability

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 X5 doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Nautilus gets better mileage than the X5 running its gasoline engine:

			MPG
Nautilus
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	30 city/31 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/29 hwy
X5
	RWD	3.0 turbo 6-cyl. Hybrid	23 city/27 hwy
	AWD	3.0 turbo 6-cyl. Hybrid	23 city/27 hwy
		3.0 turbo 6-cyl. Hybrid	22 city/23 hwy
		4.4 turbo V8 Hybrid	17 city/22 hwy

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Lincoln Nautilus uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The X5 M60i xDrive requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

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 X5 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Lincoln Nautilus higher (6 out of 10) than the BMW X5 (4 to 6). This means the Nautilus produces up to 12.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the X5 every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

The Nautilus has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The X5 doesn’t offer a CVT.

Suspension and Handling

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 X5 doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For better maneuverability, the Nautilus’ turning circle is 1.9 feet tighter than the X5 M60i xDrive’s (37.5 feet vs. 39.4 feet). The Nautilus’ turning circle is 3.8 feet tighter than the X5’s (37.5 feet vs. 41.3 feet).

Chassis

The Lincoln Nautilus may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 550 to 850 pounds less than the BMW X5.

The Nautilus uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The X5 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The Nautilus has 3.7 inches more front legroom, .4 inches more rear headroom and 5.7 inches more rear legroom than the X5.

Cargo Capacity

The Nautilus has a much larger cargo volume than the X5 with its rear seat up (36.4 vs. 33.9 cubic feet).

The Nautilus’ liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The X5’s tailgate’s top part raises up, but the bottom part lowers, getting in the way of loading and making an uneven surface for sliding cargo.

Towing

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 X5 can’t be towed flat on the ground.

A Trailer Sway Control is standard on the Nautilus, using the AdvanceTrac® 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 X5.

Ergonomics

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 X5 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.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Nautilus’ headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the X5’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

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 X5.

The Nautilus’ standard oscillating air vents move back and forth and distribute air evenly inside the vehicle, making everyone more comfortable. The X5 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 X5 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Recommendations

Motor Trend selected the Nautilus as their 2025 Sport Utility of the Year. The X5 has never been chosen.

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