Compare the2025 BMW X3VS 2025 Lincoln Nautilus

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The X3 has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The Nautilus doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

The X3 has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Nautilus doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the X3’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Nautilus doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

Both the X3 and the Nautilus 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, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the BMW X3 is safer than the Lincoln Nautilus:

	X3	Nautilus
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	119	333
Neck Stress	168 lbs.	192 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 BMW X3 is safer than the Lincoln Nautilus:

	X3	Nautilus
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	60	60
Chest Movement	.6 inches	.7 inches
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	108	169
Spine Acceleration	48 G’s	59 G’s

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

Warranty

The X3’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the Nautilus’ (12 vs. 5 years).

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the X3 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. BMW will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Lincoln doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Nautilus. (Lincoln offers free mainteance on some Nautilus models.)

Reliability

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 X3’s reliability 52 points higher than the Nautilus.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that BMW vehicles are better in initial quality than Lincoln vehicles. With 18 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks BMW higher than Lincoln.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Lincoln With 61 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks BMW higher than Lincoln.

Engine

The X3 30 xDrive’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 5 more horsepower (255 vs. 250) and 15 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 280) than the Nautilus’ standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The X3 M50 xDrive’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 83 more horsepower (393 vs. 310) and 133 lbs.-ft. more torque (428 vs. 295) than the Nautilus’ optional 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the X3 30 xDrive 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid is faster than the Lincoln Nautilus 4 cyl. hybrid gas:

	X3	Nautilus
Zero to 60 MPH	6 sec	6.9 sec
Quarter Mile	14.5 sec	15.2 sec

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the X3 gets better mileage than the Nautilus:

			MPG
X3
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	27 city/33 hwy
		3.0 turbo 6-cyl. Hybrid	25 city/30 hwy
Nautilus
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/29 hwy

Transmission

The X3 M50’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Nautilus doesn’t offer launch control.

Brakes and Stopping

The X3’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Nautilus are solid, not vented.

The X3 stops much shorter than the Nautilus:

	X3	Nautilus
60 to 0 MPH	108 feet	133 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

The X3’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Nautilus’ standard 60 series tires. The X3’s optional 255/40R21 front and 285/35R21 rear tires have a lower 40 series front and 35 series rear profile than the Nautilus’ optional 45 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

The X3’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (50.5% to 49.5%) than the Nautilus’ (56% to 44%). This gives the X3 more stable handling and braking.

The X3 30 xDrive handles at .92 G’s, while the Nautilus Black Label pulls only .74 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The X3 30 xDrive executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 3 seconds quicker than the Nautilus Black Label (25.8 seconds @ .72 average G’s vs. 28.8 seconds @ .59 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the X3 M50 xDrive has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Nautilus (8.3 vs. 7.9 inches), allowing the X3 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The X3 30 xDrive’s minimum ground clearance is .6 inch higher than on the Nautilus (8.5 vs. 7.9 inches).

Chassis

The X3 is 6 inches shorter than the Nautilus, making the X3 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Cargo Capacity

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the X3. The Nautilus doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Servicing Ease

The engine in the X3 is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Nautilus. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

Ergonomics

The X3 offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Nautilus doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The X3’s standard Comfort Access allow you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Intelligent Access standard on the Nautilus doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the X3 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Nautilus doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

The X3’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Nautilus has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The X3’s Parking Assistant can parallel park by itself, with the driver only controlling the transmission and speed with the brake pedal. With its available fully controlled system, the driver just activates it and it parks autonomously, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Optional Remote Control Parking will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Nautilus’ automatic parking system does not offer parking by remote control.

Recommendations

The BMW X3 outsold the Lincoln Nautilus by almost two to one during 2024.

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