Compare the2025 Nissan PathfinderVS 2025 Lincoln Aviator

The Pathfinder Platinum 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 Aviator doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

With its standard Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, the Nissan Pathfinder is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Lincoln Aviator, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

Both the Pathfinder and the Aviator 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, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

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 and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Nissan Pathfinder is safer than the Lincoln Aviator:

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

The Nissan Pathfinder 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 Aviator is not even a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2024.

Nissan pays for scheduled maintenance on the Pathfinder for 2 years and 24,000 miles. Nissan will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance (up to 3 visits). Lincoln doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Aviator. (Lincoln offers free mainteance on some Aviator models.)

There are over 2 times as many Nissan dealers as there are Lincoln dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Pathfinder’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are better in initial quality than Lincoln vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan above average in initial quality. With 58 more problems per 100 vehicles, Lincoln is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are more reliable than Lincoln With 52 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Nissan higher than Lincoln.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Nissan vehicles are more reliable than Lincoln vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Nissan 6 places higher in reliability than Lincoln.

On the EPA test cycle the Pathfinder gets better mileage than the Aviator:

For better stopping power the Pathfinder’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Aviator:

The Pathfinder has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Aviator doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Nissan Pathfinder may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 200 to 400 pounds less than the Lincoln Aviator.

The Pathfinder has standard seating for 8 passengers; the Aviator can only carry up to 7.

The Pathfinder has 7.9 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Aviator (148.5 vs. 140.6).

The Pathfinder has .8 inches more front headroom, 1.3 inches more front legroom, .9 inches more third row headroom, 5.8 inches more third row hip room and 4.4 inches more third row shoulder room than the Aviator.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Pathfinder’s middle and third row seats recline. The Aviator’s third row seats don’t recline.

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

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Pathfinder Platinum’s liftgate can be opened just by waving your foot, leaving your hands completely free. The Aviator doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Maximum trailer towing in the Lincoln Aviator is limited to 5000 pounds. The Pathfinder offers up to a 6000 lbs. towing capacity.

When the Pathfinder Platinum is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Aviator’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

Insurance will cost less for the Pathfinder owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Pathfinder will cost $790 to $7780 less than the Aviator over a five-year period.

The Nissan Pathfinder outsold the Lincoln Aviator by almost five to one during 2023.