2022 Lincoln Nautilus vs 2021 Toyota Highlander

The 2021 Toyota Highlander was anything but boring. It stood out among midsize SUVs with its distinctive design, featuring wide headlights, a long hood, and an assertive trapezoidal grille. The character line along its side, reminiscent of the Supra sports car, and Lexus-like taillights added to its unique appearance. The Highlander managed to look longer and lower than its predecessor without sacrificing size.

The Limited trim of the Highlander, just below the Platinum level, exuded an upscale vibe with chrome roof rails and accents. Inside, the fit and finish were near-flawless, with tan leather seats and dark brown trim. The wood details, even if not real, looked fabulous. The Highlander thrived when leaning toward luxury, offering a comfortable and convenient interior.

The 2022 Lincoln Nautilus, especially in the Black Label trim with 21-inch machined-finish wheels, was an attractive SUV with balanced styling and plenty of character. The Lincoln Embrace lighting sequence greeted you after dark, and the Black Label model offered Chalet or Flight design themes. Our test vehicle's Chalet design featured light gray premium leather upholstery, while Flight offered a classy Luggage Tan color.

The Black Label trim included almost every available feature, along with a simulated suede headliner and luxury floor mats. Despite some cheap-looking center console design elements, the overall interior was decadent. The Nautilus was priced starting at $44,225, with the loaded Black Label costing $66,825. Our test vehicle, with Ultra Comfort 22-way power-adjustable front seats and Active Motion massage, was perfect for long drives.

The 2021 Toyota Highlander was powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 295 horsepower and 263 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. It offered both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive options. While not a drag racer, the Highlander provided smooth and predictable operation, making it reliable for merging onto highways. Compared to competitors, it held its own in terms of horsepower and torque, though it wasn't the sportiest option.

The Highlander XSE trim added higher-rated springs, retuned shock absorbers, power steering, and a rear stabilizer bar, tightening up the suspension for a bit more driving excitement. However, it remained a family-focused crossover with a soft and comfortable suspension, especially through corners.

The 2022 Lincoln Nautilus offered a standard turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive, with all-wheel drive as an option. The Black Label trim featured a twin-turbocharged 2.7-liter V6 engine producing 335 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque, requiring all-wheel drive.

Driving modes included Comfort, Normal, and Sport, adjusting powertrain behavior and steering effort. Comfort mode made the SUV feel woozy, Sport mode made the steering too heavy, and Normal mode was just right. The twin-turbo V6 and adaptive suspension made the Nautilus a comfortable and cozy road-tripper, with an 18-gallon fuel tank and an EPA rating of 21 mpg combined. It averaged 25 mpg on a long trip and 19.9 mpg on a short mixed-driving loop.

The Nautilus excelled on mountain roads in Sport mode, with the twin-turbo V6 and eight-speed automatic transmission on high alert. The 21-inch wheels provided impressive grip, though the steering lacked engagement. Despite sharing engineering with the Ford Edge, the Nautilus had a graceful and athletic feel.

The 2021 Toyota Highlander excelled in keeping driver and passengers comfortable, with shelves ahead of the front seats for storage and a wireless charging pad in the center console. Second-row passengers enjoyed plenty of legroom, with seats that moved forward and backward. The third row could accommodate adults if the second-row passengers were willing to compromise on space.

Cargo space behind the third row was 16 cubic feet, expanding to 48.4 cubic feet with the third row folded down, and 84.3 cubic feet with both the second and third rows folded. This made the Highlander versatile for various needs, though it was dwarfed by minivans.

The 2022 Lincoln Nautilus Black Label featured smooth leather, ambient lighting, and a quiet drive with Active Noise Control. Both front seats were heated and ventilated, with a heated power tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel. The optional 22-way power front seats with massage programs were exceptionally comfortable for long drives.

Rear passengers had heated outboard seats and air conditioning vents, though legroom was tight for a midsize SUV. Practical storage space was adequate, with a hands-free power liftgate revealing 37.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat and 68.8 cubic feet with the back seat folded down.

The 2021 Toyota Highlander offered an 8-inch touchscreen on lower trims, with a 12.3-inch touchscreen available on the Limited trim and standard on the Platinum trim. Both systems were easy to use, with standard Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The 12.3-inch screen was bright and crisp, though navigation struggled with points of interest. The JBL audio system sounded good but not overly impressive.

The 2022 Lincoln Nautilus featured a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation display and a 13.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Sync 4 software. Sync 4 offered over-the-air updates, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Lincoln Connect services, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and SiriusXM 360L satellite radio. Our Black Label test vehicle included connected navigation, wireless smartphone charging, and a 19-speaker Revel audio system.

The system was intuitive, with physical stereo and climate controls. The natural voice recognition system worked well, and the Revel speakers produced excellent sound quality. The Nautilus also offered Phone as a Key, turning your smartphone into a digital key.

The 2021 Toyota Highlander came with Toyota Safety Sense 2.5+ (TSS 2.5+), including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection and intersection support, road-sign assist, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-tracing assist, and automatic high beams. The Highlander received a five-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and was named a Top Safety Pick+ by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

The 2022 Lincoln Nautilus featured Lincoln Co-Pilot360 1.0, including forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and automatic high-beam headlights. The Black Label added Lincoln Co-Pilot360 1.0 Plus, with adaptive cruise control, lane-centering assistance, evasive steering assist, a surround-view camera system, parking sensors, and a semi-autonomous parking assist system.

The Nautilus received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA, with a four-star rating for rollover resistance. The IIHS had not assessed the Nautilus for safety.