Lincoln Nautilus vs Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid

The 2026 Lincoln Nautilus exuded a stately presence with its distinctive grille, reminiscent of a horse collar, adorned with the Lincoln star trim elements in chrome, copper, or black, depending on the trim level. The large Lincoln logo was prominently displayed at the centre, flanked by squinting eye-slit headlights with winged LED light signatures. The body sat wide and proud, featuring a contrasting black roof and pillars, with integrated door handles in the shoulder line. The slab sides were accentuated by a spear-shaped design element along the upper doors, which included Nautilus lettering, and another trim strip above the rocker panels. The rear boasted a spoiler and a full-width taillight within a black trim piece, also featuring Lincoln lettering. Standard 19-inch alloy wheels were available, with options for 20s, 21s, and 22s. The Jet Appearance Package added satin dark luster wheels and black accents for a more aggressive look. Inside, the Nautilus offered a unique, high-end interior with a 48-inch screen at the base of the windshield, requiring a lower steering wheel with a flat top. The cockpit had a stepped design, starting with a low-set centre console, moving up to the infotainment touchscreen, and culminating in the wide display screen. The base Premiere trim featured black or grey synthetic leather upholstery, while the Reserve trim upgraded to leather with a chocolate brown option.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid, on the other hand, presented a conservative and familiar design, drawing inspiration from the previous-generation RAV4. This approach resulted in a vehicle that resembled a larger RAV4, offering seating for up to eight and ample cargo space. The interior emphasized function over form, with a layer of luxury in the Platinum trim. Glossy hard plastic and unlined storage surfaces were present, but the controls were logically laid out with matte black surfaces and white iconography. The climate system was simple, with large temperature adjustment knobs, while the infotainment interface had a tiny volume knob and lacked a tuning knob. The Grand Highlander Platinum Hybrid Max featured a Portobello interior with leather and artificial suede upholstery, providing a smart and upscale look. The front and second-row seats offered heating, ventilation, and supportive cushions. The second-row captain’s chairs with a removable centre console allowed for easy access to the third row. The rearmost seats were reasonably comfortable for adults and tall teens, with ample space from the head restraint to the rear liftgate.

The 2026 Lincoln Nautilus offered modest power for its price, with a standard turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine producing 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. This was adequate for a typical midsize SUV, but luxury buyers expected more, especially given the vehicle's weight of over 2,000 kilograms. The engine was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive. The hybrid version, which was tested, used the same engine with a larger turbo and an electric motor, boosting output to 310 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. It employed a continuously variable transmission, which kept the powertrain in the background. The hybrid's 0-96 km/h time improved to about 7 seconds. The Nautilus prioritized quiet, serene comfort over sportiness, with a MacPherson strut front suspension and a multi-link rear suspension. The Reserve trim added adaptive dampers, varying from soft to softer. The Nautilus offered multiple drive modes, but the handling remained spongy, with slow but direct steering. The ride was smooth, even with 22-inch wheels, though rippled surfaces caused more jiggling than expected.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Max focused on performance with a turbocharged 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine and electronic full-time AWD with two electric motors, producing 362 net horsepower. This setup allowed the Grand Highlander to accelerate quickly, with a traditional six-speed automatic transmission avoiding the droning common in CVTs. The Hybrid Max traded some fuel economy for power, with a combined rating of 8.8 L/100 km, compared to the regular hybrid's 7.0 L/100 km. It could tow up to 2,268 kilograms. During testing, it averaged 9.1 L/100 km on a level route and 10.1 L/100 km on a mountainous loop. The Hybrid Max's acceleration was smooth, with electric motors negating turbo lag. The ride quality was soft and isolating, though undulations caused vertical bounding and lateral rocking. Handling was secure up to a point, with early tire scrub and squeal. Outward visibility was excellent, aided by available cameras, though the front camera's frequent takeover of the infotainment screen was a drawback.

The 2026 Lincoln Nautilus prioritized comfort for both front and second-row passengers. It came standard with power-adjustable heated front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, a heated steering wheel, active noise cancellation, ambient lighting, and a power tilt/telescoping steering column. Optional features included ventilated front seats, 24-way power front seats with a massage function, and heated rear seats. The second row offered excellent space, with 1,095 millimetres of legroom and sculpted seats. The rear seats folded down via power releases in the cargo area, providing 1,030 litres of cargo space with the seats upright and 2,020 litres when folded flat. A power liftgate was standard, with a hands-free version available.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid offered comfortable seating in all three rows, with more than 2,700 litres of maximum cargo space. The Platinum-trim test vehicle featured a Portobello interior with leather and artificial suede upholstery. The front and second-row seats had heating, ventilation, and supportive cushions. The second-row captain’s chairs with a removable centre console allowed for easy access to the third row. The rearmost seats were comfortable for adults and tall teens, with ample space from the head restraint to the rear liftgate. Behind the third-row seat, the Grand Highlander offered 586 litres of cargo space, expandable to 1,640 litres with the third row folded and 2,761 litres with the second row folded.

The 2026 Lincoln Nautilus featured a full-width, 48-inch screen at the base of the windshield, displaying essential information such as maps, weather, and fuel level. An 11.1-inch lower touchscreen handled typical infotainment controls, including navigation, climate settings, and phone mirroring via wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Standard features included a 5G Wi-Fi hotspot, a digital key, satellite radio, remote start, and a wireless smartphone charger. Optional audio systems included a 14-speaker Revel system and a 28-speaker Revel Ultima 3D unit. The Digital Scent perfume spritzing and Lincoln Rejuvenate relaxation programs were available, using the 48-inch screen to display calming images. The steering wheel had five-way controllers for cruise control and voice controls, with a centrally located volume dial on the centre console.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid, in XLE trim, featured a 7-inch digital driver display with traditional analog gauges, while Limited and Platinum trims offered a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel. All models had a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and access to Apple Music and Amazon Music accounts. Toyota Connected Services plans offered features like automatic collision notification and a digital voice assistant. The infotainment system was user-friendly, though the inability to see two main-menu screens simultaneously and the low-contrast font were drawbacks. The Platinum test car included a head-up display, a digital rear-view mirror, and a JBL premium audio system.

The 2026 Lincoln Nautilus came equipped with a comprehensive suite of standard safety features, including a surround-view camera system, adaptive cruise control, lane centring steering, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, high beam assist, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, rear parking sensors, forward collision warning with pedestrian detection and intersection assist, and automatic emergency braking. Lincoln BlueCruise, a hands-free driving system, was also standard for four years. The Nautilus scored well in crash tests, earning a perfect five stars from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and a Top Safety Pick rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid was equipped with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, which included a range of standard safety features and driver assistance technologies. Proactive Driving Assist, which automatically brakes and steers to maintain safe distances, was also standard, though it was found to be irritating in some situations. The Grand Highlander earned a five-star overall rating from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration but fell short of the Top Safety Pick rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety due to "Acceptable" ratings for headlight performance and small overlap frontal-impact protection.