Page 26 - Motor Trend (January 2020)

SUVOTY I Contenders
Lincoln Nautilus

PRO Comfortable suspension • Cool name • Surprising turbo-four
CON Dated interior • $70K is a lot to ask • Lacks off-road modes
s a rolling preview of things Although the Corsair and 250-hp turbo-four helps keep the luxury crossover, and a Ford (or
to come, the 2019 Lincoln Aviator wear more fetching entry price well under that of the a Corsair) would have basically
ANautilus tantalizes. Will the examples of Lincoln’s latest Lexus RX. And, actually, the little gotten the job done for less.
next-gen Nautilus be as good as design language, it’s inside that engine mostly gets the job done. Now that we’ve experienced
the new Corsair and Aviator? We the Nautilus’ age becomes most No matter the engine, every updated or redesigned
can only hope. apparent. There are touches of however, the Nautilus’ well-con- Lincoln SUV—from the Corsair and
For now, the current Nautilus luxury, but the cabin simply can’t trolled suspension keeps road Nautilus to the three-row Aviator
cruises through SUV of the Year match the alluring style or more imperfections from bothering and Navigator—we appreciate
evaluations as a tastefully functional layout of the newer passengers. Still, there’s no how far the brand has come.
updated, if dated, midsize luxury Lincoln SUVs. avoiding the fact that the The Nautilus nameplate has
crossover. The Lincoln Nautilus Lincoln recognizes that luxury Nautilus lacks the special sauce potential, but the luxury cross-
attempts to quietly out-luxuriate crossovers meant more for that makes the newer Corsair, over currently wearing the name
the Lexus RX in a soft, premium, cruising than canyon-carving Aviator, and Navigator so tasty. doesn’t advance its segment
and unapologetically non- don’t need insanely powerful You get to be picky when you’re enough—and won’t until a truly
sporty package. base engines. In the Nautilus, a paying up to $70,000 for a new version arrives. Zach Gale

SPECS 2019 Lincoln Nautilus 2.0T AWD 2019 Lincoln Nautilus 2.7T AWD
Base Price/As Tested $43,830/$61,700 $48,035/$69,380
Power (SAE net) 250 hp @ 5,500 rpm 335 hp @ 5,500 rpm
Torque (SAE net) 280 lb-ft @ 3,000 rpm 380 lb-ft @ 3,250 rpm
Accel, 0-60 mph 7.3 sec 5.8 sec
Quarter Mile 15.6 sec @ 88.8 mph 14.4 sec @ 95.8 mph
Braking, 60-0 mph 117 ft 117 ft
Lateral Acceleration 0.83 g (avg) 0.81 g (avg)
MT Figure Eight 27.6 sec @ 0.65 g (avg) 27.1 sec @ 0.68 g (avg)
EPA City/Hwy/Comb 20/25/22 mpg 19/26/21 mpg 2.7T AWD (Black Label)

Vehicle Layout Front-engine, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door SUV Engine/Transmission 2.0T AWD 2.0L turbo DOHC 16-valve I-4/8-speed automatic 2.7T
AWD 2.8L twin-turbo DOHC 24-valve V-6/8-speed automatic Curb Weight (F/R Dist) 2.0T AWD 4,511 lb (57/43%) 2.7T AWD 4,782 lb (59/41%)
Wheelbase 112.2 in Length x Width x Height 190.0 x 78.7 x 66.2 in Energy Consumption, City/Hwy 2.0T AWD 169/135 kW-hr/100 miles 2.7T AWD 177/130
kW-hr/100 miles CO2 Emissions, Comb 2.0T AWD 0.88 lb/mile 2.7T AWD 0.90 lb/mile

Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class

PRO The GLE 450 • Off-road chops • Bank vault interior
CON The GLE 350 • Infuriating MBUX System • Hit-or-miss transmission

“ elf-own” hasn’t made its delighted in its performance on
the handling circuit, and although
way to the pages of most
Sdictionaries just yet, but we disagreed on whether the
when it does, the Mercedes-Benz new engine was quick or merely
GLE-Class may well serve as an adequate, we all had praise for its one flat-spotted tire,” multiple Regardless of engine or
example reference. “The GLE refined performance. judges called the suspension’s suspension, the judges also had
350’s blundering performance, The praise got stronger as behavior “nearly uncontrollable,” unkind words for Mercedes’ new
especially in light of the GLE the road got rougher. Zach Gale “potentially dangerous,” and by MBUX infotainment system and
450’s standout revue, was the found it didn’t need any of its far the worst of the entire field— its touchpads on the steering
automotive self-own of 2019,” the special off-road modes to make regardless of price or size. wheel and center console.
description might read. short work of our deep sand and Judges also clobbered the Some judges were willing to
Judges praised the pricier, frame-twisting off-road tests. GLE 350 for its middling engine forgive MBUX, but even the best
air-suspended GLE 450 for its The lovefest ended when and ungraceful nine-speed user experience couldn’t have
smooth I-6, sharp handling, and judges stepped into the GLE 350. automatic, the latter a curiosity, saved the GLE 450 from the
quiet, comfortable interior. We Likened to “a live axle pickup with as it worked fine in the GLE 450. GLE 350. Scott Evans

SPECS 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 4Matic 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 4Matic
Base Price/As Tested $57,195/$72,685 $62,145/$84,640
Power (SAE net) 255 hp @ 5,800 rpm 362 hp @ 5,500 rpm + 21 hp (elec); 362 hp comb
Torque (SAE net) 273 lb-ft @ 1,800 rpm 369 lb-ft @ 1,600 rpm + 184 lb-ft (elec); 369 lb-ft comb
Accel, 0-60 mph 7.6 sec 5.6 sec
Quarter Mile 15.8 sec @ 87.5 mph 14.2 sec @ 97.4 mph
Braking, 60-0 mph 130 ft 115 ft
Lateral Acceleration 0.78 g (avg) 0.83 g (avg)
MT Figure Eight 28.2 sec @ 0.62 g (avg) 27.0 sec @ 0.69 g (avg)
EPA City/Hwy/Comb 19/26/22 mpg 19/24/21 mpg GLE 350
Vehicle Layout Front-engine, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door SUV Engine/Transmission 350 4Matic 2.0L turbo DOHC 16-valve I-4/9-speed automatic
450 4Matic 3.0L turbo DOHC 24-valve I-6/9-speed automatic Curb Weight (F/R Dist) 350 4Matic 4,792 lb (53/47%) 450 4Matic 5,178 lb (54/46%)
Wheelbase 117.9 in Length x Width x Height GLE 350 194.3 x 76.7 x 70.7 in GLE 450 194.3 x 76.7 x 69.8-73.2 in Energy Consumption, City/Hwy 350 4Matic
177/130 kW-hr/100 miles 450 4Matic 177/140 kW-hr/100 miles CO2 Emissions, Comb 350 4Matic 0.90 lb/mile 450 4Matic 0.93 lb/mile