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The Lincoln Nautilus, a car that itself is a renamed mid-cycle refresh of the MKX, is getting another revision for 2021, but luckily this one won’t come with another confusing name change.
On the outside, not much has evolved and you have to be a bit of a Lincoln expert to spot the subtly reworked lower front fascia. But the interior, however, has been thoroughly redone. The mid-size Lincoln SUV’s horizontal new dashboard puts it in line with the innards of the Navigator, Aviator, and Corsair, and according to Lincoln, was “inspired by the horizon.”
Even at a glance, it’s a much more premium-looking space than before and it ditches the previous car’s gear select buttons that could’ve easily been mistaken for radio controls, in exchange for Lincoln’s new “piano key” switches that incorporate the starter.
The cabin also features a fairly gigantic 13.2-inch touchscreen running Sync 4 with a Lincoln-only “Constellation” skin that apparently mimics the night sky. Note the orange accents that make the Nautilus’s screen perpetually look like a sunset. The system is also able to keep itself current via over-the-air updates so if the whole “night sky” thing falls out of vogue in a couple of years perhaps Lincoln can remotely switch it to something else. How does an infotainment system inspired by the surface of Mars sound? While we’re on the subject of tech, the Lincoln Nautilus can now be started via smartphone through the Lincoln Way app.
As before, the 2021 Lincoln Nautlius comes standard with a 2.0-liter turbo-four making 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. Those looking for more out of their mid-size Lincoln SUV can opt for a 335-hp, 380 lb-ft., twin-turbo 2.7-liter V6. Both engines will feature automatic stop-start as standard and be paired to an eight-speed automatic gearbox.
Continuing to be built in Oakville, Ontario, Canada for the North American market, the 2021 Lincoln Nautilus will hit dealerships early next year.
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