2024 Lincoln Nautilus Preview: A Stunning Display of Stunning Display

Competes with: Genesis GV70, Acura MDX, Lexus RX, Mercedes-Benz GLE, BMW X5

Looks like: A new face for Lincoln, but check out that dash!

Powertrains: 250-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine; 310-system-hp, turbo 2.0-liter four-cylinder paired with an electric motor and battery pack; eight-speed automatic (gas-only) or continuously variable automatic transmission (hybrid); all-wheel drive

Hits dealerships: Mid-2024

Lincoln has been in a bit of a sales slump recently, which is a little unusual given that their all-SUV lineup seems to be positioned in the sweet spot for the luxury SUV market. But the brand is about to inject a little life and spice into its lineup with today’s unveiling of the 2024 Nautilus, Lincoln’s mid-size premium SUV that officials say is designed to appeal to shoppers new to the Lincoln brand.

This is the conquest model that Lincoln says will reinvigorate the lineup and start pushing sheet metal through the showrooms; the brand says it will do so by appealing to buyers looking for a “spa getaway” kind of experience and to those looking for some stand-out technology, which the new Nautilus plans on offering through some truly unique display tech. And from the initial look at the redesigned SUV, it just might be able to pull this off.

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New Platform, New Looks

The 2024 Nautilus sits on a totally new platform than the vehicle it replaces and grows in a few dimensions in the process. It’s more than 3 inches longer and a little bit taller, according to Lincoln. Up front, it features a new grille and headlight treatment, as well as a prominent light-up Lincoln star logo that melds into horizontal daytime running lights and LED light signatures. Down the side, sculpted, scalloped bodywork emphasizes the new additional width, while 21- or 22-inch wheels and tires fill out the wheel wells on the Reserve and Black Label trims (19- or 20-inch wheels are available on the Premier variant). Out back, new “bird wing” taillights form a continuous strip that connects the rear fenders and hides a light-up Lincoln script on the liftgate that’s only visible from a vehicle behind the Nautilus (you can’t see it if you’re standing at the liftgate).

Regular or Hybrid Flavor

Powering the new Nautilus is a mix of new and familiar powertrains. The base engine is one we’ve seen before: a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder making 250 hp and 275 pounds-feet of torque mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission; AWD is standard. The up-engine option is a new hybrid version, combining the turbo 2.0-liter with a 100-kilowatt electric motor and a CVT. It’s good for a system total of 310 hp, according to Lincoln, but what fuel economy benefits result from choosing the hybrid powertrain are not yet available. The previously available twin-turbocharged 2.7-liter V-6 has been dropped from the lineup, so it’s only four-bangers in the Nautilus now.

There’s a new suspension system, as well, with active dampers that can be selectively tuned by mode from inside the cabin, and some pretty aggressive wheels and tire sizes are meant to provide both the calm, smooth ride that people expect from the brand and a dash of sporting flair from the more athletically oriented trims.

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Where the Action Is

The Nautilus’ biggest news isn’t the styling or powertrains, it’s the interior that will indeed set it apart from its competitors. Lincoln was sometimes criticized for not utilizing their digital gauge cluster in a way that was all that interesting, especially compared to what parent company Ford was able to do with the Mustang’s in terms of customization. But all that has changed, with Lincoln going from one of the most disappointing electronic dash displays in the business to one of the most jaw-droppingly stunning.

The new “coast-to-coast” display screen spans the dashboard just below the windshield, providing a massive digital canvas for everything from the reconfigurable speedometer and gauges to the Google-based navigation display to several panels of custom readouts and data. In reality, the larger display consists of two screens that are side-by-side and continuously linked.

But what it’s not is a touchscreen — you wouldn’t be able to reach it anyway, as it’s located at the base of the windshield and well away from those in the front seats. Instead, it’s controlled by a central 11.1-inch touchscreen from which occupants can control everything.

Front and center is a squircle-shaped steering wheel — a rounded-off rectangle that the driver looks over instead of through to see the gauges beyond. The rest of the controls are familiar to Lincoln fans, with the push-button piano-key-style transmission low on the center console.

The interior, which is available in several different color combinations depending on trim level, will also be able to act as a kind of instant spa thanks to the SUV’s Rejuvenate feature available on higher-level trims. It combines active massaging seats, aromatherapy from three different scent cartridges, lights, sounds, music and more to create some kind of energizing recharge for people looking to get away from it all (for a few minutes anyway). This is apparently something Lincoln marketing officials say people increasingly want in an SUV.

Safety Tech

The new Nautilus will feature BlueCruise 1.2, which features hands-free lane changes; it will be available on all trims but standard on higher-spec variants. Lincoln Co-Pilot360 is also available in varying stages of equipment, bringing all manner of ancillary safety systems and semi-autonomous driving features to the refreshed SUV.

Pricing and Release Date

The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus is officially open for ordering now on Lincoln’s website, but deliveries aren’t going to start until early 2024, as it’s going to take time for the first models to make their way to the U.S. since this will be the first Lincoln model sold here that’s built in China. This makes sense, however, given that Lincoln’s popularity and sales levels in the Chinese market far outpace those in the home market. A lot of new Lincolns will be derived from what’s designed for the Chinese market, but if that means we get new SUVs like the 2024 Nautilus, that won’t be a bad thing.

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