Car Review: 2026 Lincoln Aviator Black Label

A few years ago, before Jim Farley was promoted to Ford’s corner office as CEO, he and I discussed Lincoln’s challenge of competing in the demanding landscape of the luxury automotive market. My assertion was that Lincoln should continue to produce and refine the Continental Coach Door Edition, a $100,000 luxury sedan with a long wheelbase and elegant, wide opening rear-hinged rear doors, just like what Rolls-Royce offers. Although Farley dismissed my suggestion, I recently discovered a four-year-old, low mileage Lincoln Continental Coach Door model offered in the used car market for nearly $100,000. So, I stand by my assertion.

Lincoln is hardly alone in dismissing sedans in favor of SUVs. Infiniti has also taken that path, and if you scour a neighborhood parking lot for non-SUV luxury vehicles, you might count them without removing your loafers. And Lincoln’s four-model lineup has allowed the team a sharp brand focus.

Not long ago, Lincoln made the wise decision to return to model names instead of uppercase letters to identify their offerings. The naming strategy is formulated from aviation themes, beginning with the compact Corsair, moving up to the two-row Nautilus, then the midsize three-row Aviator, and ending with the big, full-size Navigator.

Lincoln’s newest style makes the right statement. Global Design Director Christine Cheng has done an artful job of assuring a uniform brand identity and luxury image on all its models. Our Aviator test subject was an all-wheel-drive Black Label edition in Pristine White with a black painted roof, and although it included a long list of luxury gear, a $7,500 Special Edition package was added to assure that nothing would be missing. The sticker price reflected this largesse with a $97,470 MSRP. But don’t let that frighten you; perfectly nice Aviator models start at a reasonable $60,000.

Our Black Label version’s appearance began with Lincoln’s now trademark grille in black chrome and carried the theme back with the now-not-so-uncommon, four-pipe exhaust under the rear bumper. The vivid black and white contrast worked well, with the black roof and dark windows creating a two-tone effect.

Inside, the theme was Lincoln’s Moonbeam, featuring perforated leather seating in off-white “surf.” I found the driver’s chair quite comfortable with lots of adjustments available. Ingress was hampered for me a bit from the door opening that was a bit lower than expected, but I assume that’s not an issue for most buyers after a week or two of ownership. Once seated, the large instrument display was placed straight ahead while a 13.5-inch infotainment screen was perched above the center console.

Our Aviator delivered quiet luxury on the road with its twin-turbo V6 providing a class-leading 400HP through a smooth 10-speed transmission. Adaptive suspension did a fine job of keeping this big guy properly planted while all occupants can enjoy a Revel 23-speaker audio system. A four-zone climate control provides cabin comfort.

If this size of luxury fits your style, the Aviator is a real contender in the luxury class.

Type Front-engine, all-wheel-drive
Engine 3.0-liter Twin Turbo V6
Horsepower 400 @ 5,500 RPM
Torque 415 lb.ft. @ 3,500 RPM
Base Price $87,395
As Tested $97,470
Fuel Consumption 17 city, 25 highway, 20 combined