2024 Lincoln Nautilus vs 2023 Nissan Pathfinder

The 2023 Nissan Pathfinder carried over its design from the 2022 model year, maintaining a blend of traditional and modern elements. Its futuristic headlights and angular C-pillar gave it a forward-thinking appearance, ensuring its relevance for years. Inside, the Pathfinder offered a clean and sensible layout, making it both visually appealing and practical for everyday use. The trims ranged from the basic S to the luxurious Platinum, each adding more features and comfort. The Rock Creek trim stood out with its rugged design, off-road capabilities, and water-repellent interior, making it ideal for adventurous drivers.

The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus debuted with a sophisticated and streamlined exterior, hinting at a new direction for Lincoln's design. Its grille, reminiscent of Mercedes-Benz, featured LED lighting that illuminated the Lincoln star logo, creating a stunning visual. The rear mirrored this horizontal aesthetic with an animated LED light bar. Inside, the Nautilus boasted high-quality materials, ambient lighting, and a full-width screen that was the centerpiece of its luxurious interior. The Black Label trim offered the ultimate comfort with 24-way Perfect Position front seats, while the Jet Appearance Package added a stylish touch with two-tone paint and black wheels.

The 2023 Nissan Pathfinder was powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine, producing 284 horsepower and 259 pound-feet of torque. The Rock Creek trim offered a slight boost with 295 hp and 270 lb-ft. Power was delivered through a 9-speed automatic transmission to either front-wheel drive or available all-wheel drive. The Rock Creek trim enhanced off-road capabilities with a taller suspension and off-road shocks, though the ride on highways was rougher due to the off-road tires. The Pathfinder's engine provided ample power for city and highway driving, but the new shifter design was criticized for being unintuitive. The Pathfinder offered various drive modes, including an All-Terrain mode in the Rock Creek, and a maximum towing capacity of 6,000 pounds with optional equipment.

The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus came standard with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, delivering 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The hybrid option, available for an additional $1,500, increased output to 310 hp and 295 lb-ft, with an impressive 30 mpg combined fuel economy. The hybrid's range exceeded 600 miles, making it ideal for long trips. The Nautilus featured all-wheel drive and five drive modes, with an adaptive suspension available for enhanced performance. The hybrid's CVT was smooth and unobtrusive, providing a comfortable driving experience, though it wasn't a performance-oriented vehicle.

The 2023 Nissan Pathfinder offered up to 80.5 cubic feet of cargo space with the second and third rows folded flat. With the second row in use, it provided 45 cubic feet, and 16.6 cubic feet with all seats upright. While spacious, it fell slightly short of competitors like the Toyota Highlander and Honda Pilot. The first two rows provided ample headroom and legroom, while the third row was suitable for short trips. The optional second-row captain’s chairs facilitated access to the third row. The Pathfinder featured 12 cupholders and four bottle holders, along with numerous storage compartments. The Rock Creek trim's roof rack was practical for carrying up to 220 pounds of cargo.

The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus offered power-adjustable, heated, and cooled front seats across all trims, with the Black Label model featuring 24-way Perfect Position seats with massage and extended heating functions. The rear seats provided 43 inches of legroom, surpassing competitors like the BMW X5 and Mercedes-Benz GLE. The Nautilus included the Rejuvenate feature, combining massage, lighting, and screen images for relaxation. Cargo space was 36 cubic feet behind the second row and 71 cubic feet with seats folded in the Premiere trim, slightly less in higher trims. The Nautilus seated five, prioritizing cargo space over a third row.

The 2023 Nissan Pathfinder came with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, supporting Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Higher trims featured a 9-inch screen. While the system was user-friendly, some found the graphics dated. The Pathfinder included four USB ports, Bluetooth, satellite radio, and voice recognition. The SV trim added a Wi-Fi hotspot, while the SL trim offered wireless Apple CarPlay and device charging. The Platinum trim included additional USB ports, ensuring connectivity for all passengers.

The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus featured a striking 48-inch curved display, with a digital dash and customizable sections for various information. An 11.1-inch touchscreen handled infotainment duties, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. HVAC controls were accessible via permanent icons, though vent adjustments required navigating menus. Steering wheel controls were touch-sensitive, displaying audio and ADAS controls on the screen. The Nautilus included Google maps, Alexa Built-in, gaming, web browsing, and OTA updates. Wireless charging and USB ports were standard throughout the cabin.

The 2023 Nissan Pathfinder included standard driver assistance features such as forward and reverse automatic emergency braking, collision warning, pedestrian detection, and blind-spot monitoring. The SV trim added ProPilot Assist with lane centering and adaptive cruise control. The SL trim included front parking sensors, a 360-degree monitor, and traffic-sign recognition. The Platinum trim added rain-sensing wipers and a head-up display. Off-Road mode activated front- and side-view cameras for obstacle monitoring.

The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus came with the Lincoln CoPilot 360 suite, featuring lane-keeping assist, park assist, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and emergency braking. Blue Cruise 1.2 technology was available, offering hands-free driving on pre-mapped highways. The 2023 Nautilus received five stars from the NHTSA for frontal and side crash protection, and four stars for rollover protection. The IIHS rated the 2024 Nautilus "Good" in crashworthiness, though other ratings were pending.