Compare the2024 Nissan PathfinderVS 2024 Lincoln Aviator

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Pathfinder are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Aviator doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Pathfinder Platinum has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The Aviator doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

Both the Pathfinder and the Aviator have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Nissan Pathfinder is safer than the Lincoln Aviator:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Pathfinder its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 67 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Aviator was last a “Top Safety Pick Plus” in 2019 but no longer qualifies.

There are over 2 times as many Nissan dealers as there are Lincoln dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Pathfinder’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are better in initial quality than Lincoln vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan above average in initial quality. With 28 more problems per 100 vehicles, Lincoln is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Nissan vehicles are more reliable than Lincoln vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Nissan 6 places higher in reliability than Lincoln.

On the EPA test cycle the Pathfinder gets better mileage than the Aviator:

For better stopping power the Pathfinder’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Aviator:

The Pathfinder has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Aviator doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Nissan Pathfinder may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 250 to 450 pounds less than the Lincoln Aviator.

The Pathfinder has standard seating for 8 passengers; the Aviator can only carry 7.

The Pathfinder has 3.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Aviator (148 vs. 144.7).

The Pathfinder has .8 inches more front headroom, 1.3 inches more front legroom, .9 inches more third row headroom, 5.8 inches more third row hip room and 4.4 inches more third row shoulder room than the Aviator.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Pathfinder’s middle and third row seats recline. The Aviator’s third row seats don’t recline.

The Pathfinder’s cargo area provides more volume than the Aviator.

Maximum trailer towing in the Lincoln Aviator is limited to 5600 pounds. The Pathfinder offers up to a 6000 lbs. towing capacity.

A Trailer Sway Control is standard on the Pathfinder, using the Vehicle Dynamic Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. A trailer sway program costs extra on the Aviator.

When the Pathfinder SL/Platinum is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Aviator’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

Insurance will cost less for the Pathfinder owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Pathfinder will cost $790 to $7780 less than the Aviator over a five-year period.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Nissan Pathfinder will be $11789 to $30142 less than for the Lincoln Aviator.

The Nissan Pathfinder outsold the Lincoln Aviator by almost five to one during 2023.