The Lincoln Nautilus was out to show the world that it was more than just a Ford Edge wearing a tailor made suit. The Nautilus attempted to do this by rewarding buyers with luxury, refinement and comfort. But sales have recently begun to dip (alongside its sibling the Ford Edge) and some have questioned the Nautilus’s place in Lincoln’s lineup. The luxury brand is out to show that there’s still fight left with the refreshed 2024 Lincoln Nautilus.
Lincoln Attempts To Inject More Beauty Into Nautilus, Has It Worked?
The outgoing Nautilus had a rounded look that favored smooth edges and rounded shapes over athletic poise. The 2024 model flips this on its head and goes all-in on being aggressive. The core shape does have a core resemblance to the Explorer based Aviator but the Nautilus stands out with all new LED headlights that now incorporate a small LED lightbar that snakes along the center of the grille and helps unify the pieces together. The fore-mentioned grille is also larger than before and it even comes with a reworked lower front bumper. The rear also brows tricks from the Aviator with an LED lightbar running along the liftgate that comes with built-in animation sequences as well as a roof mounted spoiler.
Opt for the Jet Appearance package (remember when Saab used to do the whole jet thing?) and the Nautilus gets 22-inch gloss black wheels and darkened accents for the front grille and other chrome details. Lincoln claims that the package helps create a more aggressive look but we will reserve our final judgements until we have the chance to spend some time ourselves with a similarly equipped Nautilus. The interior of these models also comes with splashes of copper accents including the contrast stitching and a copper code aluminum trim piece.
Nautilus Goes For Broke With Luxury
Lincoln repeatedly said that the interior of the 2024 Nautilus was designed to cater to younger buyers and that’s evident when you look at some of the core details here. New ambient lighting accents give the cabin a refined feel and crystal inspired details are supposed to replicate the reflection that occurs when the sun rises over water with the piano key shifter and other select items having a shimmer look to them.
The flat topped steering wheel allows drivers to see over the wheel while comfortable leather seats provide plenty of long haul comfort and support. The interior also plays a prominent role in what Lincoln calls the “Lincoln Rejuvenate” experience which allows occupants to relish in a sensory oasis that features lighting, screen visuals and even scents with Lincoln claiming that the Nautilus will cater to a wide range of personalization and consumer tastes through several distinct aromas including Mystic Forest and Violet Cashmere.
The infotainment system will feature fully wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay capability with the system also bundling in Amazon Alexa capability to help the Nautilus be able to control smart devices and other smart home technologies.
A Turbocharged Future That Plays Into Jet Theme
Performance for the 2024 Lincoln Nautilus will come from two turbocharged four-cylinder engines with the standard model featuring a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that produces 250-horsepower and is mated to an eight-speed automatic and standard all-wheel drive. Lincoln claims that the engine has received lighter components that will help improve fuel economy though we get to wait to see how much of an improvement there really is. Buyers looking for more power can go for an optional hybrid version of the 2.0-liter that makes a combined system output of 310-horsepower. Unlike the base engine, the hybrid swaps the eight-speed out for a CVT with a 100 kW electric motor being an integral part of the hybrid setup. An adaptive suspension also helps the Nautilus refine its handling manners with a suite of sensors monitoring other aspects of the SUV including body movement, braking, acceleration and more. The Nautilus will also come standard with five different drive modes: Conserve, Normal, Excite, Slippery, and Deep modes. Lincoln’s BlueCruise system (shared with Ford) will also allow the Nautilus to have limited self-driving capabilities over mapped sections of freeway.
The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus will arrive in showrooms early next year, but Lincoln is now opening up orders for customers looking to secure their spot in the order book. Pricing will be revealed closer to the 2024 Nautilus’s official launch. The Nautilus will also eventually share showroom space with the brand’s upcoming EV models with wild show cars like the L100 Concept providing a glimpse into the future.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.