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Independent review & score by Carivo
| Seating Capacity | 7 passengers |
|---|---|
| Body Style | SUV |
| Base Price | $49,926–$58,271 |
Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov & manufacturer data. Figures reflect base trim; actual specs vary by trim level.
The 2020 Lincoln Aviator is a suv that earns a Carivo score of 7.4/10 — rated Good. Its strongest dimension is Safety at 8.4/10, while Reliability at 6.5/10 is where it trails the competition most noticeably. It's a capable but unexceptional suv — stronger alternatives exist if you're willing to shop the segment carefully.
Reliability and safety are the two dimensions that matter most for long-term ownership costs. At 6.5/10 for reliability, this suv trails its segment. That doesn't rule it out, but go in with eyes open on running costs. Safety lands at 8.4/10 — solid, though some rivals offer more advanced driver-assist features as standard. Confirm official results for your trim at nhtsa.gov/ratings.
With 7.5/10 for performance, this is a car tuned for daily driving rather than excitement — perfectly capable on the commute, unremarkable on a back road. On technology it rates 8.3/10: a modern, well-integrated suite that compares favorably with anything at this price point.
Priced from $49,926–$58,271, 18 MPG, seating 7, the Lincoln Aviator sits in the premium tier of the suv category. The value score of 6.6/10 is a red flag — comparable alternatives offer meaningfully more for the same outlay. Shop the segment before deciding. At 6 years old, resale value, parts availability, and whether a successor model has improved on its weak points are all worth investigating before committing.
Verdict: The 2020 Lincoln Aviator sits in the middle of the field. Until its value and reliability scores improve, stronger options exist at this price. Worth a look if it fits a specific need; otherwise use our compare tool against the segment leaders first.
Carivo scores are our own editorial assessment, informed by NHTSA safety and recall records, EPA fuel-economy figures, and manufacturer-published specifications. Scores are reviewed periodically and updated when new data becomes available. See our full methodology →
The 2020 Lincoln Aviator ranks #1166 of 2454 suvs in the Carivo database — better than 53% of the segment. Its 7.4/10 overall score is exactly at the segment average of 7.4/10. Its $49,926 starting price is about 38% above the segment's median of $36,079.
Rankings are recalculated as new vehicles and scores are added. See the full SUV ranking → · Best SUVs under $50k →
Across the Aviator model years we've scored, the 2020 holds its position — we didn't find an older year that delivers similar scores for meaningfully less money.
| Year | Score | Starting price (MSRP when new) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 7.5/10 | $58,437 | Read review → |
| 2025 | 7.5/10 | $58,437 | Read review → |
| 2024 | 7.6/10 | $56,735 | Read review → |
| 2023 | 7.4/10 | $55,032 | Read review → |
| 2022 | 7.4/10 | $53,330 | Read review → |
| 2021 | 7.4/10 | $51,628 | Read review → |
| 2020 (this review) | 7.4/10 | $49,926 |
The following recall campaigns have been filed with NHTSA for this model and year. Recall repairs are performed free of charge by franchised dealers; check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
| Fuel system, gasoline / Delivery / Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings 04/12/2019 · 19V859000 | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. Over time, the protective sleeve on the vapor fuel line may chafe through the plastic liquid fuel line and cause a fuel leak. |
|---|---|
| Engine 17/12/2020 · 20V788000 | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The right hand motor mount fasteners may have been incorrectly tightened, and may loosen over time. |
| Suspension / Rear 10/03/2021 · 21V154000 | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Lincoln Aviator and Ford Explorer vehicles. The rear lower control arm (RLCA) bolts that attach the rear lower control arms to the wheel knuckles may not have been heat-treated, which could cause them to… |
| Back over prevention / Software 22/09/2021 · 21V735000 | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Explorer, Lincoln Corsair, and Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with 360-degree cameras. The video output may fail, preventing the rearview camera image from displaying. |
| Back over prevention / Display function 30/03/2021 · 21V223000 | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The image processing module may be unable to provide video feed to the display, which could result in a loss of the backup camera image. As such, these vehicles fail to… |
Showing 5 of 28 campaigns — see the full list on NHTSA's site.
We rate the 2020 Lincoln Aviator's reliability 6.5/10 — below the segment average, so budget for higher maintenance. It has 28 NHTSA recall campaigns on record for this model year (details in the recalls section above — repairs are free at dealers).
28 NHTSA recall campaigns matched this model and year as of our latest check. Verify your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
It scores 7.4/10 overall, ranking #1166 of 2454 suvs in our database (better than 53% of the segment). Stronger-scoring alternatives exist at similar prices — use our compare tool before committing.
The 2020 Lincoln Aviator starts at $49,926 and ranges up to $58,271 across trims (MSRP when new). At 18 MPG, expect roughly $2,917/year in fuel at 15,000 miles/year.
Explore the full lineup of Lincoln models scored by Carivo — ranked by overall score across reliability, safety, value, performance, and technology.