Lincoln Aviator Refresh Brings More Tech and BlueCruise Hands-Free Driving

Just last week, we got a glimpse at Ford’s refreshed 2025 Explorer SUV, and now sister company Lincoln has premiered their own updated utility, the 2025 Aviator.

The Lincoln Aviator remains the high-flying three-row utility it was before, but this upcoming mid-cycle refresh mixes up the style while adding some elevated tech for drivers. That’s primarily achieved through the Lincoln Digital Experience and the implementation of BlueCruise hands-free highway driving.

We’ll start with the Lincoln Digital Experience, which is reminiscent of the Ford Digital Experience making its way into the ‘25 Explorer. The primary points of interaction are a 13.2-inch infotainment touchscreen and a 12.4-inch digital gauge cluster. The suite leans into voice commands, incorporating Google Assistant or Alexa for in-vehicle controls. That means HVAC settings, navigation, media selection and information inquiries can all be achieved by voice. That said, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration is standard. When parked, occupants will be able to stream the web and stream video content from services like YouTube and Prime Video.

The other big leap in tech is the aforementioned BlueCruise hands-free driving system, standard on all models. As suggested above, it’s really intended for highway driving, assisting in braking, accelerating and steering. As we’ve experienced in some of Ford’s products, BlueCruise can certainly take the strain out of longer commuters or road trips. And when BlueCruise is unavailable, Lincoln Co-Pilot 360 sticks around with various assistance features, like evasive steering assist, lane-keeping, blind-spot monitoring and parking sensors.

We won’t spend too much time describing the exterior, as the pictures speak a thousand more words than we’re able to muster; but the shakeup, while not drastic, is appreciated. Up front there’s a new, larger grille which has been raised to better align with the new LED headlights. An available Illumination Package, standard on Reserve and Black Label units, headlines the act with a light-up Lincoln star on the grille, adaptive pixel headlights, adaptive bending lighting and more. New wheel options and an expanded paint selection were anticipated, and Lincoln delivered: Cenote Green and Whisper Blue Metallic are the new color offerings. A new Jet Package can be had on any trim, and it includes black elements and a little extra body cladding. The unique wheels are wrapped by all-terrain tires.

Those wheels, in whichever flavor you choose, are still turned by a standard twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine, producing 400 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque. The 10-speed automatic sends power to the rear-wheels or to the available all-wheel drive system. And it can all be supported by Lincoln’s Air Glide Suspension.

The 2025 Lincoln Aviator starts at $59,890 for an entry-level Premiere model, including their $1,395 destination charge. It’s followed by the Reserve at $68,890, hitting the top with the Black Label’s $88,390 price tag. All Aviators will be assembled at Lincoln’s Chicago Assembly plant, available this summer.