Compare the2026 Volvo XC60VS 2025 Lincoln Nautilus

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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The XC60’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Nautilus doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The Volvo XC60 offers optional built in child booster seats. They’re more crash worthy than an added child seat because of their direct attachment to the seat. Lincoln doesn’t offer the convenience and security of a built-in child booster seat in the Nautilus. Their owners must carry a heavy booster seat in and out of the vehicle; XC60 owners can just fold their built-in child seat up or down.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the XC60 deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The XC60’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Nautilus’ side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

The XC60 has a standard Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS), which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the WHIPS allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. At the same time the pretensioning seatbelts fire, removing slack from the belts. The Nautilus doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the XC60’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Nautilus doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

Both the XC60 and the Nautilus have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Volvo XC60 is safer than the Lincoln Nautilus:

	XC60	Nautilus
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	125	146
Neck Injury Risk	22%	29.7%
Neck Stress	198 lbs.	317 lbs.
Neck Compression	15 lbs.	33 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	178	333
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.5 inches
Neck Injury Risk	28%	35.1%
Neck Stress	179 lbs.	192 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	329/351 lbs.	434/440 lbs.

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

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, results indicate that the Volvo XC60 is safer than the Lincoln Nautilus:

	XC60	Nautilus
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.7 inches	.7 inches
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	45 G’s	59 G’s

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

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the XC60 is 2.2% less likely to roll over than the Nautilus.

Warranty

The XC60’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the Nautilus’ (12 vs. 5 years).

Volvo pays for scheduled maintenance on the XC60 for 2 years and 20,000 miles. Volvo will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Lincoln doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Nautilus. (Lincoln offers free mainteance on some Nautilus models.)

Reliability

The battery on the XC60 is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the XC60’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The Nautilus’ battery is in the hot engine compartment.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the XC60’s reliability 18 points higher than the Nautilus.

Engine

The XC60 T8’s standard 2.0 turbo/supercharged 4-cylinder hybrid produces 145 more horsepower (455 vs. 310) and 228 lbs.-ft. more torque (523 vs. 295) than the Nautilus’ optional 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Volvo XC60 is faster than the Lincoln Nautilus 4 cyl. hybrid gas:

	XC60 B5	XC60 T8	Nautilus
Zero to 30 MPH	1.9 sec	n/a	2.7 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	6.2 sec	4.3 sec	6.9 sec
Zero to 80 MPH	10.6 sec	n/a	10.9 sec
Quarter Mile	14.7 sec	n/a	15.2 sec

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the XC60 running on electricity gets better mileage than the Nautilus:

			MPGe
XC60
	AWD	T8 Electric Motor	66 city/60 hwy
Nautilus
			MPG
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	30 city/31 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/29 hwy

On the EPA test cycle the XC60 running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the Nautilus:

			MPG
XC60
	AWD	2.0 turbo/supercharged 4-cyl. Hybrid	28 city/28 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/30 hwy
Nautilus
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/29 hwy

The XC60 T8 Extended Range can travel with zero emissions for 35 miles. The Nautilus can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the XC60 T8 Polestar Engineered’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Nautilus:

	XC60 T8 Polestar Engineered	Nautilus
Front Rotors	15.7 inches	13.6 inches

The XC60’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Nautilus are solid, not vented.

The XC60 stops much shorter than the Nautilus:

	XC60	Nautilus
70 to 0 MPH	165 feet	179 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	129 feet	132 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the XC60’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Nautilus (265/35R22 vs. 255/60R19).

The XC60’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Nautilus’ optional 45 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

The XC60 handles at .88 G’s, while the Nautilus Black Label pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The XC60 B5 Core executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.2 seconds quicker than the Nautilus Black Label (26.6 seconds @ .64 average G’s vs. 28.8 seconds @ .59 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the XC60 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Nautilus (8.5 vs. 7.9 inches), allowing the XC60 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The Volvo XC60 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 50 to 300 pounds less than the Lincoln Nautilus.

The XC60 is 7.8 inches shorter than the Nautilus, making the XC60 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Cargo Capacity

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the XC60. The Nautilus doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Towing

The XC60’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Nautilus’ (3500 vs. 0 pounds).

Ergonomics

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Nautilus, the XC60 Ultra/Polestar has a passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The XC60 Ultra/Polestar has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Nautilus doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The XC60’s standard Keyless Entry & Drive allow you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the cargo door, and start the vehicle, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Intelligent Access standard on the Nautilus doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are optional on the XC60 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Nautilus doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The XC60 offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Nautilus doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The XC60’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Nautilus has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Economic Advantages

According to iSeeCars.com the 2025 Volvo XC60 retains 46.33% of its original value after 5 years, more than the 43.1% resale value of the 2025 Lincoln Nautilus after five years, which can save the Volvo’s owner up to $5439.15614 in depreciation.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Volvo XC60, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Lincoln Nautilus isn't recommended.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the XC60 as the 2018 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year. The Nautilus has never been chosen.

The Volvo XC60 outsold the Lincoln Nautilus by 1634 units during 2024.

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