2024 Lincoln Nautilus Black Label

The new Lincoln Nautilus Black Label could be the new gold standard for the latest in small luxury SUVs. Totally new for 2024, this second-generation Nautilus is one of those SUVs that doesn’t pretend to be something it’s not. As you would imagine (or we hope you would imagine), you wouldn’t buy the Lincoln Nautilus to take it through Moab or for a weekend of roughing it while overlanding. Instead, this is the vehicle that would take you to a Broadway show, a night on the town and more. By the way, here at Napleton News, roughing it is a night in a Days Inn. Just saying.

What’s this Lincoln Nautilus Black Label all about?

As we mentioned, the Lincoln Nautilus is not a rock climber or trail runner. Instead, it’s a cushy crossover that can take its occupants as comfortably as possible from point A to B and back again. Lincoln customers like cushy, otherwise the company would be called Land Rover. Incidentally, it’s the first Lincoln sold in the USA that’s built in China. Oh, the humanity of it all.

The new Nautilus is available in three trim levels. These range from the entry-level Nautilus Premiere, mid-level Nautilus Reserve and the top-shelf Nautilus Black Label. The gasoline-powered Nautilus gets a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine delivering 250 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque. It’s matched to an 8-speed automatic transmission. An optional hybrid powertrain is also available. It’s powered by the same engine, combined with an electric motor generator that delivers a combined 310 horsepower. It’s a $1,500 option.

Regardless of powertrain choice, both are equipped with all-wheel drive as standard.

How does the Nautilus look?

The new Nautilus is much sleeker than the model it replaces. Updated in every trim level, it offers sophisticated bends and creases that add plenty of interest from every angle. One of the most appealing is the beltline definition crease running from the front to nearly the rear of the Nautilus.

When you approach the Lincoln, the logo in the grille immediately lights to welcome you. Puddle lights shine the same logo on the ground to keep your feet dry.

Thankfully, chrome makes a minimal appearance here. Designers have opted for black instead when it comes to pieces like the door handles, side-view mirror caps and painted black 22-inch alloy wheels.

The Nautilus Technology inside.

There is a ton of innovation going on inside the new 2024 Lincoln Nautilus. Start with the elephant in the room – the wrap-around dashboard screen, which stretches from the left side all the way to the right. It features everything you would expect in front of you. Scan to the right and you’ll find radio controls, navigation maps, smartphone calls and other controls. You can customize the dashboard to display who is singing on your favorite Satellite radio channel or how long until you reach your destination. In the traditional location you’ll find a redundant 11.1-inch touchscreen display. Placed on the center console, it’s much easier to reach than making a play for the wrap-screen. It’s there to control the stellar Revel Ultima 3D 28-speaker premium audio system.

A flat-topped (and bottomed) steering wheel features a pair of black touchpads. Here, the buttons change according to the app you are using. It takes a while to comprehend but once you do, it clearly becomes second-nature.

The steering wheel is an integral part of Ford’s BlueCruise 1.2 tech package. An autonomous driving system, it does allow you to take your hands off the wheel and your feet off the pedals. In other words, leave the driving to Nautilus, instead. But don’t let them stray too far away. Inevitably, a change in road conditions will draw them back, just in case. And if you should find your left eye start to close and your right eye wants to follow suit, a warning chime will draw your attention back in.

The seats are covered in redwood Venetian leather, which is a gorgeous hue similar to the old Crayola crayon “Burnt Sienna” color. People of a certain age will definitely know what we’re talking about. Cargo space counts to 71.3 cubic feet behind the front seats and 36.4 behind the rear seats.

Behind the wheel of the Lincoln Nautilus

The new Lincoln Nautilus is one of those fun-to-drive vehicles offering lots of confidence from the moment you fire it up. It feels almost like you are wearing it. Sure, it has those weird push buttons for the PRNDL controls, but we can live with them. We could also live with the silent cabin that coddled us down the highway, with no audible intrusions from outside.

Acceleration was surprisingly brisk considering this was the non-hybrid version of the Nautilus. Still, it managed to get up and go precisely when we needed it to. The handling was stellar thanks to the adjustable suspension that changes on the fly according to the road conditions at hand. We did have a quibble regarding the massaging seats in the sense that they were rather raucous in their function. It felt as though when we stopped the massaging, they are still pressing into your back. We think there may be a better solution, but it clearly hasn’t arrived yet.

Quibbles aside, the 2024 Lincoln Nautilus Black Label is all dressed up with some place to go. All that’s missing is a bowtie and a cumberbund.

2024 Lincoln Nautilus Specifications