Lincoln is the luxury subgroup of Ford, an automaker that makes some of the most popular vehicles in the United States. Lincoln currently only produces four models, all of which are SUVs. Despite all their luxury accommodations, most consumers will choose a Ford SUV over a Lincoln one. In fact, one of the automaker’s least popular SUVs is just as successful as the entire Lincoln lineup.

2023 sales figures for Lincoln

Ford Authority reports that just over 20,000 Lincoln models were sold in the second quarter of this year. That’s 15% less compared to its sales in Q2 2022. With over 39,000 units sold in total for 2023, Lincoln isn’t doing terribly from a year-to-date perspective.

The Lincoln Nautilus, which has sold over 12,000 units this year, is currently the automaker’s most popular model. The Lincoln Corsair’s popularity has dropped 20% compared to 2022, but it managed to move 9,631 units by June. Both the Lincoln Navigator and Aviator have current sales totals under 9,000 this year. 

Those numbers look quite small when matched with Ford’s SUVs. The most popular one is the Explorer, which has moved approximately 104,423 units so far in 2023. Almost 65,000 drivers purchased an Escape this year, while the Edge has sold 46,484 units. The Ford Ecosport is the only one that appears to be struggling, only selling 2,500 units by June. 

The Ford Expedition: better than a Lincoln?

The Ford Expedition is outselling Lincoln’s catalog by a slim margin of 366 units. Its total sales growth for this year is also over 72%. Year-to-date the Expedition has sold 39,366 units; compare this to Lincoln’s entire lineup which has sold 39,058 units across all of its lineup.

The Expedition’s success is even more interesting when you consider that it’s also more expensive than almost every Lincoln SUV.

The 2023 Expedition is a full-size SUV with a starting MSRP of $55,725. Its base powertrain is a 380-hp twin-turbo six-cylinder engine, which is optimized to make 400 hp in most of the higher Expedition trims. That engine makes 440 hp in the Ford Expedition Timberline, which has a minimal asking price of $71,400.

The Expedition Timberline is also equipped with some off-roading enhancements, such as a special suspension setup and standard all-wheel-drive. You also get a two-speed transfer case and 32-inch all-terrain tires, helping this model gain an impressive ground clearance of 10.6 inches. The standard Lincoln Navigator is of similar size and has the same horsepower output, but it’s not available with any notable off-roading features.

Like the Lincoln Navigator, the Ford Expedition has seating for up to eight riders. Every row is adult-friendly in terms of legroom, plus you get over 104 cubic feet of total cargo space. If that’s not enough, almost every Ford Expedition trim can be upgraded to a longer-wheelbase Max model. 

The Expedition also features wireless smartphone integration and several advanced driver safety systems. Higher trims can be equipped with premium features like an adaptive suspension, leather seats, and a Bang & Olufsen sound system. 

Here’s why Lincoln’s sales seem so poor

Because Lincoln is a luxury automaker, it’s somewhat expected that it has fewer sales compared to cheaper brands. Leather seats and more technology are both nice to have, but most large SUV shoppers are more interested in the car’s physical capacities. For that reason, it makes more sense to get a big car at a cheaper price.

Lincoln’s low sales figures also put Ford’s sheer size into perspective. According to Ford Authority, the automaker has already sold close to 1 million vehicles so far this year.