I’ve had a wonderful week with the new Lincoln Aviator Hybrid, and I’m not over it. Forget everything you used to know about this SUV. As you’ll see from part one of this 2021 Lincoln Aviator Review, it’s an entirely new three-row luxury SUV to consider. 

2021 Lincoln Aviator Hybrid has unbelievable upgrades 

The most common question I got about the Lincoln Aviator was, “That’s a Lincoln?” People seemed to be surprised by how good it looks. The Aviator was reintroduced in 2019 with a sleek, seductive, and down-right cool design. 

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator Hybrid has a reminiscent look that reminds me of classic cars that you would see back in the day, with tall, elongated hoods. I also get a 1920’s classy feel without being over the top or gaudy. 

But I named this Lincoln Abraham. Not because it has elegant looks, but because it felt composed, reliable, and a little controversial. Some people aren’t fans of plug-in hybrids yet, but with the Colonial Pipeline cyberattack, I’m happy to have an alternative power method for this classy beast. 

How does the Lincoln Aviator Hybrid Perform? 

Do you know that ahhhh noise you hear when you see something heavenly? That’s the sound that plays in my mind when I hit the acceleration pedal in the 2021 Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring Plug-in Hybrid. 

The 13.6-kWh battery pack, 75-kW motor, and twin-turbo V6 combine to create 494 hp and 630 lb-ft of torque. Robert Duffer from The Car Connection agrees with me about this joy. You can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in less than six seconds. 

You hear the whirl of electric motors, then the roar of the gas engine, and you’re already flying. You can use the paddle shifters on the steering wheel to make your daily commute tons of fun. Driving this car manually in I-26 traffic around 40 mph was very exciting. 

Some hybrid vehicles with auto stop and go tech have a delay at red lights that you have to get used to. The engine turns off when you stop. Then once you hit the accelerator, the engine restarts before you can go. The Aviator doesn’t have this delay. 

But you don’t have to use the rear-wheel platform to drive this SUV in a sporty manner constantly. It’s great for cruising along. The ride is incredibly smooth, and the interior provides peaceful silence. As a driver and passenger, I got to relax with an easy ride.

Despite having three rows and being pretty long, the Aviator feels light and convenient. It’s one of the easiest vehicles I’ve ever parked, and there’s almost no body roll. Usually, my dog curls up on a seat or the cargo floor, afraid to move, but in the Lincoln, he was brave enough to sit up. 

Note: Bruce, the blue heeler beagle mix, wears a seatbelt and sits on top of thick, durable seat covers. 

How fuel-efficient is the Lincoln Aviator Hybrid? 

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator Hybrid with all-wheel drive gets an EPA-estimated 56 MPGe and 23 mpg. You can extend the amount of range you have with regenerative braking. Sometimes when you stop really smoothly, a little message pops up to say good job, you gain battery power. It’s a fun reward. It can feel like doing something well in a video game. 

I just drove around Asheville, North Carolina, looking for gas, but couldn’t find any. I drove for 30 minutes and was averaging about 23.7 miles per gallon. I had no electric charge, but the regenerative braking provided seven miles. I’ll have to go back to an EV charging station. 

Public charging stations provide a full charge in about three hours with the 240-volt charge. With a Level one charger at home, it takes about six to eight hours to recharge fully. There are 21 miles of pure electric range and a total range of about 460 miles. 

The Pure EV driving mode uses your electric power, and the Preserve mode saves battery power for later. In Preserve mode, the engine charges the battery to gain up to 75% of a charge. 

How do you charge the Lincoln Aviator PHEV? 

I went on a mission to charge the 2021 Lincoln Aviator PHEV and easily parked it in an EV spot. I got out and plugged the large plug into the port near the driver’s side, and that was it. A blue light came on, indicating that the vehicle was charging. 

I spent about 20 minutes in a grocery store while Abraham charged and gained about three miles of range. The digital cluster display and infotainment center display how much charge you have and the amount of time needed to recharge fully. 

Also, the Lincoln Way app can display your charge, show you the nearest charging stations, how long it will take to charge, etc. With an at-home charger, you can set your charging times. By switching between gas and hybrid power, you can drive the way you want, and it’s nice to have a backup solution on hand in case fuel becomes scarce.