Expectations are meant to be shattered, and Lincoln did just that with its Hybrid Aviator. Originally, Lincoln revealed that the Hybrid Aviator would have a 450-hp engine. However, as CarBuzz reported, the final specs of the Hybrid Aviator will include a 495-hp engine.

The current SUV market is extremely competitive, so this revelation that the Hybrid Aviator has over-delivered by almost 50-hp is massive. That’s almost a 10% jump in power from expectations to reality. Here’s everything else that’s great about the Hybrid Aviator.

Lincoln Hybrid Aviator power and performance

Unlike many other hybrids, the Hybrid Aviator gets its power from a very strong gas engine. The Hybrid Aviator takes the 3.0-liter V6 twin-turbo engine that comes standard on the regular Aviator and pairs it up with a 75-kW electric motor. That’s why the Hybrid Aviator is able to sport the performance figures that you’d expect of a 500-hp SUV.

However, the Hybrid Aviator does weigh about 800 pounds more than the regular Aviator does. That’s the side effect of adding a massive battery pack onto the car. That extra weight does negate most of the additional power gained from the electric motor in terms of acceleration, but it doesn’t slow the car down a bit according to Autoblog’s review of it.

The suspension and handling of the Hybrid Aviator are also very good, even with the extra weight from the battery pack. For a midsize SUV that can seat up to seven people, Autoblog was very impressed by how it handled corners and how comfortable the ride was.

According to CNET’s review of the Hybrid Aviator, that 800 pound battery provides up to 20 miles of range. The battery pack also didn’t cut into the seating or cargo space of the regular Aviator, so the Hybrid Aviator is as spacious and roomy as the regular one. However, the battery pack did force Lincoln to shrink the gas tank by about two gallons. But, the extra range that the electric motor provides will more than make up for that.

The Hybrid Aviator is a plug-in hybrid, so you can charge the batteries either at home, at a charging station, or use the gas engine’s excess energy to charge it. At home, it’ll take about 12 hours to get a full charge, and at a charging station, it’ll about four hours to top off your batteries. 

Lincoln hasn’t officially released the fuel efficiency figures for the Hybrid Aviator yet, but since it’s a hybrid, it should be better than the regular Aviator’s. In Car and Driver’s review, it stated that the Hybrid Aviator got a combined 40 mpg. If this is accurate, then that’s almost twice as many miles per gallon as the regular Aviator, which gets about 21 combined mpg.

Premium features and price

The Hybrid Aviator isn’t all that different from the regular Aviator in terms of its amenities and creature comforts. Like the regular Aviator, the Hybrid Aviator has all the features that drivers expect from a modern, luxury SUV. 

Some features that are available on the Hybrid Aviator include a comprehensive safety suite, a 28-speaker sound system, and a touchscreen infotainment system. There are also other options that come with the more expensive trims, and they will make the interior of the Aviator even more luxurious.

The Hybrid Aviator starts at about $70,000 and the most luxurious trim will set you back over $93,000. This price point makes the Hybrid Aviator about as expensive as its competitors.

However, because it’s a hybrid, owners of the Hybrid Aviator will be able to take advantage of federal tax credits that’ll reduce its price. Furthermore, the fuel cost savings that you’ll get from driving the Hybrid Aviator will make it a more affordable luxury SUV to own and drive overall.