New Car Review of the 2005 Lincoln Aviator Mid-Size Near-Luxury Sport Utility Vehicle
Description: Mid-Size Near-Luxury Sport Utility Vehicle
Base MSRP Range: $40,615 - $43,565
Invoice Price Range: $37,253 - $39,908
Where built: USA
Lincoln's second wagon fits in the mid-size SUV class and carries shapely exterior body panels and a forceful prow that mimics the styling of Navigator. It presents a new prow design this year with Lincoln's signature chrome grille and large quad-beam headlamps.
In the cabin, Aviator brings three rows of seats and a choice on the second row of either a bench divided 40/20/40 or twin buckets.
Power comes from a 4.6-liter aluminum V8 with 302-hp. To convert that power into force at the wheels, there's a 5-speed automatic transmission with high stall-speed torque converter.
Curtain-style side air bags are in place and will deploy if sensors detect rollover movement of the vehicle. Aviator's optional AWD Control Trac system also relates to safety, as the device automatically monitors tire traction and selectively channels the engine torque to front and rear wheels in varying proportions to maintain a steady grip on slick roads. The AdvanceTrac skid controller with RSC is standard on all 2005 issues.
Revamped trim designations focus on the Luxury series with packages of optional gear -- the AWD Elite Package, 4x2 Elite Package, Luxury Enhancement Moonroof Package and Luxury Enhancement RSES Package.
