2019 Lincoln Nautilus Could Be the Hit This Luxury Brand Needs

Serving as a replacement for the MKX, the debut of the 2019 Lincoln Nautilus in Los Angeles signals Ford’s luxury brand’s move towards a less confusing naming convention for its vehicles.

Retaining its midsize proportions, the Nautilus doesn’t stray too far from the new design direction used in the Continental and Navigator and it now boasts a massive grille that puts it more in line with the rest of the Lincoln lineup. A set of intricate LED headlights with dramatic accenting help to finish this classier look.

ALSO SEE: 2017 LA Auto Show Full Coverage

Engine choices will be limited to two options. Base models will come equipped with 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 245 horsepower. The uplevel engine is a 2.7-liter twin-turbo V6 engine delivering 335 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque. This engine also uses direct injection technology and is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission, which also does duty in the 2.0-liter models. In addition, the transmission features faster heating of the transmission fluid upon startup to enable optimum shifting performance in all driving situations.

The interior also takes several steps forward with the addition of a large customizable 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, 13 or 19-speaker Revel audio sound system, rich-looking leather seats with available 22-way adjustment, and a SYNC 3 infotainment system with standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Ford Trademark Application Suggests a New Model Might Be on the Way

On the safety front, the Nautilus improves on the adaptive cruise control system offered in the MKX by adding a lane-centering feature to the system. Other available features such as active park assist, evasive steer assist, lane-departure warning, Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection and a Blind Spot Information System help make this vehicle competitive in its segment.

Robert Parker, Global Director of Lincoln Marketing Sales and Service, said the introduction of the Nautilus is about making the brand more human and emotional to consumers. This is something that was challenging to the designers initially, but came down to paying attention to the small details.

ALSO SEE: Lincoln MKC Gets a Fresh Face, New Tech for 2019

The Nautilus comes standard with a welcome lighting feature that subtly turns on part of the LED headlight system as the owner approaches the vehicle. At night, there are also Lincoln-branded puddle lights projected from each side mirror. This was an intentional effort by the design team to present a vehicle that always seems to be alive even before it has started up.

Official pricing has not been announced but the car should arrive at dealers nationwide in the spring of 2018.