The Lincoln Nautilus continues to establish itself as a compelling option in the luxury SUV segment, offering a perfect blend of sophisticated design, cutting-edge technology, and impressive performance capabilities. One of the most notable aspects of the Nautilus lineup is its varied powertrain options, delivering different horsepower ratings across its trim levels to meet diverse driving preferences and needs.

Premiere Trim: Balanced Power and Efficiency

The entry-level Premiere trim of the Lincoln Nautilus comes equipped with a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine that produces an impressive 250 horsepower and 280 Nm of torque. This powertrain has an eight-speed automatic transmission that delivers smooth, responsive shifts in various driving conditions.

The standard all-wheel-drive system ensures optimal traction and stability, particularly valuable during challenging weather conditions. Despite its focus on luxury, the Premiere trim’s powertrain provides spirited acceleration, reaching 100 km/h with confidence and ease.

This balanced approach to performance makes the Premiere trim an excellent choice for drivers seeking a luxury SUV that offers responsive power delivery without sacrificing efficiency. The turbocharged engine delivers power across a broad RPM range, ensuring the Nautilus feels nimble and responsive in urban environments while maintaining composed cruising capabilities on longer journeys.

Reserve Trim: Enhanced Performance Options

The Reserve trim maintains the same base powertrain specifications as the Premiere, featuring the 2.0-litre turbocharged engine with 250 horsepower. However, it offers a more refined driving experience through enhanced suspension tuning and additional comfort features that complement the engine’s capabilities.

The Reserve trim’s powertrain benefits from additional driving modes that allow drivers to customize performance characteristics to suit their preferences and driving conditions. These selectable modes adjust throttle response, transmission shift points, and steering feel to deliver either a more engaging driving experience or enhanced comfort, depending on the selected setting.

Hybrid Powertrain: Performance with Efficiency

The Nautilus lineup includes a sophisticated hybrid powertrain option that significantly elevates both performance and efficiency. This hybrid system combines the 2.0-litre turbocharged engine with a 100kW electric motor and a continuously variable transmission (CVT) featuring power-split electric drive technology.

The result is an impressive system output of 310 horsepower and 295 Nm of torque, representing the highest power figures in the Nautilus lineup. This 60-horsepower advantage over the standard engine transforms the driving character of the Nautilus, providing more immediate acceleration and enhanced passing power at highway speeds.

Unlike plug-in hybrid systems that require external charging, the Nautilus hybrid features a self-charging system that recovers energy during deceleration and braking. This energy is stored in the battery and later deployed to supplement the gasoline engine during acceleration or to power the vehicle entirely during low-speed operation, significantly improving fuel efficiency, particularly in urban driving conditions.

Performance Technology Integration

Across all trims, the Nautilus features sophisticated technology that enhances its horsepower delivery and overall performance characteristics. The intelligent all-wheel-drive system continuously monitors driving conditions and adjusts power distribution between the front and rear wheels to optimize traction and stability.

Advanced torque vectoring capabilities further enhance the handling dynamics by directing power to specific wheels during cornering, helping the Nautilus maintain composed, confident handling despite its substantial size and luxury appointments.

The adaptive suspension system, available on higher trim levels, continuously adjusts damping rates in response to road conditions and driving inputs, ensuring that the Nautilus substantial horsepower is delivered to the ground effectively without compromising ride comfort.

Real-World Performance Implications

The horsepower differences between trims translate to tangible performance variations in everyday driving. The hybrid model’s additional 60 horsepower provides noticeably quicker acceleration, particularly from a standstill and during passing maneuvers at highway speeds. This enhanced performance comes without sacrificing fuel efficiency, making it an attractive option for drivers who desire both power and reasonable operating costs.

The base 250-horsepower engine found in the Premiere and Reserve trims still provides more than adequate performance for most driving scenarios, with linear power delivery that makes the Nautilus feel responsive and capable in various driving conditions.

—

5 Facts About the 2025 Lincoln Nautilus Powertrains

• Torque Optimization: The hybrid powertrain’s peak torque is available almost instantaneously, which engineers have calibrated specifically to enhance the feeling of effortless acceleration typical of luxury vehicles.

• Cooling System Design: The Nautilus features an advanced cooling system with separate circuits for the engine and transmission, allowing the powertrain to maintain optimal operating temperatures even during demanding driving conditions.

• Aluminum Engine Block: Both the standard and hybrid engines utilize lightweight aluminum blocks that reduce overall vehicle weight, improving both performance and efficiency while maintaining structural integrity.

• Harmonized Sound Engineering: Lincoln engineers spent over 1,000 hours fine-tuning the engine sound across all trim levels, using acoustic glass and active noise cancellation to ensure the cabin remains serene regardless of how much horsepower is being deployed.

• Engine Auto Stop-Start Evolution: The 2025 Nautilus features a next-generation auto stop-start system that operates more seamlessly than previous iterations, with specialized programming that maintains climate control and other systems even when the engine temporarily shuts off at stops.

5 Top Best Features of the 2025 Lincoln Nautilus

• 13.2-inch Touchscreen: The intuitive infotainment system keeps you connected and entertained, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration for seamless smartphone connectivity.

• Lincoln Co-Pilot360: Comprehensive driver assistance features, including adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist, provide confidence and reduced fatigue during both daily commutes and longer journeys.

• All-Wheel Drive: Standard across all trims, the intelligent AWD system continuously adjusts to provide optimal traction in varying road conditions.

• Panoramic Vista Roof: Available on higher trims, this feature bathes the cabin in natural light, creating a more open and spacious feeling interior environment.

• Active Park Assist 2.0: Available on the Reserve trim, this system makes parking effortless by handling steering, shifting, braking, and acceleration during parking maneuvers.

—

Questions & Answers About the 2025 Lincoln Nautilus

What is the horsepower rating of the base Lincoln Nautilus?

• The Premiere trim features a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine that produces 250 horsepower.

Does the Nautilus Reserve trim offer more horsepower than the Premiere?

• The Reserve trim comes standard with the same 250 horsepower 2.0-litre turbocharged engine as the Premiere, though it offers a more refined driving experience through enhanced suspension tuning.

What is the most powerful engine option available in the Nautilus lineup?

• The hybrid powertrain is the most powerful option, delivering a combined system output of 310 horsepower.

Does the hybrid Nautilus require plugging in to charge?

• No, the hybrid features a self-charging system that recovers energy during braking and deceleration, eliminating the need for plug-in charging.

How much additional torque does the hybrid powertrain provide compared to the standard engine?

• The hybrid powertrain delivers 295 Nm of torque, which is 15 Nm more than the standard engine’s 280 Nm.

Do all Nautilus trims come with all-wheel drive?

• Yes, all-wheel drive is standard across all trims, enhancing traction and stability in various driving conditions.

What type of transmission comes with the hybrid powertrain?

• The hybrid powertrain utilizes a continuously variable transmission (CVT) with power-split electric drive technology.

Does the Nautilus feature different driving modes that affect engine performance?

• Yes, higher trims offer selectable driving modes that adjust throttle response, transmission shift points, and steering feel to customize the driving experience.

How does the horsepower of the Nautilus compare to previous model years?

• It maintains similar base horsepower to recent models, but the hybrid option represents an increase in available power compared to previous years.

Can the hybrid powertrain operate on electric power alone?

• Yes, at low speeds and under light acceleration, the hybrid system can power the Nautilus using only the electric motor for short distances, improving fuel efficiency, particularly in urban driving environments.