Panavision: The 2026 Lincoln Nautilus AWD Reserve III Hybrid

So, about that headline...

As far back as the 1930s, filmmakers were experimenting with ways of filling a big screen. The payoff came in the early 1950s, and by far the leader was a system called Panavision, which still exists today.

What does that have to do with the 2026 Lincoln Nautilus?

That is the 48-inch panoramic instrument display for the Nautilus. It is standard on every trim level. There is no analog or scaled-down version.

The sections, apart from the instrumentation that needs to be in front of the driver, are configurable and movable. Want the clock (far right) closer to the driver and the map (mid-left) in front of the passenger? No problem.

It's impressive, it's gorgeous, but if it all starts to feel a bit much (and it can), you can take the three far right panels (compass, music, clock above) to black, and there's also a "calm" button that blacks out everything except the driver instrumentation.

I'm more at peace with it than I was when I reviewed a virtually identical 2025 model for the Los Altos Town Crier and losaltosonline a year ago, but I still have reservations. Deep down, I think it's overkill.

Beyond that, the Nautilus is what you'd expect of a two-row luxury midsize SUV. It's smooth, quiet and comfortable. In fact, its smoothness is a bit of a throwback to American luxury cars of the 70s and 80s---before Euro-style athleticism entered the chat. It feels good until you start to attack a winding road and realize you've got a capable, but unenthusiastic, dance partner.

Where Lincoln departs from the typical formula for the class is that it can be had with a gasoline engine or a gasoline/electric hybrid (the Lexus RX Hybrid is its only real head-to-head competitor).

Our test vehicle had the hybrid. It's a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder mated to an electric motor, with a total system output of 310 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. The transmission is a continuously variable unit.

The EPA fuel economy estimate is 29 mpg city/31 mpg highway, which is a significant improvement over the 250-horsepower gasoline version's 21 city/29 highway.

Cargo space is ample at 35.2 cubic feet behind the second row, 68.8 cubic feet with the rear seats folded.

And rear seat legroom is generous, with 43.1 inches to stretch out.

The base price of the 2026 Lincoln Nautilus AWD Reserve III is $63,180---$64,775 with destination. Choosing the hybrid adds $2,500, so that becomes $67,275. That money buys a hefty list of standard equipment (see the window sticker at the end of the review).

The optional equipment on this vehicle consisted of Equipment Group 203A (auto air refreshing with digital scent, a hands-free power liftgate, a panoramic vista roof with power sunshade, "Perfect Position" 24-way massaging front seats, rear heated seats with switch contol, a tremendous 28-speaker Revel Ultima 3D audio system, a 110-volt power converter and a four-year Lincoln Connectivity plan) for $4,455, the Gray Matter Metallic paint job for $750, and a four-year subscription to SiriusXM with 360L for $400.

All told, the as-tested price came to $72,880.

Look, it's nice---but I have to be honest. I have never found the "perfect position" in the Lincoln 24-way seats in any of their vehicles. I've referred to them in private as "every which way but comfortable", and now I've done it in public. Your comfort may vary. We're all different.

And the screen? At a moment when the world seems to be yelling "more buttons, fewer screens", this seems like the wrong direction to be taking. There's a real huge risk that the 48-inch panoramic screen display doesn't age well---ends up dating the Nautilus badly at trade-in time.

All of that makes the Nautilus not a bad vehicle---just one that I can't recommend.

2026 Lincoln Nautilus AWD Reserve III Hybrid at a glance

Price: $63,180 base/$72,880 as tested

Engine: 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder hybrid

Horsepower: 310

Torque: 295 lb-ft.

Transmission: Continuously variable (CVT)

Curb Weight: 4,865 lbs.

0-60 Acceleration (manufacturer data): N/A

EPA Fuel Economy Estimate: 29 mpg city/31 mpg highway

Fuel tank capacity: 20 gallons

EPA Range Estimate: 600 miles

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