Wondering what everyone thinks since it seems cheaper to lease the Lincoln than the Ford. My lease on the 22 ST is up in March, so I’m debating what to do. Anyone here made a similar decision?
Drive both and see which one feels better? Personally, I’d go with the Lincoln if it’s cheaper—love the extra features it has.
My wife moved from a 2020 ST to a 2025 Aviator Reserve II and absolutely loves it. She wanted something newer but didn’t vibe with the new ST interior. The Aviator felt like a solid upgrade while keeping that Explorer vibe. I know Lincoln has this ‘old person car’ image, but we’re 36 and think it’s awesome.
@Avery
What’s wrong with the new Explorer’s interior? Also, that Aviator is amazing—wish it had a flat-bottom steering wheel, though!
Dai said:
@Avery
What’s wrong with the new Explorer’s interior? Also, that Aviator is amazing—wish it had a flat-bottom steering wheel, though!
The new ST interior just feels off. My wife hated the bright red stitching in the 2025 model. Her 2020 ST had this perfect mix of sporty and classy, with light-colored stitching that looked great. Also, the older model had real leather everywhere, while the 2025 has some weird material that just looks… sweaty.
The Aviator, on the other hand, feels way more premium. Plus, the jet appearance package in Reserve II gives it that edgy vibe like the ST, but better. And with the dynamic handling package (air suspension), it’s like driving on butter.
The drive is incredible too. I took it through tight mountain turns, and it handled better than the 2020 ST—and even my 2018 Model S. Just an all-around win for us.
The base Aviator isn’t as well-equipped as the ST. By the time you add packages to the Lincoln to match the ST’s features, it ends up costing more. When I was shopping, the Reserve trim seemed like the best deal—around $10k more than the ST, but it came with way better materials and tech. This was in late 2023, though, so prices or incentives might have changed.
We had the same debate. My spouse thought the Lincoln felt like an older person’s car, while the ST seemed sportier, so we went with the ST.
I compared both and went with the ST because it just felt sportier. I’m 45, and I’m not ready to feel old yet, lol. But honestly, I’ll probably switch to the Aviator next time—it’s growing on me.
Neither brand is perfect, but Ford seems to have fewer complaints and warranty issues compared to Lincoln. Just something to consider.
The ST has a 4-wheel drive option, while the Aviator is only all-wheel drive. I recently got a 2024 Explorer ST because I needed 4WD for driving on Florida beaches.