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Lincoln Nautilus vs Volvo XC90

2026 Lincoln Nautilus vs 2026 Volvo XC90 — two rivals compared on efficiency, size, safety and reliability.

Lincoln Nautilus

2026 Lincoln Nautilus

Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WDAWD/4WDHybrid/EV
VS3 – 2Lincoln Nautilus wins 3 of 5 categories
Volvo XC90

2026 Volvo XC90

Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WDAWD/4WDHybrid/EV

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The short version

The Lincoln Nautilus is more fuel-efficient: 30 vs 27 MPG combined in its best version.

That works out to about $800 a year less in fuel for the Lincoln Nautilus (EPA estimate, 15,000 miles).

The Volvo XC90 is the bigger car, about 2 inches longer.

Across all model years since 2005, the Lincoln Nautilus has had fewer recall campaigns (26 vs 28).

The two cars

The 2026 Lincoln Nautilus is a small SUV offered with a 2.0L 4-cyl turbo engine, including a hybrid version and part-time 4-wheel drive and all-wheel drive. It measures about 193 inches long and 80 inches wide on a 114-inch wheelbase, with a curb weight of roughly 4,350 lb (4dr SUV).

The 2026 Volvo XC90 is a standard SUV offered with a 2.0L 4-cyl turbo engine, including a hybrid version and all-wheel drive. It measures about 196 inches long and 79 inches wide on a 117-inch wheelbase, with a curb weight of roughly 4,449 lb (4dr SUV).

Buying used? The 2022 Nautilus and the 2018 XC90 have the fewest problems in our data; avoid the 2019 Nautilus and the 2016 XC90.

Basics

Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
Class
Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
Hybrid, Regular Gasoline
Fuel
Plug-in Hybrid, Hybrid
2.0L 4-cyl turbo
Engines
2.0L 4-cyl turbo
Part-time 4-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive
Drivetrain
All-Wheel Drive

Efficiency

30 MPG
Best combined MPG
27 MPG
29 city
City / highway MPG (best)
26 city
$2,250
Fuel cost per year (EPA)
$3,050

Performance & space

–
Horsepower (most powerful)
455 hp
–
Seats (most)
7
193.3 in
Length
195.7 in
79.9 in
Width
79.1 in
68.1 in
Height
70.1 in
4,350 lb
Curb weight (lightest)
4,449 lb

Safety & reliability

13
Driver-assist features standard
13
3
Recalls (2026)
1
26
Recalls, all years since 2005
28
12
Owner complaints (latest year)
8

Interest

5,131
Wikipedia views, 30 days
17,920

Buying used

2022
Best used year
2018
2019
Year to avoid
2016

Green = clearly better. Prices are not included. How we calculate this →

Which one should you choose?

Choose the Lincoln Nautilus if…

  • You want lower fuel bills (30 vs 27 MPG)

Choose the Volvo XC90 if…

It doesn't clearly beat the Lincoln Nautilus on any measure we track.

Pros & cons of each

2026 Lincoln Nautilus

  • Excellent fuel economyUp to 30 MPG combined — 16% better than the average 2026 small SUV (25.9 MPG).
  • Hybrid version availableOffered as a hybrid as well as gas.
  • AWD / 4WD available
  • Lots of standard safety tech5 of 5 key driver aids standard on the versions we checked.

2026 Volvo XC90

  • Excellent fuel economyUp to 27 MPG combined — 35% better than the average 2026 standard SUV (20 MPG).
  • Strong performanceUp to 455 hp, versus about 335 hp for similar 2026 models.
  • Hybrid version availableOffered as a hybrid and plug-in hybrid as well as gas.
  • Seats up to 73 rows of seating.
  • Lots of standard safety tech5 of 5 key driver aids standard on the versions we checked.
  • Premium fuel requiredEvery gasoline version is rated for premium, which raises running costs.

Full 2026 Lincoln Nautilus specs →Full 2026 Volvo XC90 specs →Compare fuel costs for your driving →Compare size & garage fit →