VEHICLE BUYER'S GUIDE
Lincoln Aviator2020–2026
Year-by-year buyer intelligence from NHTSA safety data — reliability, value, and which years to target or avoid.
Best Years to Buy a Lincoln Aviator
Buyer Score combines reliability (65%) and depreciation value (35%) — higher is better.
Lincoln Aviator Years to Avoid
27 recalls · 92 complaints
Top issue: UNKNOWN OR OTHER
25 recalls · 30 complaints
2 reported injuries
Top issue: BACK OVER PREVENTION
19 recalls · 37 complaints
2 reported injuries
Top issue: STRUCTURE
Lincoln Aviator — Year-by-Year Comparison
Every model year ranked by Buyer Score. Click any year for its detailed problem report.
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | Injuries | Reliability | Value | Buyer Score | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2 | 0 | — | 90 | 30 | 69 | Excellent |
| 2025 | 11 | 8 | — | 37 | 42 | 39 | Good |
| 2024 | 6 | 5 | — | 65 | 58 | 63 | Good |
| 2023 | 14 | 17 | — | 13 | 72 | 34 | Good |
| 2022 | 19 | 37 | 2 | 0 | 82 | 29 | Caution |
| 2021 | 25 | 30 | 2 | 0 | 88 | 31 | Caution |
| 2020 | 27 | 92 | — | 0 | 84 | 29 | Avoid |
Buyer Score = Reliability (65%) + Value window (35%). Year links open full NHTSA problem reports.
Known Lincoln Aviator Problems
Most frequently reported components across all model years, from NHTSA owner complaints.
Complaint counts across all model years. Numbers indicate frequency, not severity.
Shopping by Era
How each generation of the Aviator compares — best year within each era shown.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best year Aviator to buy?+
The 2026 Lincoln Aviator scores highest on our Buyer Score (69/100) — combining a reliability score of 90/100 with a value score of 30/100. It has 2 recalls and 0 NHTSA complaints on record.
Which Aviator years have the most problems?+
The 2020, 2021, 2022 model years have the highest problem scores in our analysis. The 2020 Aviator leads with 27 recalls and 92 owner complaints.
What is the Buyer Score?+
The Buyer Score is a composite metric that combines reliability (65% weight) and depreciation value (35% weight). Reliability reflects recall and complaint severity. Value reflects how much of the vehicle's depreciation has already been absorbed by prior owners — a 4–6 year old vehicle typically sits in the sweet spot.
What are the most common Aviator problems?+
The most frequently reported Lincoln Aviator issues involve: UNKNOWN OR OTHER, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, BACK OVER PREVENTION, STRUCTURE. These are aggregated across all model years from NHTSA owner complaint filings. Frequency of complaints does not necessarily indicate severity.
Deep-Dive Research
A buyer's guide shows model-level risk. A VIN report shows the individual vehicle — accidents, odometer history, open recalls, and auction records.