VEHICLE BUYER'S GUIDE
Lincoln Nautilus2019–2026
Year-by-year buyer intelligence from NHTSA safety data — reliability, value, and which years to target or avoid.
Best Years to Buy a Lincoln Nautilus
Buyer Score combines reliability (65%) and depreciation value (35%) — higher is better.
Lincoln Nautilus Years to Avoid
5 recalls · 76 complaints
Top issue: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
4 recalls · 27 complaints
1 reported injury
Top issue: POWER TRAIN
4 recalls · 27 complaints
1 reported injury
Top issue: SERVICE BRAKES
Federal Defect Investigations
NHTSA investigations are the stage that precedes a recall. 1 past investigation into the Nautilus became recall.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Data current as of October 28, 2026.
Lincoln Nautilus — Year-by-Year Comparison
Every model year ranked by Buyer Score. Click any year for its detailed problem report.
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | Injuries | Deaths | Reliability | Value | Buyer Score | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 | 10 | — | — | 68 | 36 | 57 | Good |
| 2025 | 4 | 27 | 1 | — | 53 | 51 | 52 | Caution |
| 2024 | 6 | 12 | 1 | — | 59 | 64 | 61 | Caution |
| 2023 | 1 | 8 | — | — | 68 | 74 | 70 | Good |
| 2022 | 1 | 12 | — | — | 68 | 81 | 73 | Good |
| 2021 | 1 | 14 | — | — | 68 | 84 | 74 | Good |
| 2020 | 4 | 27 | 1 | — | 53 | 83 | 64 | Caution |
| 2019 | 5 | 76 | — | — | 43 | 79 | 56 | Avoid |
Buyer Score = Reliability (65%) + Value window (35%). Deaths and injuries sourced from NHTSA complaint filings. Year links open full NHTSA problem reports.
Known Lincoln Nautilus 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 Nautilus compares — best year within each era shown.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best year Nautilus to buy?+
The 2021 Lincoln Nautilus scores highest on our Buyer Score (74/100) — combining a reliability score of 68/100 with a value score of 84/100. It has 1 recall and 14 NHTSA complaints on record.
Which Nautilus years have the most problems?+
The 2019, 2020, 2025 model years have the highest problem scores in our analysis. The 2019 Nautilus leads with 5 recalls and 76 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 Nautilus problems?+
The most frequently reported Lincoln Nautilus issues involve: POWER TRAIN, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, ENGINE. 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.