Lincoln finally built a three-row that earns its luxury badge on merit, not just badge engineering. The 400hp twin-turbo V6 delivers effortless thrust, the cabin stays library-quiet over rough pavement, and those 30-way adjustable seats in higher trims genuinely justify the upgrade. The catch: early 2020-2021 models suffered door misalignments, trim rattles, and minor electrical quirks that required multiple dealer visits. One 2025 owner reported a fuel-tank-float stalling issue when parked on steep inclines with low fuel, odd but seemingly isolated. If you're cross-shopping German rivals, the Aviator delivers comparable refinement at a friendlier price, though it lacks the curbside prestige. Stick with 2023+ model years if possible; those who own them genuinely love the thing.
The 2020+ Mercedes GLE (W167) is a capable, refined luxury SUV that excels in comfort and interior quality but shows clear use-case fragmentation. The GLE 450 with I6 engine receives strong praise for performance and reliability, while the base GLE 350 4-cylinder is consistently criticized as underpowered. Long-term owners of current-generation models report good reliability with routine maintenance, though AMG variants face expensive tire wear. Critical context: 2018-2019 models suffer from timing cover leaks that do not affect current production. The GLE trades some of the X5's sportier dynamics for superior ride comfort and luxury ambiance. Coupe variants are polarizing, loved for looks but questioned for practicality trade-offs.