Compare the2024 Porsche CayenneVS 2024 Lincoln Nautilus

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Cayenne. But it costs extra on the Nautilus.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the Cayenne helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard. The Nautilus doesn’t offer a night vision system.

Both the Cayenne and the Nautilus have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

The Cayenne’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the Nautilus’ (12 vs. 5 years).

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Porsche vehicles are better in initial quality than Lincoln vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Porsche above average in initial quality. With 41 more problems per 100 vehicles, Lincoln is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Porsche vehicles are more reliable than Lincoln vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Porsche above average in long-term dependability. With 30 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Lincoln is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Porsche vehicles are more reliable than Lincoln vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Porsche 15 places higher in reliability than Lincoln.

The Cayenne has more powerful engines than the Nautilus:

Regenerative brakes improve the Cayenne’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Nautilus doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The Cayenne’s standard fuel tank has 3.7 gallons more fuel capacity than the Nautilus (23.7 vs. 20 gallons).

For better stopping power the Cayenne’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Nautilus:

The Cayenne’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Nautilus are solid, not vented.

The Cayenne offers optional heat-treated ceramic brake rotors, which last ten to twenty times as long as conventional cast iron rotors, don’t rust, don’t fade during repeated high speed braking, and their lighter weight contribute to better braking, handling and acceleration. The Nautilus doesn’t offer ceramic brake rotors.

The Cayenne Turbo has standard air brakes, which adjust the spoiler automatically during high-speed braking in order to shorten stopping distances. The Nautilus doesn’t offer air brakes.

For better traction, the Cayenne’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Nautilus (F:285/45R21 & R:315/40R21 vs. 255/60R19).

The Cayenne’s standard 255/55R20 front and 295/45R20 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series front and 45 series rear profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Nautilus’ standard 60 series tires. The Cayenne’s optional 285/40R22 front and 315/35R22 rear tires have a lower 40 series front and 35 series rear profile than the Nautilus’ optional 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Cayenne has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 19-inch wheels are standard on the Nautilus.

The Cayenne offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Nautilus doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The Cayenne offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Lincoln doesn’t offer an active suspension on the Nautilus.

The Cayenne has a standard automatic load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Nautilus doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For greater off-road capability the Cayenne E-Hybrid has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Nautilus (8.1 vs. 7.9 inches), allowing the Cayenne to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid’s minimum ground clearance is 1.6 inches higher than on the Nautilus (9.5 vs. 7.9 inches).

The front grille of the Cayenne uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Nautilus doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Cayenne’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Nautilus’ (7700 vs. 0 pounds).

Standard trailer sway control on the Cayenne uses the Porsche Stability Management sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Nautilus doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The engine in the Cayenne is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Nautilus. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Porsche service is better than Lincoln. J.D. Power ranks Porsche third in service department satisfaction. With a 25% lower rating, Lincoln is ranked 12th.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Nautilus, the Cayenne offers an optional passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position, outside mirror angle and climate settings and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The Cayenne offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Nautilus doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the Cayenne to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Nautilus doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The Cayenne offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Nautilus doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The Cayenne’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Nautilus has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Optional air conditioned front and rear seats keep the Cayenne’s passengers comfortable and take the sting out of hot leather in summer. The Nautilus doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats in the rear.

The Cayenne offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Nautilus.

The Cayenne’s optional Active Parking Assistance can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote ParkAssist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Nautilus’ automatic parking system does not offer parking by remote control.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Porsche Cayenne, based on reliability, safety and performance.