For most shoppers the used Lincoln Aviator to buy is a 2023 or newer gas model with the twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6, and the 2020-2023 Grand Touring plug-in hybrid only makes sense if you can prove its battery recall work is done. The Aviator has been sold since the 2020 model year and shares a lot with the Ford Explorer, including a very long list of shared recalls. That list is the main thing standing between you and a good deal, so read it by VIN before you fall for the interior.
Pricing on these swings a lot right now. A 2020 Reserve with high miles and an open recall or two can look like a steal next to a Navigator, and that is exactly the car that needs the most scrutiny. The newer cars are calmer on paper but not spotless, as you will see below.
Gas V6 or Grand Touring PHEV
The regular Aviator uses a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 and a 10-speed automatic, rated at 400 hp in Car and Driver's 2020 Aviator review; C/D's current 2026 page lists 383 hp for the newest trucks, so check the spec for the exact year you are looking at. Rear-wheel drive is standard and all-wheel drive is available, which affects resale in snow states, so confirm the drivetrain on the VIN rather than trusting the listing.
The Grand Touring added a 100-hp electric motor and a 13.6-kWh battery for 494 hp and 630 lb-ft combined. It was quick, 5.0 seconds to 60 mph in Car and Driver's Grand Touring test, but C/D only coaxed about 13 to 15 miles of electric driving out of it and got 23 mpg on its 75-mph highway loop, one worse than the gas truck. C/D also noted occasional driveline thunks when the engine re-engaged. Lincoln dropped the plug-in and the Grand Touring trim for 2024, per C/D's 2024 Aviator page. So every PHEV on the market is a 2020-2023, and that matters for the battery recall.
The recalls, by model year
We pulled the NHTSA recalls API for the Aviator on October 15, 2026. The counts were heavy: 30 campaigns for 2020, 28 for 2021, 21 for 2022, 16 for 2023, 8 for 2024, and 15 for 2025. Many are camera-display campaigns, and several are repeats where cars had been "repaired incorrectly" under an earlier recall, such as 25V159000 following 23V342000. That second detail is the one people miss. A seller saying "the recall was done" may be talking about the first fix, not the one that replaced it.
The ones we would personally not ignore: 23V626000 covers 2020-2022 Aviator and Explorer PHEVs where a high-voltage battery cell defect can cause an internal short and battery failure; the remedy is a Battery Energy Control Module test and a pack replacement as needed. Then 25V349000 covers 2020-2021 Aviator PHEVs that were repaired incorrectly under 23V626. On the gas side, 24V635000 covers 2021-2022 trucks with the 3.0-liter Nano EcoBoost where intake valves can break, and the remedy is an engine test and replacement as necessary. Early trucks also have 20V788000 for loose right-hand motor mount fasteners (2020-2021), 21V154000 for rear lower control arm bolts that may not have been heat-treated (2020), and 20V726000 for steering knuckles on 2021 models.
Two newer campaigns are still worth a call to the dealer. 26V402000 covers 2020-2021 Aviators where the transmission park pawl may engage while moving; NHTSA's remedy notes say interim letters went out July 10, 2026, with more letters once the fix is ready. And 26V159000 covers second-row seat belt anchor bolts on 2020-2026 Explorer and Aviator. Start with the NHTSA recalls feed for a 2021 Aviator, change the year, then follow our Lincoln recall check by VIN steps on the exact truck.
Aviator vs Navigator vs Explorer
The Navigator is the full-size step up, with more room and a bigger price, and our used Lincoln Navigator buying guide covers it. The Aviator is closer to the Explorer than Lincoln's marketing would like, and the shared recall list proves it. If you care more about the hardware than the badge, the used Ford Explorer buying guide is worth a read, because a well-kept Explorer Platinum can be a lot cheaper. C/D calls the Aviator's third row fine only for small children on longer trips, so plan around that.
History report checks and cost
Decode the VIN with NHTSA's vPIC decoder and our Lincoln VIN decoder notes to confirm the year, engine, and drive type, because PHEV and gas trucks look nearly identical in photos. On the history report, look for a battery pack replacement on a PHEV, repeat visits for the same camera fault, and any engine replacement on a 2021-2022 truck, which may be the 24V635000 remedy rather than abuse. Ask for the paperwork either way.
Do not accept a seller's printed report from last year. Pull a fresh one. Through us a CARFAX runs about $5.50 as a guest or about $4.50 as a member, and a CARFAX plus AutoCheck bundle is about $6.75, compared with roughly $39.99 to $44.99 retail as of mid October 2026; confirm at checkout. We are a licensed CARFAX and AutoCheck reseller, not affiliated with CARFAX, AutoCheck, or Experian. See CARFAX's report overview for what is included.
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