Lincoln Nautilus Black Label (2025) vs Genesis GV80 3.5T (2025): Luxury SUV Review
Two luxury SUVs pull up to the same valet stand, and they could not be more different in how they earn their keep. The 2025 Lincoln Nautilus Black Label arrives as the reigning MotorTrend SUV of the Year, a quiet American flagship that bets everything on serenity: a 48-inch panoramic display, massaging 24-way seats, and a hybrid that returns 30 mpg combined. The 2025 Genesis GV80 3.5T answers with muscle, a 375-horsepower twin-turbo V6, 6,000 pounds of towing, and a redesigned cabin built around a 27-inch OLED screen.
Both wear price tags in the high seventies. The Nautilus Black Label starts at $77,130 before destination, or $78,725 with the $1,595 delivery charge included. The GV80 3.5T splits the difference: the seven-seat 3.5T Advanced lands at $75,795 including destination, while the five-seat 3.5T Prestige climbs to $81,295. You are choosing between two definitions of luxury.
Our early verdict: if the daily drive matters most, the Nautilus Black Label is the one we would take home. It is quieter, thriftier, and its cabin feels designed by people who actually sit in traffic. If you tow, or you simply want the stronger engine, the GV80 3.5T wins that argument by a wide margin.
Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
| Performance | Genesis GV80 3.5T | 375 hp vs 250 hp gas (310 hp hybrid); 5.7-second 0–60 run |
| Comfort | Lincoln Nautilus Black Label | 24-way massaging seats, quieter cabin, Lincoln Rejuvenate |
| Fuel economy | Lincoln Nautilus Black Label | 30 mpg combined hybrid vs 19 mpg for the GV80 3.5T |
| Towing | Genesis GV80 3.5T | 6,000 lbs vs 1,750 lbs — not close |
| Technology | Lincoln Nautilus Black Label | 48-inch panoramic display edges the GV80’s 27-inch OLED |
| Value | Genesis GV80 3.5T Advanced | Seven seats and V6 power for $75,795 — under the Black Label |
| Best for families | Genesis GV80 3.5T Advanced | The only seven-seater here, with far more max cargo room |
At a Glance
| Specification | 2025 Lincoln Nautilus Black Label | 2025 Genesis GV80 3.5T |
| Engine | 2.0L turbo I-4 (hybrid available) | 3.5L twin-turbo V6 |
| Power | 250 hp (310 hp hybrid) | 375 hp |
| Torque | 275 lb-ft (295 lb-ft hybrid) | 391 lb-ft |
| Transmission | 8-speed automatic / eCVT (hybrid) | 8-speed automatic |
| Drivetrain | AWD standard | AWD standard |
| Fuel economy | 24 mpg combined (30 mpg hybrid) | 19 mpg combined |
| 0–60 mph | ~7.3 sec gas (6.6–7.2 sec hybrid) | 5.7 sec |
| Towing | 1,750 lbs | 6,000 lbs |
| Cargo (behind 2nd row / max) | 35.2 / 68.8 cu ft | 34.9 / 84.0 cu ft |
| Seating | 5 | 5 (Prestige) / 7 (Advanced) |
| Starting price | $78,725 incl. destination | $75,795 (Advanced) / $81,295 (Prestige) incl. destination |
Design & Exterior
The Nautilus Black Label does not shout. Its face is a wide, illuminated Lincoln Star grille flanked by slim LED lighting, and the whole SUV carries a long, low stance that reads more wagon than truck. Twenty-two-inch wheels come standard, and the illuminated liftgate lettering and Lincoln Star glow quietly after dark. New for 2025, Whisper Blue paint joins the palette. At 193.2 inches long, it is the slightly smaller of the two, and it uses that size well: the proportions are calm and nothing about it tries to look faster than it is.
The GV80 3.5T is the more dramatic machine. Genesis gave the 2025 model a mid-cycle refresh, and the big shield grille, quad-lamp signature, and coupe-like roofline still turn heads. The 3.5T Advanced rides on 20-inch wheels; the Prestige steps up to 22s. At 194.5 inches long, the Genesis is a touch longer than the Lincoln, and its 8.1 inches of ground clearance beat the Nautilus’s 7.9. Where the Lincoln whispers, the Genesis speaks in a confident baritone. Parked side by side, the difference is obvious: the Nautilus wants to be admired quietly, the GV80 wants to be noticed.
Both SUVs look expensive in the way their owners will want, and neither looks like a badge-engineered mainstream SUV. We will call design a draw and let the interiors decide it.
Interior, Comfort & Technology
This is where the Nautilus Black Label earns its price. The headline is the 48-inch panoramic display that stretches across the entire dashboard, paired with an 11.1-inch touchscreen running the Lincoln Digital Experience with Google built in. It is the most screen real estate in the class, and Lincoln uses it well: the driver’s information sits at eye level and the map fills the middle. The 24-way Perfect Position front seats — with Active Motion massage — are the best seats in either SUV, and the Black Label’s Chalet and Redwood themes wrap them in leathers and woods that feel genuinely curated. A 28-speaker Revel Ultima 3D audio system is standard, and Lincoln Rejuvenate, which debuts for 2025, turns the parked SUV into a spa: the seats recline, the cabin fills with scent and ambient light, and the screens show a calming scene.
The GV80 3.5T counters with the best screen of its own: a new-for-2025 27-inch OLED display that merges the cluster and infotainment into one sweeping panel. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, and the Prestige trim adds quilted Nappa leather, an Ergo Motion massaging driver seat, a head-up display, and a panoramic sunroof. The Bang & Olufsen 18-speaker system — new for 2025, replacing the old Lexicon setup — sounds superb. The Genesis cabin is handsome and beautifully assembled, with real metal and open-pore wood, but it cannot match the Lincoln’s sense of occasion. The Nautilus feels like a private lounge; the GV80 feels like a very nice car.
Room tells a different story. Behind the second row the two are effectively tied, 35.2 cubic feet for the Lincoln against 34.9 for the Genesis. Fold everything flat and the Genesis pulls away: 84.0 cubic feet against 68.8. The 3.5T Advanced is also the only seven-seater in this comparison, with a power-folding third row that shrinks cargo behind it to 11.6 cubic feet but gives a family the option the Lincoln simply does not offer. The Nautilus is a five-seater, full stop.
Performance & Driving Feel
The numbers are not close, and neither is the driving experience. The GV80 3.5T’s twin-turbo V6 makes 375 horsepower and 391 lb-ft of torque, and it reaches 60 mph in 5.7 seconds in Car and Driver testing. Peak torque arrives at just 1,300 rpm, and the eight-speed automatic shifts cleanly. The Genesis feels fast in the way a luxury SUV should: effortless and always holding something in reserve.
The Nautilus takes the other road. Its 2.0-liter turbo four makes 250 horsepower and 275 lb-ft, good for a roughly 7.3-second run to 60. That is adequate, not exciting. The hybrid changes the math: the same 2.0-liter plus an electric motor produces 310 horsepower and 295 lb-ft combined, cuts the 0–60 sprint to between 6.6 and 7.2 seconds, and fills in the low-end torque the gas engine lacks. Around town, the hybrid is the better Nautilus.
On the road, the Lincoln’s adaptive suspension and its focus on isolation win the comfort argument. The Nautilus floats over broken Ohio pavement in a way the Genesis, for all its competence, does not quite match. The GV80 rides well and handles with more composure when the road turns. Neither SUV pretends to be a sports car. The Genesis is the quicker, more engaging drive; the Lincoln is the calmer, more relaxing one. Your commute decides which of those matters.
Fuel Economy
The hybrid Nautilus is the efficiency story of this comparison. At 30 mpg city, 31 highway, and 30 combined, the Black Label Hybrid uses roughly a third less fuel than the GV80 3.5T, which is EPA-rated at 16 city, 22 highway, and 19 combined on premium fuel. Over 15,000 miles a year, that is roughly 500 gallons against 790. Even the gas-only Nautilus, at 24 mpg combined, beats the Genesis by five miles per gallon.
The Genesis asks for premium and drinks it quickly. A 375-horsepower twin-turbo V6 in a 5,100-pound SUV is never going to sip fuel, and Genesis offers no hybrid GV80. If fuel costs matter to you — and at these prices they probably should, at least a little — the Nautilus, especially the hybrid, is the rational choice.
Safety & Driver Assistance
The Nautilus arrives with the stronger safety résumé. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration awards it five stars overall, and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety named it a Top Safety Pick+ in March 2025. BlueCruise, Ford’s hands-free highway driving system, comes standard on the Black Label with a four-year subscription included — a new-for-2025 change that removes the old pay-to-play annoyance.
The GV80 3.5T counters with Highway Driving Assist 2, Genesis’s own hands-on highway system, plus a surround-view camera and the usual roster of blind-spot, lane-keeping, and automatic-braking features. The catch is the ratings: the 2025 GV80 has not been rated by NHTSA or IIHS, so buyers cannot lean on an official crash-test score the way they can with the Lincoln. That is not evidence the Genesis is unsafe, but it is a real gap in the paperwork. On verified safety credentials, the Nautilus wins this round.
Pricing, Trims & Value
Line the three price tags up and the picture is tighter than the spec sheets suggest. The Nautilus Black Label costs $78,725 including destination. The GV80 3.5T Advanced undercuts it at $75,795 including destination — and adds a third row — while the 3.5T Prestige tops the group at $81,295. The Lincoln’s price includes its Black Label membership: four years or 50,000 miles of complimentary maintenance, detailing, a loaner car, and concierge service — a white-glove package Genesis does not match.
Resale is the open question. Neither SUV is a depreciation disaster, and neither is an investment. The 2025 refresh keeps the GV80 current, and the Nautilus’s MotorTrend trophy will not hurt its resale. Buy the one you want to live with; the math is close enough that it should not decide the purchase.
One honest note on the Lincoln: the Nautilus is built in China. Some buyers will care and some will not; the build quality is excellent either way.
Pros and Cons
2025 Lincoln Nautilus Black Label
Pros: Best-in-class cabin serenity; 48-inch panoramic display; 24-way massaging seats; hybrid returns 30 mpg combined; NHTSA five stars and IIHS Top Safety Pick+; BlueCruise standard with four-year subscription; Black Label membership perks; MotorTrend SUV of the Year.
Cons: Gas engine is merely adequate at 250 hp; weak 1,750-pound towing; five seats only; 68.8 cubic feet of max cargo trails the Genesis badly; built in China may bother some buyers.
2025 Genesis GV80 3.5T
Pros: Strong 375-hp twin-turbo V6; 5.7-second 0–60; 6,000-pound towing; 84.0 cubic feet of max cargo; seven seats available on the Advanced; new 27-inch OLED display; Bang & Olufsen audio; 3.5T Advanced undercuts the Black Label on price.
Cons: Thirsty at 19 mpg combined on premium fuel; no NHTSA or IIHS rating for 2025; Prestige trim costs more than the Black Label; cabin is beautiful but less serene than the Lincoln’s; no hybrid option.
Who Should Buy Which?
Buy the Lincoln Nautilus Black Label if your daily drive is mostly commuting and highway miles around Columbus or Cleveland, and you want the calmest cabin in the class with the lowest fuel bill. The hybrid is the version to get: quicker, quieter in town, and returning 30 mpg.
Buy the Genesis GV80 3.5T if you tow a boat to Lake Erie, need a third row even occasionally, or simply want the stronger engine. The 3.5T Advanced is the value pick of this pair: seven seats, V6 power, and a lower price than the Black Label.
Final Verdict
These two SUVs answer the same question with opposite philosophies, and both answers are good. The Genesis GV80 3.5T is the more capable machine: faster, stronger, roomier, and able to tow a real trailer. The Lincoln Nautilus Black Label is the more luxurious place to spend time: quieter, more comfortable, and more efficient.
If we had to pick one for an Ohio driveway, the one we would take home is the Nautilus Black Label Hybrid. The GV80 wins the spec sheet, but the Lincoln wins the daily experience — and the daily experience is what you actually live with. The hybrid’s 30 mpg, the massaging seats, and the silence at highway speed add up to a luxury SUV designed around its owner rather than its brochure.
That said, the GV80 3.5T Advanced deserves a long look from anyone who tows or needs seven seats — at $75,795, it is the most capability per dollar in this comparison. Drive both and let your own priorities decide. Either way, you are buying one of the best luxury SUVs of 2025.
Which one would you choose — the serene Lincoln or the muscular Genesis? Tell us in the comments — and tell us what you tow. It changes the answer more than any spec sheet will.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the 2025 Lincoln Nautilus Black Label available as a hybrid?
Yes. The Black Label can be ordered with the hybrid powertrain — 310 horsepower combined and 30 mpg combined — for roughly $2,000 more than the gas-only version.
How much can the 2025 Genesis GV80 3.5T tow?
Up to 6,000 pounds when properly equipped, against just 1,750 pounds for the Nautilus — a clear Genesis advantage.
Does the 2025 Genesis GV80 3.5T have a third row?
Only on the 3.5T Advanced trim, which seats seven with a power-folding third row. The 3.5T Prestige is a five-seater, and the Nautilus Black Label is a five-seater in every configuration.
Which SUV is more fuel efficient, the Nautilus Black Label or the GV80 3.5T?
The Nautilus, by a wide margin: the Black Label Hybrid returns 30 mpg combined (24 mpg gas-only), while the GV80 3.5T manages 19 mpg combined on premium fuel.
Is the 2025 Genesis GV80 crash tested?
The 2025 GV80 has not been rated by NHTSA or IIHS, while the 2025 Nautilus carries a five-star NHTSA overall rating and an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award from March 2025.
By Stefany Aurora, ABBOhio Editorial. Specifications are US-market figures verified against manufacturer and independent sources; prices are MSRP plus destination unless noted.
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