Is the Lexus TX more reliable than the Lincoln Aviator?

Yes, by a large margin. The TX has 7 recalls across three model years and 50 owner complaints. The Aviator has 116 recalls across six model years and 219 complaints. The TX is newer, so part of the gap reflects less time on the road.

Which has more recalls, the TX or the Aviator?

The Aviator has far more. Federal recall records list 116 across its six model years, compared with 7 for the TX across three. Check any specific car's VIN for open recalls, because owners of both report repair parts being unavailable for long stretches.

What is the biggest problem with the Lincoln Aviator?

Electrical faults lead its complaints. The rear backup camera flickers, distorts, or goes blank, and a replacement camera did not fix it in one report. Plug-in hybrid versions can also go dead after short trips, and some engines seized on nearly new cars.

What goes wrong on the Lexus TX?

Air bags draw the most complaints. Owners describe curtain air bag repairs stalled for months with parts unavailable. Other reports cover a power liftgate that closes on people, a shift knob that unscrews, and sunroof glass that shattered on the highway.

Which Aviator model years should I avoid?

Avoid 2020 and 2021, which are the weakest years for the Aviator. The 2024 and 2025 model years are its strongest. If you consider a plug-in hybrid of any year, have the battery and charging system checked first.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Lexus TX vs Lincoln Aviator: Reliability Compared

More Reliable

Lexus TX

Excellent

Lincoln Aviator

Good

Reliability favors the Lexus TX over the Lincoln Aviator by a wide margin. The TX has far fewer recalls and complaints, though it is much newer and has had less time to collect them. Air bag repair delays are its main concern.

How Do the Lexus TX and Lincoln Aviator Generations Compare?

Newness is the main thing to know about the TX. It is in its first generation, called the AU10, so the 2024 through 2026 cars share one basic design. The newest years have had little time to collect complaints, so a clean record there proves less than it would on an older car. The Aviator is in its second generation, called the U611, which began with the 2020 model year. A facelift arrived for 2025. The earliest second-generation years, 2020 and 2021, are its weakest, so a recent or post-facelift car is the safer path.

Verdict

The Lexus TX is more reliable than the Lincoln Aviator, scoring 81/100 vs 64/100.

Reliability favors the Lexus TX by a large margin. Federal recall records show 7 recalls across its three model years, against 116 across six for the Aviator. Owners also filed far fewer complaints about the TX. The TX is new, so some of that gap is less time on the road. Its biggest mark is air bag repair delays, which are serious but narrower than the Aviator's spread of electrical, engine, and drivetrain faults.

Key Differences

1Lexus TX has 109 fewer total recalls
2Lexus TX scores 17 points higher in reliability
3Lexus TX has 15.6 fewer complaints per 10k sold

Category Scoreboard

3Lexus TX

—

0Lincoln Aviator

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateSafety Rating

Lexus TX vs Lincoln Aviator: Which Is More Reliable?

Lexus TX vs Lincoln Aviator at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Lexus TX	Lincoln Aviator
Reliability Score	81/100	64/100
Years Tracked	3	6
Total Recalls	7	116
Complaints per 10k Sold	0.1	15.7
Safety RatingNHTSA overall	2026 NHTSA	2025 NHTSA
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Year Wins	2	0

What Are the Common Problems With the Lexus TX and Lincoln Aviator?

Repeat electrical and drivetrain faults define the Aviator. The rear camera flickers or blanks out, and one replacement camera did not fix it. Plug-in hybrids can go dead after short trips, and some engines seized on nearly new cars. The camera and engine areas each have crash-linked reports. The TX has fewer complaints but some sharper ones. Air bag reports include two injury crashes, and one describes air bags that did not deploy in a side impact. The power liftgate closing on people also has a crash-flagged report.

Lexus TX vs Lincoln Aviator common problem areas comparison
Component	Lexus TX	Lincoln Aviator
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	—None	3.9Average
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	—None	2Low
POWER TRAIN	—None	1.5Low
BACK OVER PREVENTION	—None	1.2Low
STRUCTURE	—None	1.1Low
ENGINE	—None	0.9Very Low
SEATS	—None	0.4Very Low
SERVICE BRAKES	—None	0.4Very Low
FUEL SYSTEM	—None	0.4Very Low
STEERING	—None	0.3Very Low
VISIBILITY/WIPER	—None	0.2Very Low
SUSPENSION	—None	0.2Very Low
AIR BAGS	—None	0.1Very Low
VISIBILITY	—None	0.1Very Low

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

How Does Lexus TX vs Lincoln Aviator Reliability Compare by Year?

Lexus TX vs Lincoln Aviator year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Lexus TX	Lincoln Aviator	Edge
2025	80/1003R / 15C	68/10014R / 13C	Lexus TX
2024	82/1003R / 35C	70/1008R / 5C	Lexus TX

Best years to cross-shop: The 2024 Lexus TX scored 82/100 and the 2024 Lincoln Aviator scored 70/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Lexus TX vs the Lincoln Aviator?

Pick the TX if you want the lower-risk used buy and can accept a newer, pricier vehicle. Aim for 2024, which shows up among its strongest years. Check 2025 and 2026 carefully, since 2025 is among the weakest and 2026 is too new to judge. Before buying any TX, confirm with the dealer that every air bag repair is finished. Owners describe waits of months for parts. Test the power liftgate and its foot sensor too. Pick the Aviator if you want a three-row Lincoln and will shop carefully. Target 2024 or 2025, its strongest years, and avoid 2020 and 2021, its weakest. Skip plug-in hybrids unless you can verify the battery and charging system, because owners report dead cars after short trips and charge port faults. On any Aviator, run the backup camera for several minutes and ask for proof that the recall repairs are done.

Lexus TX vs Lincoln Aviator: Common Questions

Is the Lexus TX more reliable than the Lincoln Aviator?: Yes, by a large margin. The TX has 7 recalls across three model years and 50 owner complaints. The Aviator has 116 recalls across six model years and 219 complaints. The TX is newer, so part of the gap reflects less time on the road.
Which has more recalls, the TX or the Aviator?: The Aviator has far more. Federal recall records list 116 across its six model years, compared with 7 for the TX across three. Check any specific car's VIN for open recalls, because owners of both report repair parts being unavailable for long stretches.
What is the biggest problem with the Lincoln Aviator?: Electrical faults lead its complaints. The rear backup camera flickers, distorts, or goes blank, and a replacement camera did not fix it in one report. Plug-in hybrid versions can also go dead after short trips, and some engines seized on nearly new cars.
What goes wrong on the Lexus TX?: Air bags draw the most complaints. Owners describe curtain air bag repairs stalled for months with parts unavailable. Other reports cover a power liftgate that closes on people, a shift knob that unscrews, and sunroof glass that shattered on the highway.
Which Aviator model years should I avoid?: Avoid 2020 and 2021, which are the weakest years for the Aviator. The 2024 and 2025 model years are its strongest. If you consider a plug-in hybrid of any year, have the battery and charging system checked first.

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How we score the Lexus TX and Lincoln Aviator

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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