Lincoln just pulled off something nobody saw coming: shoppers now rank it above Lexus and BMW on one of the most important factors in the luxury market — affordability. In the latest Kelley Blue Book Brand Watch, covering the first half of 2026, the brand also took the top spot for driving comfort and interior layout.
Lexus racked up the same number of first-place finishes — just in different categories: reliability, reputation and technology. And here's the catch: this isn't Lincoln owners talking. Brand Watch tracks perception among people who use Kelley Blue Book and plan to buy a new vehicle within the next 12 months. So the affordability win is about brand image in the eyes of potential buyers, not an actual price comparison.
Price sensitivity itself is climbing fast in the luxury segment. Over five years, “affordability” has jumped from ninth to fifth place among reasons shoppers pick a luxury vehicle, with its importance now at 53%. Only reliability (79%), safety (72%), comfort (69%) and driving dynamics (64%) rank higher. KBB ties the shift to rising vehicle prices and U.S. import tariffs.
None of that makes Lincoln cheap in any ordinary sense. The 2026 U.S. lineup starts with the Corsair at $39,985, the Nautilus from $53,995, the Aviator from $56,910, and the full-size Navigator from $91,995 — before some fees and options. High marks in individual categories haven't translated into equally high purchase interest yet.
Lincoln posted just 8% consideration, landing around tenth place, tied with Tesla. Lexus leads with 22%, BMW follows at 20%, Cadillac at 16%, and Audi at 13%. Audi, notably, was the only brand in the top ten to improve on its prior-period result.
And that's Lincoln's paradox in a nutshell: shoppers like the price, the comfort, the cabin — but that's not enough yet to put the brand on their shortlist. In the luxury market, “looks like a deal” and “I want to buy it” turned out to be two very different rankings.
