2020 Lincoln Corsair Road Test and Review

2020 Lincoln cOrsair exterior front angle1 ・ Photo by Lincoln

With the arrival of the 2020 Lincoln Corsair, the company’s new replacement for the MKC compact luxury SUV, the proud American luxury brand has a modern and thoroughly competitive four-SUV lineup rooted in the tenets of what the automaker calls "quiet flight."

Electing to position itself as a purveyor of calming simplicity in an often-chaotic world, Lincoln might just be on to something. With an emphasis on design, comfort, and technology, backed up by unassuming performance, the overhauled lineup of Lincoln SUVs is clearly intended to make daily driving the most pleasurable experience it can be. You won’t want to run any of them around the Nurburgring or down the Rubicon Trail, but all of them excel where it matters most: where you drive every day of the week.

Deceptive Simplicity

The new 2020 Lincoln Corsair is available in standard and Reserve trim levels. There isn’t a Black Label version, but throw every option onto a Corsair Reserve and you come close to that level of specification. Prices start at just under $37,000, and my loaded test vehicle was priced at more than $60,000.

Once you choose between the two trim levels, things get complicated. Your next decision relates to engine size and drivetrain type. A turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder is standard, providing plenty of power for most people. For maximum acceleration, get the optional turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder. After that, your next task is to outfit the Corsair with paint, wheels, and option packages, ultimately crafting a compact luxury crossover suv that meets your requirements and budget.

Photo by Lincoln

Feels Big, Hauls Small

Thanks to its horizontally oriented dashboard and expansive glass, the Corsair feels wider than it is when you’re sitting in the front seats. Lots of chrome and gloss black trim add plenty of Art Deco fancincess to the cabin, and my test car’s Sandstone leather interior provided a stark contrast against the chocolate brown dashboard and black carpeting. Lincoln, having learned a lesson about touch-sensing controls earlier this decade, sprinkles useful stereo and climate controls on a pod jutting out from the dashboard.

Equipped with 24-way Perfect Position front seats, my test vehicle offered heating, ventilation, and massage. Long-distance travel proved comfortable, but the seats do feel a little flimsy. Rear seat room is adequate for two adults or three kids. The seat cushion is comfortable, and the seatbacks recline. Heated rear seats are an option. However, cargo space isn’t generous for an SUV, measuring 27.6 cubic feet behind the rear seat. Maximum volume with the back seat folded down measures 57.6 cubic feet.

Photo by Lincoln

Technically Speaking

Loaded with standard and optional technology, the Corsair’s infotainment and advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) impress. The Sync 3 infotainment system's voice recognition could stand to improve, and in an unfamiliar area, the navigation system failed to direct me to the closest Starbucks, giving me directions to one in a nearby city. Not wanting to drive miles out of my way, I requested the closest coffee shop instead. Lo and behold, there was a Starbucks at the next intersection.

The optional 14-speaker Revel audio system delivers good sound, and the available head-up display provides a robust amount of information and remains visible when you’re wearing polarized sunglasses. Lincoln Phone as a Key technology transforms your smartphone into the Corsair’s key. Rather than carry the bulky, and rather cheap-looking, remote fob, you simply use the Lincoln Way smartphone app to open and start the SUV. You can lock it up the same way. 

Photo by Lincoln

Sophisticated Driving Aids

Lincoln equips every Corsair with its Co-Pilot360 package of ADAS. As an upgrade, Co-Pilot360 Plus installs adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability, evasive steering assist, lane centering assist, and a speed limit recognition system.

When I used them extensively during a long drive, these systems operated with remarkable refinement and sophistication. However, the lane-centering technology can get confused when the right pavement line disappears for exit ramps or in places where roads widen or tighten. Also, on one occasion, the vehicle misread a 65-mph speed limit as 85 mph, and the adaptive cruise dutifully began accelerating the Corsair to clearly extra-legal speeds. Meanwhile, Lincoln’s Active Park Assist system is excellent. It identifies suitable parallel and perpendicular parking spaces and takes complete control of the SUV as the driver sits there and watches the magic happen.

Photo by Lincoln

Turbocharged Performance

Magic happens when you push on the accelerator pedal, too. The Corsair’s standard 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder whips up 250 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque, plenty to motivate this compact luxury crossover. An eight-speed automatic powers the front wheels unless you specify the optional all-wheel drive. Paddle shifters provide manual control over gear changes.

For maximum motive force, you’ll want the optional 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine. It generates 295 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque, and supplies robust acceleration. This engine requires AWD in order to make the best use of the extra power. The EPA rates the Corsair's fuel economy at 25 mpg in combined driving with the standard engine and FWD, and 24 mpg in combined driving with the more powerful engine and AWD. My test vehicle, equipped with the bigger 2.3-liter engine and AWD, averaged 23.6 mpg.

Photo by Lincoln

Stick to the Standard

Over the course of several days, I explored the city of San Francisco, the enclaves of Carmel, the writhing roads of Big Sur, and the freeways of Los Angeles. Regardless of the environment, the turbocharged 2.3-liter delivered plenty of power, proving especially effective at leveraging the short passing zones on California 1.

There were a couple of drivetrain hiccups worth noting. First, even though the Corsair was in its sportiest driving mode, the transmission took its sweet time downshifting as I executed one pass south of Big Sur. Second, on occasion, I experienced a slight shudder under normal acceleration, perhaps a result of the AWD system engaging the driveshaft and sending power rearward. A shorter drive in a Corsair with the standard turbocharged 2.0-liter revealed it to be a satisfying engine in its own right. It makes good torque, which is what you feel when accelerating. In turn, that makes it powerful enough for most people, most of the time.

Photo by Lincoln

A Deft Daily Driver

With the Corsair’s arrival, every Lincoln suv is unexpectedly rewarding to drive. Yes, even the hulking Navigator full-size model. Lincoln Drive Modes and available adaptive damping suspensions are responsible for this observation.

In the city, I kept the Corsair in its default Normal mode. On California 1, Excite was appropriate, helping the Corsair impress me with its handling capabilities. On freeway stretches, Conserve preserved fuel economy while supplying a comfortable and cushy ride free of unwanted wallow. And in my suburb, the Corsair literally glided over speed humps and the driveway aprons into local shopping centers, thanks to that adaptive suspension. Will a Lincoln Corsair circle Road America on pace with an Acura RDX A-Spec? Not likely. Can it flatten a trail like a Land Rover Discovery Sport? Nope. But it rides and drives beautifully where you ride and drive the vast majority of the time, and that’s what counts most.

Photo by Lincoln

Broadly Competitive

In terms of size and price, the entry-level luxury suv segment is a pastiche of vehicles. For example, in terms of price, the Lincoln Corsair slots between Cadillac’s XT4 and XT5, as well as Volvo’s XC40 and XC60. It aligns with the BMW X1, but also with the Infiniti QX50. And with new entries like the Jaguar E-PACE and Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class further muddying the waters, it’s hard to tell exactly where and with what these vehicles compete.

Lincoln specifically cites the Acura RDX and Lexus NX as chief competitive targets for the Corsair, and pricing reflects that. However, you can’t option the Acura or Lexus much past $50,000, let alone $60,000.

Product FTW!

Where Lincoln distinguishes itself from the pack is with regard to ownership benefits. From valet pickup and delivery service for routine maintenance to a free trial of Clear, which helps you skip long security lines at the airport, Lincoln demonstrates that it understands how to cater to its customers.

Other luxury automakers are starting to take their cues from Lincoln. Genesis, for example, offers similar ownership benefits. And Volvo is slowly rolling out similar services designed to address specific pain points for its customers, such as free towing for the life of its vehicles. Eventually, as other luxury brands adopt its customer-care approach, Lincoln will need to compete on the merits of its vehicles. As demonstrated by the new Corsair, in most respects, that shouldn’t be a problem.