2024 Lincoln Corsair And Corsair Hybrid Review: Quiet Cruiser, Not Much More
Although it sits on the same C2 platform as Ford's Bronco Sport and Escape compact crossovers, the Lincoln Corsair is altogether more luxurious, and aimed at the semi-premium end of the segment inhabited by rivals such as the more expensive Genesis GV70 and Volvo XC60, and the similarly priced Lexus NX. It's tuned for comfort, not sportiness, so it's less a BMW X3 rival. There are also a few too many cheap finishes in the cabin to compete with the Germans. The Corsair makes a lot of sense as a high-value in-betweener with many standard features and a strong 250-horsepower engine. There's a 266-hp hybrid powertrain as well, but that's reserved for the most expensive trim. Let's see if the Corsair has enough selling points except its price to lure buyers away from their favorite premium brands.
New for 2024
The 2024 Corsair range goes on sale in the USA with no changes. The base trim does get a new name, though - it's now called the Premiere. The only other change is that the optional hands-free BlueCruise driving feature now comes with a four-year subscription if specified, not two years. While the car itself remains the same as the 2023 model, the base price of a new Lincoln Corsair creeps up incrementally, but remains under $39k.
2024 Lincoln Corsair Price: Which One to Buy
The price of the 2024 Lincoln Corsair Premiere is $38,830, followed by the Reserve at $43,115 and the Grand Touring plug-in hybrid at $53,925. The two bottom gas trims come with front-wheel drive, but specifying either of them with all-wheel drive will cost you $2,300 extra. The hybrid flagship comes with AWD only. These prices are MSRP and they don't include Lincoln's $1,395 destination charge.
As is often the case with Lincolns, the mid-spec model, the Reserve, makes the most sense. It looks better with its 19-inch wheels and upgraded headlights, while the interior receives a luxury vibe with the leather on the seats and ambient lighting. We're disappointed that a premium audio system, a surround-view camera, and rain-sensing wipers are still not standard, but you can add these as extras. We'd add at least the $3k Collection II package with its hands-free liftgate, ventilated front seats, surround-view camera, and front/side parking sensors. The Grand Touring is expensive and only makes sense if you make full daily use of its 27-mile electric range and you can charge at home.
Premiere | Reserve |
---|---|
Entry-Level Trim | Great Choice |
$ 38830 | $ 43115 |
2.0L turbo I4 (250 hp/275 lb-ft), eight-speed auto, FWD/AWD | Based on the Premiere, plus: |
18-inch alloys, LED headlights, power liftgate | 19-inch alloys |
Leatherette upholstery, heated power front seats | Satin-silver roof rails |
12.3-inch & 13.2-inch displays, navigation, nine-speaker audio | Jeweled LED headlights |
Lincoln Co-Pilot360 2.1 driver-assistance suite | Leather upholstery |
Ambient interior lighting |
Best Deals on 2024 Lincoln Corsair
Interior and Features
Controls are logically laid out and easy to use, with everything at hand and easy to get used to, even the touchscreen, which has a ledge to steady your hand while using it.
The Lincoln's cabin aspires to premium greatness but doesn't quite achieve it. High points include the big dual digital displays for both the gauge cluster and infotainment, the decent interior space, and the comfortable front seats. Quality and the choice of materials are a mixed bag, with the premium padded surfaces on the dashboard juxtaposed with cheaper and nastier hard plastics on the doors and in the rear cabin. It's easy to get inside and the view all around is reasonably unobstructed. A backup camera and rear parking sensors take care of any blind spots, but a surround-view camera costs extra.
Space
The Corsair's compact footprint puts it on an even keel with the Lexus NX, which is often seen to be straddling the subcompact and compact classes. The Corsair's wheelbase isn't even an inch longer than the NX's, so it's not a big car, yet the cabin space is satisfactory, even in the second row, with more legroom than the Lexus and GV70 can offer, so it's a shame that the bench is firmly padded and too flat. The second row can slide for and aft to vary rear legroom and trunk space. The PHEV does suffer a cabin-space penalty, though, with nearly two inches erased from its rear legroom, though it's still more than you'll get in an NX.
Cargo
The trunk volume of the gas Corsair is 27.6 cubic feet behind the second row, with the PHEV not far behind at 26.9 cubes - both figures easily beating the NX and XC60. With the 60/40-split rear seats folded flat, the gas Corsair has 57.6 cu-ft and the PHEV 56.2 cu-ft, well ahead of the Lexus, but short of the Volvo's 63.3 cu-ft. The seats don't fold flat, so the front part of the trunk floor slants upward with the seats down. The second row gets power release as part of the Collection II package.
Cabin storage has not been neglected. The roomy front and rear door pockets incorporate bottle holders, while the lidded storage bin in the center console is also of decent size. The center console houses dual cupholders and a phone rest, which is also a wireless charging pad when specced, while the rear occupants get dual cupholders in their fold-down center armrest and front seatback pockets.
Lincoln Corsair | Lincoln Corsair Hybrid | Lexus NX | Lexus NX Hybrid | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Seating | 5 Seater | 5 Seater | 5 Seater | 5 Seater |
Headroom | 39.5 in. front 38.7 in. rear | 38.4 in. front 38.4 in. rear | 37.1-38.3 in. front 37.4-38.5 in. rear | 37.1-38.3 in. front 37.4-38.5 in. rear |
Legroom | 43.2 in. front 38.6 in. rear | 43.2 in. front 36.7 in. rear | 41 in. front 36.1 in. rear | 41 in. front 36.1 in. rear |
Trunk Space | 27.6-57.6 ft³ | 26.9-56.2 ft³ | 22.7-46.9 ft³ | 22.7-46.9 ft³ |
Materials and Colors
The Premiere has its interior trim pieces rendered in Finestra Aluminum Applique, and its seats are upholstered in Lincoln Soft Touch leatherette in a choice of three interior colors: Ebony, Sandstone, and Ebony/Smoked Truffle. The Reserve and Grand Touring have leather upholstery in the same color choices, in addition to Eternal Red. The two top grades' cabin trim comes in a choice of Finestra Aluminum, Pista Aluminum, or Paldao Wood Applique. The steering wheel is trimmed in leather in all grades.
Features and Infotainment
As is perhaps expected, the bottom Premiere trim makes do with leatherette upholstery, but it still has heated front seats with power adjustment and also comes with keyless entry, push-button start, remote start, dual-zone climate control, a leather-trimmed steering wheel manually adjustable for reach and height, and a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster. The two top trims essentially have the same features, adding to the Premiere items such as leather upholstery and ambient interior lighting, though only the flagship has a standard panoramic glass roof. You pay extra for ventilated front seats and heated rear seats.
Joining the 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster in all trims is a Sync 4 infotainment system with a large 13.2-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, three USB ports, navigation with a three-year connected subscription, voice recognition, SiriusXM with a three-month trial subscription, Bluetooth, Lincoln Connect, the Lincoln Way app, personal profiles, and a nine-speaker audio system. The system is easy to use, and there's a handy leather-trimmed ledge to brace your thumb on while prodding the screen. An additional rear USB port, a wireless charging pad, traffic-jam assist, a head-up display, and a 14-speaker Revel audio system are all available at extra cost as part of either the Collection II or Collection III packages.
Premiere | Reserve | Grand Touring | |
---|---|---|---|
Leather upholsery | N/A | S | S |
Heated power front seats | S | S | S |
Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, & navigation | S | S | S |
14-speaker Revel audio system | O | O | S |
Wireless charging pad | O | O | O |
Performance
The gas engine is sprightly and refined, but the PHEV powertrain is underdone in terms of outright performance and efficiency.
The gas engine in the Lincoln Corsair Premiere and Reserve is a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder with 250 hp and 275 lb-ft of torque. It is linked to an eight-speed automatic transmission and comes with a choice of drivetrain configurations - FWD or AWD. Performance is good, if not the quickest in class, with this power plant giving the Lincoln Corsair a 0-60 sprint of around 6.5 seconds. The Grand Touring PHEV has a 165-hp Atkinson-cycle naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder with a CVT automatic and dual electric motors for a total of 266 hp, but it's heavier, so it takes around 7.3 seconds to reach 60 mph. Lincoln does not state a top speed for the gas trims, but the PHEV is limited to 121 mph on gas and can reach a maximum of 85 mph in EV mode. Trailering is good in this class, with a maximum towing capacity of 3,000 pounds for both powertrains with the factory tow hitch fitted. The Corsair doesn't have features such as low range or hill-descent control, and with just 7.8 inches of ground clearance, it'll do rough roads but won't go off-road. The PHEV has even less clearance at 6.8 inches.
The Corsair is tuned for comfort, with slack damping making for a soft ride, but some secondary shuddering and bobbing when hitting road scars at about-town speeds. The brakes are progressive and the steering accurate, with just about enough feel not to feel too isolated from the road. Out on the highway, the Corsair is a supremely comfortable and quiet haven, not unlike more expensive luxury SUVs. It doesn't invite enthusiastic driving and leans too much, but the emphasis on comfort suits its market positioning perfectly. The PHEV has a bit more disciplined damping thanks to its adaptive suspension, but it's too heavy to ever feel sporty. The gas engine pulls well and stays discreet, as does its eight-speed automatic transmission, but we take issue with the PHEV's coarse four-pot, which revs gruffly on the instruction of the CVT and dents the Corsair's general refinement. Around town, you can stick to EV mode as long as you go easy on the accelerator, and a welcome calm returns to the proceedings. The electric ensemble has enough go to keep up with general traffic without waking the gas engine.
Fuel Efficiency
Gas mileage goes the way of the Grand Touring PHEV, for which the EPA estimates 78 MPGe, 33 mpg combined, and a range of up to 27 miles on the 14.4-kWh battery alone in EV mode. The PHEV has a small 11.1-gallon fuel capacity, so its overall range is limited to around 393 miles The battery takes around 11 hours to recharge using a regular 110-V outlet, but this drops to four hours using a 240-V outlet.
The regular FWD gas Lincoln Corsair's mpg figures aren't bad at 22/30/25 mpg for the city/highway/combined cycles. The AWD does 21/28/24 mpg, the same as the turbocharged AWD Lexus NX350. With their larger 16.2-gallon gas tank, the gas Corsairs can reach between 388 and 405 miles before they run dry.
2.0L Turbo Inline-4 Gas 8-Speed Automatic FWD | 2.0L Turbo Inline-4 Gas 8-Speed Automatic AWD | 2.5L NA Inline-4 PHEV CVT Automatic AWD | |
---|---|---|---|
Power | 250 hp | 250 hp | 266 hp |
Top speed | Est. 130 mph | Est. 130 mph | 121 mph |
MPG | 22/30/25 mpg | 21/28/24 mpg | 78 MPGe 33 mpg combined |
0-60 | Est. 6.5 sec. | Est. 6.5 sec. | Est. 7.3 sec. |
Max. Towing Capacity | 3,000 lbs | 3,000 lbs | 3,000 lbs |
Charging Time | N/A | N/A | 11 hours @ 110 V 4 hours @ 240 V |
Safety
The driver-assist suite is fairly comprehensive, but some options, such as the surround-view camera, are part of expensive packages.
The NHTSA's safety review of the Lincoln Corsair yielded a five-star overall rating, but it didn't do quite as well over at the IIHS, with mostly Good scores, but only Marginal for the agency's latest, more stringent updated side test. The basic LED headlights were rated Poor.
All Corsairs get the same Lincoln Co-Pilot360 2.1 driver-assistance suite. Included are hill-start assist, automatic LED headlights, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, post-collision braking, adaptive cruise control with lane centering, lane-keep assist, evasive steering assist, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, and rear parking sensors. The Grand Touring also has rain-sensing wipers and an EV-mode pedestrian-warning sounder. A head-up display, surround-view camera, and front parking sensors with automatic reverse braking can be added via the Collections packages.
Lincoln BlueCruise 1.2 is only available optionally as part of the Collection III package, which will set you back as much as $11k on the base trim and comes with various other features. BlueCruise allows hands-free driving on divided highways called Hands-Free Blue Zones, with features such as lane-change assist, in-lane repositioning, and front-collision alert with automatic emergency braking. Active Park Assist 2.0 automated parking can be added, while Assist 2.0 helps you avoid pedestrians at busy intersections.
Premiere | Reserve | Grand Touring | |
---|---|---|---|
Lane-keep assist w/ evasive steering assist | S | S | S |
Blind-spot monitoring w/ cross-traffic alert | S | S | S |
Adaptive cruise control w/ lane centering | S | S | S |
Head-up display | O | O | O |
BlueCruise 1.2 semi-autonomous driving suite | O | O | O |
US NHTSA Crash Test Result
Overall Rating | Frontal Barrier Crash Rating | Side Crash Rating | Rollover Rating |
---|---|---|---|
5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Reliability
The Lincoln Corsair's reliability has not been evaluated by JD Power for the past two model years, but the 2022 Corsair was rated a very good 83 out of 100 for the agency's Quality & Reliability assessment, so we hope things only improved from there. Recalls seem to be few, at any rate, with none for the 2024 Corsair and only one for the 2023 PHEV model - for possible engine failure and a subsequent under-hood fire. This is a clear improvement on the 2022 Corsair, which was recalled six times.
For added peace of mind, the limited warranty for the 2024 Lincoln Corsair is good - four years or 50,000 miles. The powertrain warranty is valid for six years/70,000 miles.
Warranty
Basic | Drivetrain | Corrosion | Roadside Assistance |
---|---|---|---|
4 Years / 50,000 Miles | 6 Years / 70,000 Miles | 5 Years / Unlimited Miles | Unlimited Years / Unlimited Miles |
Design
The Corsair looks regal and upmarket, even in Premiere format, with a smoothly tapering blacked-out glasshouse, a roof spoiler, 18-inch alloys, rear privacy glass, and LED head- and taillights. It also has a power liftgate. The other two trims add satin-silver roof rails, upgraded jeweled headlights, and 19-inch alloys, while their waterfall grilles contain less chrome. Wheel sizes of up to 20 inches are optionally available. The Jet Appearance package blacks out all the exterior trim and fits black 20-inch wheels. A panoramic glass sunroof and hands-free power liftgate are standard on the Grand Touring and optional on the rest.
Verdict: Is The 2024 Lincoln Corsair A Good SUV?
The Corsair falls into a semi-premium niche between the subcompact and compact crossovers, with only really the Lexus NX being of the same size and price. It nevertheless offers good interior and cargo space for its size, comes well-equipped, and is very comfortable and refined. Unfortunately, the upscale cabin is spoiled by too many hard plastics, handling is dull, and the PHEV powertrain is not as refined as it should be, nor does it perform as well or travel as far on a charge as some rivals. The Corsair will appeal to the Lincoln faithful but doesn't offer enough of an incentive to lure buyers away from other brands.