The Lincoln Corsair represented a step up for Lincoln when it debuted several years ago. It replaced the aging MKC in the lineup and the Corsair introduced new levels of luxury and technology to entry-level luxury SUV buyers. However, the segment is rapidly evolving and Lincoln knows that it has to evolve to try and stay ahead of the pack. The second-generation 2024 Lincoln Corsair brings new exterior styling and some tweaks to the Corsair for the new model year, but is it all enough to make the Corsair stand out from the crowd?
New Front Fascia Gets More Chrome Still Looks Awkward
With the Corsair being a refresh for the 2023 model year, the bulk of the changes were focused on giving the Corsair new front-end styling with the front grille growing in size. The new nose is flanked by reworked LED headlights and a lower front bumper. when compared with the outgoing model, the changes help the SUV look more expressive, however, the lower front bumper clashes with the grille, and as a result, the look gets disjointed and clumsy as you make your way toward the ground. The side profile and the rear fascia are largely unchanged and still follow Lincoln’s design language to the letter. Another big change that buyers will notice here is the reworked wheel designs with several new ones entering the roster of choices for the new model year.
These changes are welcome, however, they still don’t do much to help the Corsair stand out when viewed against rivals like the Audi Q5, Porsche Macan, and Lexus NX as well as the Cadillac XT4. Many of those models offer crisper styling and the Audi’s exterior duds in particular are more balanced and consistent when viewed from various angles.
Corsair Interior Still Exudes American Luxury Values
Slip inside the Corsair’s interior and you’ll discover that while some of the core essentials are carried over from the outgoing model, there are a number of key changes that helped make a good first impression on our Grand Touring grade tester. For starters, all models get a fully digital instrument cluster standard as well as a larger 13.2-inch infotainment screen. The latter item is easier to use than before and Ford’s SYNC software is still one of the best in the business when it comes to fast load times and menu icon placement.
The rest of the cabin is similar to what we have seen already in models like the Aviator and Nautilus with soft leather accents and high-quality plastics scattered about. Our Grand Touring grade tester arrived with 24-way adjustable front seats that were slathered in “Smoked Truffle” leather. While it does sound tasty on your favorite meat dish, this breed of truffle prefers to focus on its looks and we grew to like the hue during our tester’s stay with us. As for the seats themselves, they certainly delivered the goods on comfort, but we wished that they had more thigh support. Lincoln also offers “Eternal Red” as an alternative hue for buyers looking for more excitement in their luxury SUV experience. The Corsair can also haul a generous amount of cargo with the second-row seats folded down including a large haul of groceries, bulky items, and even several large suitcases.
Keep the seats folded up and their ability to haul people is largely on par with the Escape with the space offering good amounts of leg and headroom for children and shorter adults while taller passengers will feel a bit cramped which is mainly due to the headroom being eaten by the large sunroof. As a whole, the Corsair’s ambiance is simple and modern and while it might not have as much polish as rivals like the BMW X3 have in certain areas, the inner beauty of the cabin (especially when paired with the right trim level and colors) does make up for it to a degree and the Corsair’s ability to deliver in that regard will undoubtedly please some buyers.
Corsair Performance Checks The Boxes, Still Doesn’t Light The World On Fire
Performance for the 2023 Lincoln Corsair comes from two powerplants with the Standard and Reserve models getting a 250-horsepower, 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder with front-wheel drive standard (all-wheel drive is optional.) Our range-topping Grand Touring model swapped it out for a bigger 2.5-liter four-cylinder that features a bundled hybrid system that helps it produce 266-hp. While the increase in power over the base 2.0-liter is not as dramatic as other SUV offerings, the combination of the engine and the electric motor allowed our tester to have good amounts of low-end punch with the 14.4 kWh battery pack providing the juice to help make it all happen.
However, our tester’s performance across the entire range of our testing ultimately fell short of our initial expectations. The addition of the hybrid components increased the weight of our tester to 4,532 lbs which helped make our tester feel slower than it really was. It also helped contribute to copious amounts of body roll when we pushed the SUV through sharp cornering. That said, our tester made up for its dynamic shortcomings by providing copious amounts of comfort, especially in freeway driving with the Corsair preferring to take its time when going through the motions. Ironically, the biggest complaint we had with the powertrain was with the gasoline engine itself which drones at higher RPMs. The whole setup is also very efficient with the EPA rating our tester at 78 MPGe and a combined 33 MPG. The Corsair GT also has a pure electric mode but the electric motor can only go 28 miles before the gasoline engine is forced to take over.
Unlike the 10-speed automatic that’s used across the bulk of Ford’s model lineup, the Corsair Grand Touring uses an electronically controlled CVT which has been tuned to help juggle the transition between full-power motoring and green commuting. Lincoln engineers did this with various tweaks and revisions to the software and it becomes apparent when you’re exposed to the Corsair GT for longer periods. Braking in our tester was smooth and consistent with the regenerative brakes not being as grabby as other units that we have experienced over the years. This allowed us to get a better sense of the brake pedal and allowed us to modulate our stopping power accordingly to help get impressive amounts of braking stability with minimal nose dive being noticed. Our tester also came with Ford’s BlueCruise automated driving system. If you spent time inside a GM vehicle with Super Cruise, you’ll be in very familiar territory here with Ford’s version offering the same freeway-only hands-free driving experience including automated lane change and lane-keeping assist. One major difference is that the system can sometimes not recognize abrupt changes in the speed limit so be very mindful of that if you want to avoid an unwarranted meeting on the side of the road with your local police officer.
Value Quotient
Pricing for the 2024 Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring starts at $53,925 which includes the $1,395 destination fee. Like a few of its rivals, there are no formal trim levels here in the Corsair, and buyers will instead be asked to choose from several packages. Our tester arrived generously equipped and that caused the final price to balloon to an as-tested final total of $65,790.
That pricing puts the Grand Touring in the crosshairs of some of its more refined European rivals and it also helps expose some of the Corsair’s flaws. As a result, we can’t recommend the Grand Touring version but that’s not the case with the mid-level Reserve model. The Reserve starts at $45,155 and this model still has plenty of luxury and technology included as standard equipment. It’s also a noticeable bargain when compared to the Grand Touring model and its lower price point allows it to compete with a more balanced pool of rivals. Regardless of trim level, you’ll need to be careful what packages you add to the Corsair since many of them help raise the price in a big hurry.
That said, if you’re looking for a relaxed luxury crossover and play your chips just right, the 2024 Lincoln Corsair is a good fit for any garage and should appeal to a wide range of buyers.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.