Used 2023 Lincoln Corsair

As Lincoln’s smallest crossover, the 2023 Corsair instills a feeling of being home in its driver and passengers. In fact, Lincoln has successfully managed to elevate the passenger experience to such a degree that it won’t occur to most of us that it shares its bones with the Ford Escape. Inside and out, the Corsair conveys an air of quality and achievement.

Lincoln tinkered a bit with the Corsair’s exterior styling for 2023. The grille is a little larger and the daytime running lights are more defined. Inside, the touchscreen grew from 8 inches to 13.2 inches. Moreover,  Corsair gets the next-generation SYNC 4 infotainment interface. Lincoln also dumped the 2.3-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, dropping the powertrain choices to two.

Shoppers should appreciate the streamlined buying process provided by the Corsair’s three-grade lineup. The most important decision to make is whether to choose front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD). Opting for AWD also opens the door for stepping up to the top-end Grand Touring trim and its plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain.

Although we count the Corsair among small luxury SUVs, it best matches up against its domestic rival, the Cadillac XT4. In that comparison, the base Corsair delivers more thrust than the XT4, albeit with a somewhat higher sticker price. Fuel-economy numbers are close. However, the Corsair manages its mpg with regular fuel, while the XT4 requires more expensive premium-grade gasoline. Moreover, the Corsair produces even better mileage with its PHEV powertrain.

If we failed to make our point, let’s drive it home one more time. The Corsair positively pampers the driver and passengers. An eerily quiet cabin conspires with a remarkably smooth ride to provide Corsair’s occupants with a peaceful, high-quality experience.

Balancing satisfying performance and decent fuel economy, the turbocharged 4-cylinder engine has sufficient gusto for both urban barnstorming and highway touring. Having said that, if you dream of attacking mountain twisties, you probably want to check out some European rivals instead. For example, the BMW X3 and Audi Q5 provide tighter suspensions and more acute handling.

Capable of traveling up to 28 all-electric miles on a full charge, the Grand Touring’s PHEV powertrain includes standard AWD, plus more total horsepower.

At the end of the day, the Lincoln Corsair places the quality of the experience above all else. We think it’s one of the more comfortable SUVs on the market.

New ActiveGlide System

A late-arriving feature for 2023, ActiveGlide driver-assistance technology increases the Corsair’s ability to aid the driver in piloting it. Allowing the vehicle to accelerate, steer, and brake under certain conditions, ActiveGlide also provides automatic lane changing and in-lane positioning. It was a late arrival for the 2023 model year, making it difficult to find.

Even in its base Standard guise, the Corsair delivers a living-room-like experience. Power-adjustable front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, and proximity keyless entry with push-button start are included. Commanding the infotainment system is a generous 13.2-inch touchscreen.

Sliding second-row seats can travel fore and aft, adding up to half a foot of extra rear legroom or increasing the capacity of the rear cargo area.

Lincoln took the extra step to partner with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra to record a series of auditory alerts. They replace the typical electronic alerts found in other vehicles with soothing, musical sounds. A nice touch.

All things considered, the Corsair is one comfy little SUV.

Generous Cargo Room

Although the Grand Touring trim loses roughly 1 cubic foot of cargo room to the hybrid battery, the other grades provide 27.6 cubic feet of cargo room behind the second-row seat. With the second-row seat folded, there is 57.6 cubic feet of space. This is slightly more than the Audi Q5 and a bit less than the BMW X3.

Co-Pilot360: A bundle of safety and driver-aid technologies, including forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking. Other features are blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keeping assist, lane-departure alert, and high-beam assist. Rear-park assist is standard, too.

Plug-in hybrid powertrain: A 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine teams with two electric motors to deliver up to 28 miles of electric-only range and an EPA rating of 78 MPGe in combined driving.

Revel audio system: With its 14 speakers, this audio system can be tailored to your listening preferences. For example, selecting Traditional Stereo, Audience (concert hall), or On Stage (surround sound) delivers completely different listening experiences.

Head-up display: It reduces the amount of time a driver’s eyes leave the road because it projects vital information, such as current speed, onto the windshield. The display is just below the driver’s line of sight.

Hands-free liftgate: This power liftgate allows the driver to open it automatically with the gentle kick of a foot under the rear bumper when carrying the key fob.

EasyFold seat: With the push of a button located in the cargo area, the 60/40-split rear seatback automatically folds down.

The 2023 Corsair offers a choice of two powertrains: a gasoline-only turbo 4-cylinder, or a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain. Both use an 8-speed automatic transmission to usher engine torque to the wheels.

The Standard and Reserve get the 250-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder. Lincoln offers AWD as an option. Picking the Grand Touring grade brings with it the 266-horsepower PHEV powertrain with a 2.5-liter Atkinson cycle 4-cylinder engine and two electric motors.

These fuel economy estimates from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) relate to 2022, but there shouldn’t be any changes for 2023.

2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine
Front- or all-wheel drive
250 horsepower @ 5,500 rpm
280 lb-ft of torque @ 3,000 rpm
Fuel economy: 25 mpg (22 city, 29 highway) AWD: 24 mpg (21 city, 29 highway)

2.5-liter Atkinson cycle inline-4/two electric motors
All-wheel drive
Total system output: 266 horsepower
Electric-only range: 28 miles
Fuel economy: 78 MPGe (electric and gas) Gas only: 33 mpg (34 city, 32 highway)

4-year/50,000-mile Warranty

The bumper-to-bumper limited warranty is 4 years or 50,000 miles, while the powertrain warranty is 6 years or 70,000 miles. This level of coverage is typical among luxury automakers.

Final Word: Comfort

With the 2023 Lincoln Corsair, product planners made a choice between traditional American luxury and German-like driving dynamics. We think Lincoln succeeded in creating a wonderfully pleasing transport for anyone more concerned with how they get somewhere rather than how fast they get there.