The 2024 Lincoln Corsair retails from $40,485 in the United States and from $51,395 in Canada, freight and delivery charges included.
Excellent fuel economy with PHEV variant, cushy ride with adaptive suspension, comfy cabin with Perfect Position front seats.
Pricey option packages, unimpressive fuel economy with 2.0L engine, some drive-distracting buttons to be found.
The 2024 Lincoln Corsair is the smallest and most affordable of the four models currently on offer by the American brand. Although the latter may not be on everyone’s shopping list when they’re in the market for a luxury crossover, the Corsair could be an interesting choice nonetheless, depending on what we’re looking for in a vehicle.
In both the United States and Canada, the Corsair is available in Premiere, Reserve and Grand Touring trim levels. After receiving a mid-cycle refresh for the 2023 model year that brought styling tweaks, a revised cabin and the deletion of the 285-horsepower 2.3L engine, the crossover soldiers on for 2024 with minor changes, such as one less paint color to choose from.
The Premiere and Reserve trims are equipped with a turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder engine that develops 250 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque, managed by an eight-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard in the U.S., while AWD is optional. The latter is fitted as standard in Canada. Meanwhile, the Grand Touring variant gets a plug-in hybrid system consisting of a naturally aspirated 2.5L four-cylinder engine, electric motors, an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission and a 14.4 kWh battery pack, producing a combined 266 horsepower. The GT features AWD as standard.
With either engine and the optional Towing Package, the Corsair is rated at up to 3,000 pounds or 1,361 kilograms.
Here are the fuel economy ratings for the 2024 Lincoln Corsair:
| Powertrain | City / Highway / Combined MPG | City / Highway / Combined L/100 km | Combined MPGe | Combined Le/100 km | Range miles | Range km |
| Turbo 2.0L I4 / FWD | 22 / 30 / 25 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Turbo 2.0L I4 / AWD | 21 / 28 / 24 | 11.2 / 8.3 / 9.9 | – | – | – | – |
| 2.5L I4 PHEV / AWD | 34 / 32 / 33 | 6.9 / 7.3 / 7.1 | 78 | 3.0 | 27 | 45 |
It’s worth noting that both Corsair engines can run on regular unleaded gasoline.
The Corsair includes a bunch of standard features, including 18-inch alloy wheels, a power liftgate, LED exterior lighting, an intelligent key, remote engine start, dual-zone climate control, power-adjustable front seats with driver-side position memory, heated front seats, Ford’s SYNC 4 interface on a 13.2-inch infotainment system touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, a fully digital 12.3-inch driver instrument cluster, built-in navigation with three years of connected services (a subscription is required after that) and a nine-speaker sound system. The usual suite of advanced safety features is on board as well, including blind spot monitoring with rear cross traffic alert and adaptive cruise control with stop and go.
Available features include the Lincoln BlueCruise 1.2 semi-autonomous drive system, a 360-degree camera system, active park assist, a 14-speaker Revel surround sound system, wireless phone charging, ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, a panoramic glass roof, rain-sensing windshield wipers and wiper de-icer, 20-inch wheels, a power-adjustable steering column, head-up display and digital key compatibility.
Cargo space in the Corsair is rated at 27.6 cubic feet or 781 litres with the rear seats up, 57.6 cubic feet or 1,631 litres with the seatbacks folded. In the Corsair Grand Touring, volume is down a smidge, to 26.9 cubic feet or 761 litres with the rear seatbacks folded, 56.2 cubic feet or 1,591 litres with the seatbacks folded. That’s pretty much average for the compact lux crossover segment.
Pricing ranges from $40,485 to $68,080 in the United States, and from $51,395 to $80,885 in Canada, freight and delivery charges included. Lincoln USA also mentions an $825 acquisition fee on its website. Regarding the PHEV variant, a federal tax credit of up to $3,750 is available for U.S. buyers, while in Canada, a federal EV rebate of up to $2,500 is available in addition to select provincial incentives.
Competition includes a wide range of luxury compact crossovers, including the Acura RDX, the Alfa Romeo Stelvio, the Audi Q5, the BMW X3, the Cadillac XT5, the Genesis GV70, the Infiniti QX50, the Jaguar F-PACE, the Land Rover Discovery Sport, the Lexus NX, the Mercedes-Benz GLB and the Mercedes-Benz GLC, the Porsche Macan, the Range Rover Evoque and the Volvo XC60. However, we don’t expect many consumers will cross-shop the Corsair with performance-focused models like the Stelvio and the Macan.
Why You Should Buy a 2024 Lincoln Corsair
- As we mentioned above, Lincoln isn’t a direct rival to Alfa Romeo and Porsche, and there’s a reason for that. The Corsair is more about comfort, quietness and relaxation. The Perfect Position 24-way power-adjustable and massaging front seats are well worth the extra coin, the Corsair’s ride can be tailored to provide a cushioned ride, or a cloud-like ride, thanks to the available adaptive suspension. Driving the compact Lincoln is a peaceful, serene experience.
- The Corsair’s SYNC 4 interface is easy to use, and its relatively big screen also helps in that regard. The wheel-mounted thumb switches are also pretty straightforward once we get used to what they do, reducing driver distraction.
- While fit and finish isn’t overwhelmingly impressive, it’s quite good. The shinier or cheaper-looking plastics are generally tucked away in areas we don’t constantly look at. There are several interior color schemes to choose from, which is a nice touch for those who’d like a little more personalisation.
- The Grand Touring’s PHEV powertrain is very efficient, even if we can’t plug the vehicle in every chance we get. Its combined fuel economy average of 33 mpg or 7.1 L/100 km beats that of the Q5 PHEV, the X3 PHEV and the XC60 PHEV. Only the Lexus NX 450h+ is slightly more efficient at 35 mpg or 6.6 L/100 km. The Lincoln’s EV-only estimated driving range of 27 miles or 45 km is also quite useful for running errands without need to fire up the gasoline engine. During our test of the Grand Touring, we managed an excellent average of 56 mpg or 4.2 L/100 km, plugging the vehicle in every time we got home.
Why You Shouldn’t Buy a 2024 Lincoln Corsair
- While the Corsair is among the more affordable luxury compact crossovers, moving up to the Grand Touring to save on fuel requires a heftier investment. It starts at $55K in the U.S. and at $62K in Canada, only a few thousand dollars less than the BMW and Volvo PHEVs. And that cushy adaptive suspension we talked about earlier? It’s standard on the Grand Touring, but the only other way to obtain it is by choosing the Reserve variant’s Collection III or 202A package that costs more than $10K. Said package is also the only to get heated rear seats, the Revel stereo and head-up display.
- Although the SYNC 4 interface itself is easy to use, all the climate controls except the windshield defrost function are relegated to a slim strip on the lower part of the touchscreen. Not a dealbreaker, but this setup definitely requires a little more attention to use while driving. In addition, the transmission shift buttons are unintuitive and awkward to use.
- Adaptive suspension or not, the Lincoln Corsair can’t handle road imperfections like potholes, which send a harsh jolt through the cabin, clashing with the otherwise peaceful experience.
- The Corsair’s cabin is quiet as we’ve already mentioned, but the 2.5L engine didn’t get the memo. There’s a constant drone at speed that isn’t necessarily off-putting, but it’s there. While we’re on the subject of the cabin, the rear seat cushions are low and narrow, so sitting three adults across won’t be the most pleasurable experience.
Final Word
The 2024 Lincoln Corsair is a good compact crossover for those who prefer a quiet and comfortable ride over a performance-minded one with a harsh suspension and low-profile tires—think BMW, Genesis and Mercedes-Benz. For those who can swing the higher monthly payments, the Grand Touring plug-in hybrid rewards owners with low fuel consumption and the eco-friendly demeanour some consumers are looking for.
On the other hand, the Corsair’s best features require a significant budget increase, which offsets the model’s value proposition over the models sold by admittedly more prestigious brands. The Reserve variant is arguably the best compromise, but if we can live with a lightly optioned Corsair, maybe a loaded Ford Escape Platinum, Buick Envision or Mazda CX-5 Signature will do the trick for less money.
