2023 Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring First Drive Review

New York, NY — The crossover segment is quite extensive, especially in the compact sub-category. While most brands are represented in this specific arena, some are more successful than others. Some players are taking advantage of their brand image to attract this younger crowd, while others like Lincoln must think outside the box to gain momentum. 

Take the Lincoln Corsair for instance, a compact SUV based on Ford Escape bones, but with a distinctive Lincoln flair. Indeed, at first glance, the small luxury crossover doesn’t have any visual similarities with its Dearborn cousin, yet it shares a lot of components with the less expensive option from the American giant. And, unlike most SUVs in this segment, the Corsair is available with a PHEV drivetrain first unveiled for 2020.

Lincoln had invited a few journalists in New York for a first drive of the Grand Touring trim. Here’s what we learned from this drive in the Big Apple. 

Redesigned Compact SUV with New, Larger Grille

For 2023, the entry-level Lincoln gets a mid-cycle update for 2023—nothing major but enough to keep potential customers intrigued. Those familiar with the Corsair will recognize the silhouette that’s been part of the lineup since 2020.

At the front, a refreshed and larger front grille is the biggest change. This plug-in hybrid, also called Grand Touring, variant features a sundown satin metallic foil with blue accents. There are wing-shaped daytime running lamps and newly designed wheels, too. Besides these mild revisions, the Corsair is pretty much the same, and that’s totally fine. 

Well, it’s not entirely true, as the Corsair is now available with two new interior themes including classy Smoked Truffle and sporty Eternal Red, the latter accented with exclusive aluminum accents. As for body colours, Crystal Red and Whisper Blue are new additions to the choice of colours. 

Corsair Interior & Tech: Enhanced Look with Lincoln’s Horizontal, Signature Design

Inside, the Lincoln Corsair retains a very linear dashboard, but the centre touchscreen grows to an impressive 13.2 inches and features SYNC 4 infotainment and Lincoln Enhance software updates. A 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster also comes standard for 2023.

Designers have also cleaned up the control panel below the centre air vents by moving several HVAC functions to the new touchscreen. There’s a bit more space between front-row occupants now.

Next-gen Lincoln BlueCruise 1.2 hands-free driving system

Since technology is important nowadays, the 2023 Lincoln Corsair takes relaxation behind the wheel to a new level with version 1.2 of the Lincoln ActiveGlide hands-free driver assistance system. Actually, from this point on, the system will be called BlueCruise just like the one installed in Ford vehicles. 

BlueCruise now adds lane-changing, in-lane positioning & predictive speed assist

Amongst the new possibilities, drivers can now perform a hands-free lane change when they tap the turn signal, but the system can even suggest a lane change in slow-moving traffic. It will also automatically and smoothly adjust the speed as drivers approach a sharp curve and keep the Corsair in its lane while subtly shifting it away from vehicles in adjacent lanes—as a normal driver would do in the same situation.

The 2023 Corsair is Lincoln’s first available vehicle to include BlueCruise 1.2; expect the upcoming 2024 Lincoln Nautilus mid-size SUV to also get the new tech.

Putting Lincoln’s hands-free BlueCruise 1.2 to the test

Other new tech features for 2023 include Intersection Assist 2.0, which helps avoid potential collisions with pedestrians while turning, and Blind Spot Assist, which will alert the driver with a light on the side-view mirror and apply a nudge in the steering wheel to help caution against an unsafe action in a case where the driver has missed the previous warnings from the blind spot monitoring system.

During this first drive, we used the BlueCruise 1.2 system on the highway to see how it performs. While the system didn’t act so smooth in some occasions (and stopped working as we approached a more pronounced curve), it proved pretty much hassle-free overall.

The display in front of the steering wheel makes it perfectly clear when BlueCruise 1.2 is on and when it is off. Of course, with the heavy traffic in the Big Apple, we erred on the side of caution and always remained alert. Whenever our attention veered off the road, the system would demand that we put our two hands back on the wheel. Autonomous driving is cool and all, but a focused drive is much better.

Ford and Lincoln vehicles are still a long way from driving autonomously, with no intervention from the driver, but for those impossibly dull highway drives (like Toronto to Montreal on Highway 401), Blue Cruise 1.2 can partly take over and reduce fatigue along the way.

Drive Impressions: How does the new Corsair hybrid perform and handle?

Key 2023 Corsair Performance Specs

First, a quick look at what separates the gas-only Corsair from the plug-in hybrid Corsair Grand Touring, in terms of power and performance:

For this first drive of the 2023 Corsair, Lincoln had provided us with a Grand Touring trim. Under the hood is a naturally aspirated 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine paired with an electric motor and a 14.4 kWh battery. Power is sent to the wheels through a CVT transmission unit and all-wheel drive system as standard, unlike the Ford Escape PHEV which has front-wheel drive only. Lincoln claims a zero-emission range of about 27 miles or 43 km, so a bit shorter than most competitors but still enough to meet the daily needs of many drivers.

While we’re no fans of the CVT that quickly revs the engine when stronger acceleration is in order, everything calms down once you reach cruising speed.

Starting in downtown NYC, the Corsair Grand Touring took off silently, or so to speak. There’s still that artificial sound at low speeds letting you know you’re driving in pure electric mode. Once the vehicle gets going at a faster pace, the artificial sound goes away. Downtown New York, the cabin demonstrated once more that it’s well insulated. 

The ICE-engine kicked in one time when we attempted a more spirited passing maneuver, but the interior remained remarkably quiet, nevertheless. And while we’re no fans of the CVT that quickly revs the engine when stronger acceleration is in order, everything calms down once you reach cruising speed.

Despite riding on large 20-inch wheels, the 2023 Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring is clearly not the sportiest or sharpest crossover in its class, but we still found it enjoyable. Steering provides just enough feedback to let drivers drive as they please when the road gets twisty. The comfort-tuned suspension does create a bit of body roll when pushed to the limit. However, given its focus on fuel economy, no one should expect the Corsair to handle like a Ford Mustang.

Corsair hybrid range

Speaking of which, the EPA estimates that the EV mode can drive the crossover for up to 28 miles. In Canada, this translates to 43 km or silent cruising. As for gas consumption, the Corsair is rated at 34 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway. In Canada, Natural Resources Canada (NRC) rates the Corsair Grand Touring at a combined 7.1 L/100 km in hybrid mode. 

Takeaway: is the new Corsair PHEV better?

The answer is yes, mostly because of the upgrade inside, with that big touchscreen and the availability of the updated BlueCruise 1.2 system. Overall, the fuel consumption is great and the drive is relaxed. Maybe it’s not as sporty as some German competitors, but that’s not the new Corsair’s MO.

End of the day, Lincoln’s updated compact luxury hauler levels up for 2023 in all the right areas. But none of this comes as a surprise considering the Corsair is the company’s best-selling product, in a highly competitive compact SUV segment no less.

Here’s a look at the entire Lincoln SUV lineup today.