Three Things Know About the 2020 Lincoln Corsair

The Corsair is a greatest hits album of features from Lincoln’s crossover and SUV lineup, and manages both refinement and comfort in a compact package. In short, it’s got the looks, features, and upscale interior to play with the heavy hitters.

Having tested both of Lincoln’s other big boy vehicles, the Aviator and the Navigator, it’s easy to see the similarities here. That’s a good thing, because many of the design elements and refinements that the larger and more expensive vehicles get have trickled down to the Corsair. Let’s take a look at three things that make it a winner.

It’s Beautiful

Beauty’s in the eye of the beholder, it’s true, but almost any beholder will think that the Corsair looks fantastic. Lincoln’s move to update the front ends of its vehicles with a more muscular and imposing grille and shape has made them all consistently handsome. The Corsair isn’t a large SUV, sharing a platform with the compact Ford Escape crossover, but its strong lines and clean exterior styling give it a long and lean look.

The Corsair’s cabin is truly a work of art. From the dash to the rear liftgate, the interior is gorgeous. Wood and metal meet in long trim pieces that span the length of the dash and down each door. Controls for the climate and audio systems are both mounted on a clever floating panel just below the infotainment screen, and the dark color of the lower cabin makes it seem like the control panel is floating in mid-air. It’s a unique effect, and one that makes the Corsair feel special and inviting. The seats manage to be sculpted and comfortable, and the rich leather upholstery looks great as well.

It’s Plush and Comfortable

Being a Lincoln, the Corsair has big shoes to fill in the comfort department. It not only fills those shoes but does so without leaving any doubt that it’s a true luxury crossover. My test vehicle was equipped with the $11,540 Reserve II package, which brings 24-way power seats with it. There’s a wonderfully warm sense of power when you can adjust the driver’s seat in nearly any way possible. One downside to that luxury is that, for shorter drivers, the armrest can end up far behind the seat and out of reach.

That opulence doesn’t increase the size of the back seat, however, which means that tall adults and kids in car seats will find a tough time with leg room. The Corsair’s back seat is every bit as comfortable as you’d expect the back seat of a Lincoln to be, but the lack of leg room is a big downfall.

It’s got plenty of equipment

My Corsair test vehicle came with a host of upgrades and options, but the standard crossover comes with plenty to like out of the box. The Corsair’s standard equipment list includes active noise control, a reverse sensing system, a power liftgate, LED headlights and tail lights, selectable drive modes, remote start, SYNC 3 with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto capabilities, and more. Lincoln also includes its Co-Pilot360 safety system in every Corsair model, which brings automatic high beams, pre-collision assist with automatic emergency braking, a lane keeping system, and blind spot monitors with rear cross-traffic alerts.

It’s nearly impossible to call a vehicle with an almost $60,000 price tag a good value, so I won’t try that approach. What I will do is note that the Corsair’s driving experience and feature set live up to its price tag in such a way that, if I’d spent the money on it I wouldn’t feel bad. That is, if I had the money for one, which I don’t. Those that do are faced with several great options from competitors, both foreign and domestic, so the decision to buy will come down to a matter of opinion on driving dynamics, options, and appearance. From behind the wheel, the Lincoln seems like a winner to me.

I cover autos and technology for several outlets online and in print. My goal is to bring the complex and sometimes confusing automotive world into focus for everyone. The views and opinions expressed here are my own and may not align with the founders of Everyday Driver.