By Veeno Dewan
The 2022 Lincoln Corsair is a compact, luxury CUV based on the Ford Escape underpinnings, Lincoln designer have done an excellent job of making the exterior look fresh with a nice, bespoke tailored look to the body. It looks expensive and jewel- like. The intricate 20-inch optional multi – spoke wheels really set the Corsair off.
Not many changes to the Corsair for 2022 apart from the introduction of a new Corsair plug-in hybrid model called Corsair Grand Touring with a gas engine, electric motor, and a 14.4-kwh battery pack, which charges up with a home Level 2 charger in less than three hours.
Lincoln is hoping the Corsair will appeal to young professionals who want to get into the Lincoln brand and prize good looks, utility, fuel efficiency, luxury, and comfort. To that end Lincoln have made Interior fit and finish, very high end, with liberal sprinklings of chrome and gloss black trim, is appropriately applied. With a high-quality leather appointed trim, a lot of work has gone into making the Corsair as upmarket as possible.
The Corsair offers three drivetrains, with the base Standard AWD getting a 2.0L turb-four producing 250 hp. Buyers of the upscale Reserve version have the option of a 2.0L and a slightly more powerful 280-hp 2.3L turbo four. The top-level plug-in hybrid Grand Touring (As tested.) pairs a 2.5L four with and an electric motor and CVT. This system makes 266 horsepower, and claimed range on electricity alone is 40 km, more if you are light footed on the throttle.
Price wise, the $43,200 the Corsair Standard is the least expensive Lincoln with as standard: power heated front seats, 18-inch wheels, a power tailgate, synthetic leather upholstery, 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and more. Options include navigation, a split-folding rear seat, and all-wheel drive,
The upmarket fully equipped Reserve starts at $48,500 with AWD and is an extra $8,500 for the 2.3L four-cylinder model with the Sport Package. The premium Plug- in electric Grand Touring, starts at $56,500, and adds luxury such as: a surround-view camera system, automatic park assist, and 14-speaker Revel audio, and more , to push its price to well over $70,000.fully optioned.
The Corsair is big on technology, and includes “Phone as a Key,” an app that lets you use a compatible smartphone as a key fob to start the engine lock or unlock the doors or operate the liftgate. The Corsair also offers Lincoln Co-Pilot360 Plus. Featuring such amenities as adaptive cruise control functions in stop-and-go traffic, speed limit signs scanning the capacity to slows down if the limit drops there is also steering assist if you can’t stop in time, and an auto brake feature if you’re about to back into something. There is also a fully autonomous self-parking feature. Interior wise, the cabin is impressive, with soft-touch materials and high-grade leather delivering luxurious opulence—it is really exceptional for the segment. The backseat provides ample room and can be moved forward or backward to increase legroom or cargo space. One cool feature is, instead of warning chimes, the Corsair warns about unbuckled seatbelts and open doors with notes recorded by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra! To complete the luxury experience, the Corsair is available with 24-way front seats with a massage function. The rear seats slide fore and aft for legroom, and fold flat for more cargo space. Cool, blue ambient lighting on the passenger dash panel, the doors and foot wells also set off the interior. The Grand Touring model fully optioned has virtually every luxury convenience feature you can think of. On the road , the first thing that surprises you is the serene, hushed ride, no doubt in part to the Corsair’s active noise control system. The Corsair is peppy to drive with stable, no drama handling. It feels agile, and responsive. A high ride height, great visibility and a somewhat sporty ride make the everyday driving experience pleasant. The Corsair’s standard suspension handles rough roads without drama. The steering’s feedback is tuned to a mix of decent low and high-speed feedback and gives the Corsair a sporty luxury diving experience. Optional adaptive suspension, soften the ride even better on the bigger 20-inch wheels. As for the all-electric range we got around 45- 50 km. while Lincoln claims an official average of 7.0L/100 km for the hybrid model.
Not a lot to complain about. It is priced well in base from, but options stay jacking the price up. The Reserve is great buy for a little more with its extra equipment, while the PHEV is the one to get if fuel economy is important. A good alternative to the usual German and Japanese premium cohorts. Highly recommended.
2022 Lincoln Corsair priced from $46,900: plus, options, taxes, and fees.
More info at www.linclon.ca
