2021 Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring First Test: Luxury Trumps Performance
The 2021 Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring sounds like a losing proposition. Why pay Nautilus midsize SUV money for a compact SUV? Well, the Corsair's design for starters. The 2021 Lincoln Corsair's attractive curves gracefully slice through the luxury SUV noise—look elsewhere for angular or sporty styling. Now consider the Grand Touring model's plug-in hybrid powertrain, and the Corsair begins to make sense. This intriguing Lincoln is one refresh away from true excellence, but the Corsair Grand Touring already offers enough to steer open-minded shoppers away from Audi, Volvo, and Lexus dealerships.
A Shrinking Segment
With plug-in hybrid versions of the Mercedes-Benz GLC and BMW X3 discontinued for the U.S. market, only four players remain. Lexus burst onto the scene with the new NX450h+, Volvo has the long-running XC60 T8, Audi offers the Q5 TFSI e, and Lincoln sells the Corsair Grand Touring. All four deliver on the promise of plug-in hybrids—great efficiency like a hybrid, but with miles of electric-only range. Recharge them by plugging in at night, then set out the next day on EV-only propulsion once again. When it's time for a road trip, the SUV turns into a conventional hybrid; the gas-fueled engine takes you wherever you want to go. That's what makes plug-in hybrids so appealing. Despite their greater powertrain complexity, they can serve as an introduction to electric cars.
If you aren't ready to try fully electric models, the Lexus NX350h also exists in this space. A standard non-PHEV hybrid, the NX350h undercuts the Lincoln and its direct competitors in price but can't match the flexibility a plug-in provides.
Grand Touring = Best Performing Lincoln Corsair?
Comfort and smoothness are higher priorities for Lincoln than sportiness, but who says you can't enjoy those qualities swiftly? The 2021 Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring (and essentially the unchanged 2022 model, which starts at $51,525 and would cost $62,125 similarly equipped) enter the plug-in compact luxury SUV segment with 266 hp from an Atkinson-cycle 2.5-liter I-4 and its electric motors. Acceleration to 60 mph takes 6.3 seconds, quicker than the base 250-hp Corsair 2.0 (7.3 seconds) and two tenths of a second ahead of the 295-hp Corsair 2.3. The Corsair Grand Touring's 6.3-second performance comes in hybrid mode; travel in EV-only mode, and responses are more leisurely unless you press the throttle all the way down—the Lincoln will then get the message and turn on the gas engine again.
The 2021 Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring faces quicker competition outside of the Lincoln dealership. The last Volvo XC60 T8 Recharge we tested hit 60 in just 5.0 seconds. An updated model offered alongside the standard T8 Recharge version is said to shave a half second from that time, which would match a 2021 Audi Q5 plug-in hybrid we tested. The Audi hybrid reached 60 in only 4.5 seconds. As for the new NX450h+, a 5.5-second time means Lexus is still certifiably quick unless your other car is a Corvette or Tesla.
What the Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring numbers don't tell you is how the engine sounds. For a luxury SUV, it's simply too loud. If you never drove the competition, you might never know to expect better, but of course we have—and we do. The Audi, for one, is quieter for around-town driving when the engine is on.
Otherwise, the Corsair Grand Touring delivers on the unofficial Lincoln promise of quiet and comfortable cruising. An adaptive suspension is standard on the plug-in, and the ride quality is good, even on our test SUV's gorgeous 20-inch wheels. You'll experience slightly more body motions from the Lincoln than you might from the Audi, and the steering lacks feel. The Lincoln's planetary continuously variable transmission is smoother in everyday driving, however, and the brakes feel fine until the very end of their travel, when they pull back more than you'd expect. Drivers can get used to this Grand Touring quirk without much trouble, and no SUV in this four-vehicle segment has perfect brake feel. There's room for improvement, but Lincoln did a good job here.
In 60-0-mph panic braking, the 2021 Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring comes to a stop in 115 feet, which compares to 131 feet for the 2022 Lexus NX450h+, 116 feet for the 2021 Audi Q5 plug-in, and 114 feet for the Volvo XC60 T8 Recharge. One note from our test team about the Lincoln: The brakes began to smell during this part of its time at the track, which involves four consecutive stops from 60 mph. In figure-eight testing, which evaluates braking, acceleration, handling, and the transitions in between, the Corsair fared surprisingly well for a luxury-first SUV. The Lincoln completed the MotorTrend course in 26.9 seconds at 0.64 g (average), far better than the 2022 Lexus NX450h (28.4 seconds at 0.57 g) and not much different from a 2020 Lincoln Corsair 2.3 (27.3 seconds at 0.67 g)
On the road, the Corsair lacks the light and entertaining feel that defines the Ford Escape, one SUV the Lincoln shares its platform with. With Lincoln's focus on luxury, however, that's not a huge loss. Drive the Corsair Grand Touring sensibly, and the Lincoln remains in its element.
Lincoln Range and Efficiency vs. Lexus, Audi, and Volvo
Range is hugely important in a plug-in hybrid; models with greater range allow you more time to luxuriously glide along under electric power. The Lincoln has a 14.4-kWh lithium-ion battery pack and manages the second-best EPA-rated PHEV efficiency rating, behind only the Lexus. Electric-only range comes in at 28 miles, again second best to the class-leading Lexus. Volvo trails the pack in efficiency and EV range but is preparing another T8 Recharge model with a claimed 32 miles of EV range.
Vehicle EV Range PHEV Efficiency, EPA Combined Efficiency as a Hybrid, EPA Comb. 2022 Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring 28 miles 78 mpg-e 33 mpg 2022 Lexus NX450h+ 37 miles 84 mpg-e 36 mpg 2022 Audi Q5 TFSI e 23 miles 61 mpg-e 26 mpg 2022 Volvo XC60 T8 Recharge 19 miles 57 mpg-e 25 mpg Show AllAfter your electric miles are up, the Lincoln's four-cylinder engine takes over seamlessly, and the luxury SUV operates as a hybrid. As with the competition, drive modes allow you to save your EV juice for later if you want. Put it all together, and the Lincoln can travel farther in EV or normal hybrid modes than the Audi and Volvo models presently rated by the EPA, but not as far as the Lexus.
We just wish the Lincoln Corsair didn't have a worst-in-class 11.1-gallon gas tank. The tiny tank means you'll stop sooner on long highway road trips. But for day-to-day driving, the average luxury SUV customer will likely want the Lincoln's extra EPA-rated range over the electrifying speed of the Audi and Volvo. Once the updated XC60 T8 Recharge arrives in the U.S., the extra EV range may make it more of a player. The Corsair Grand Touring, however, undercuts that Volvo and others by thousands with its low-$50,000 base price. Our optioned-up test SUV carried an MSRP in the low-$60,000 range, like the Lexus and Audi but still below the Volvo.
With the Lincoln, expect charging to take around 3.5 hours on a Level-2 240-volt charger, or 11 hours with a standard 110-volt outlet. As this is written, the Lincoln qualifies for a $6,843 tax credit. That's less than the $7,500 you can get for the Lexus and the 2022-model-year Audi but more than the Volvo's $5,419. (The new longer-range XC60 qualifies for the full $7,500.)
Lincoln Luxury Inside Is a Mixed Bag
Inside, the 2021 Lincoln Corsair's interior mostly justifies its $61,035 price, depending on what you seek from a luxury SUV. We still appreciate the Detroit Symphony Orchestra-sourced entry chimes and the soft material on the inside of the door pulls—the latter is a detail Lincoln and Lexus regularly get right. The center stack of controls might look intimidating at first, but over the course of our time with the SUV, we found them easy to use without even looking down. The Audi has a higher standard of interior quality, but more of the Lincoln's interior controls can be operated quickly, from volume and tuning to temperature and fan speed. That's thanks to the angle of the center stack—it's not completely vertical like so many other cars—and because of its mix of tabs and physical knobs.
The biggest drawback inside isn't materials or the large Ford-sourced key fob. Rather, it's the tech. The Corsair's 8.0-inch screen isn't angled toward the driver the way the screens in the Audi and Lexus are, nor is it big enough to meet today's standards. No, bigger isn't always better, but in this case the size is a downer, whether you're using the split-screen display within Apple CarPlay or using the 360-degree camera system.
Lincoln's 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster has style but could also use some updating. The configurable system's pared-back aesthetic looks premium, and there are even a couple plug-in hybrid-specific displays. Even so, we hope future Corsairs will display more characters in the audio display; with so much available screen space, the song title shouldn't cut off as often as it does. Elsewhere in this segment, we're not fans of the XC60's narrow, vertical infotainment touchscreen, but the 10.1-inch touchscreen in the Q5 and 14.0-inch touchscreen in the NX work well.
In the Lincoln, you can sooth any tech frustrations with the available massaging seats. Thanks to the Corsair's lower base price, adding options still allows you—in terms of bang for your buck—to add even more options. That means it's easy to check the box for the massaging front seats and the superb 14-speaker Revel sound system. Also, despite the Corsair's smaller overall length compared to the others, it offers a good-sized 26.9 cubic feet of cargo space.
The Verdict
Try the Lincoln Corsair if you're comfortable driving a luxury vehicle that's no Lexus or Audi in terms of brand cachet. Where the Lincoln charts its own course in this segment is its clear focus on luxury, not sportiness—that's going to be a good thing for the right buyer. Although the Corsair Grand Touring lacks standout appeal in this foursome of SUVs, the Lincoln compensates for it with generally good scores almost everywhere else.
Say it with us: There's no such thing as a perfect car. But if you can handle a small touchscreen and above-average engine noise, the Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring is worth considering, even against rivals from Audi, Volvo, and Lexus. We just can't wait for the refresh.
Looks good! More details?2021 Lincoln Corsair (Grand Touring AWD) SPECIFICATIONS
BASE PRICE $51,485 PRICE AS TESTED $61,035 VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, front/rear motor, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door SUV ENGINE 2.5L port-injected Atkinson-cycle DOHC 16-valve I-4 plus permanent-magnet elec motors POWER (SAE NET) 163 hp @ 6,250 rpm (gas), 67+48 hp (elec); 266 hp (comb) TORQUE (SAE NET) 155 lb-ft @ 4,500 rpm (gas), 173+111 hp (elec) TRANSMISSION Cont variable auto CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 4,573 lb (54/46%) WHEELBASE 106.7 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 180.6 x 74.3 x 63.8 in 0-60 MPH 6.3 sec QUARTER MILE 14.8 sec @ 95.1 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 115 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.83 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 26.9 sec @ 0.64 g (avg) EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 34/32/33 mpg (gas), 83/72/78* mpg EPA RANGE, COMB 430* mi ON SALE Now *EPA blended-PHEV (charge-depleting) mode testing, with vehicles set to their default drive and brake-regeneration modes. Show AllYou may also like
This is it. The end of an era. The 2024 Bugatti Mistral will be the last car the storied hypercar maker will ever build with the mighty quad-turbo, 8.0-liter, W-16 engine. Just 99 will be built, and despite a $5.1-million price tag, all are sold.The Mistral is powered by the same 1600-hp version of the W-16 that propels the record-breaking Chiron Super Sport 300+, making it the most potent open-top internal combustion engine production car ever built. Bugatti's previous roadster, the 1,200-hp Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse, set an open-top production car speed record of 254.04 mph in 2013. Bugatti design director Achim Anscheidt says the company is planning to top 260 mph in the Mistral.It's More Than What's UnderneathThe Mistral is basically a Chiron Super Sport under the skin. But it's more than just a Chiron Super Sport with the roof removed. "You can't just cut open a Chiron," says Anscheidt, not the least, he points out, because that would compromise the sweeping arc that starts at the A-pillar and loops around the side of the car. "It would look terrible."The Mistral's tauter surfaces and crisper lines are more than just a solution to an existing design challenge. They hint at the styling direction for the next-generation plug-in hybrid Bugatti currently under development in a new design and engineering hub in Berlin, Germany, and in Zagreb, Croatia, site of the global headquarters of the Bugatti Rimac Group headed by Mate Rimac. There are elements of the Bugatti Divo in the Mistral's overall form, though it's nowhere near as extreme in terms of its detailing. "Divo was quite aggressive," concedes Anscheidt. "This car simplifies that quite a bit. Bugatti has a strong graphic DNA, and the stronger the graphic DNA, the calmer the rest of the car can be."The famous horseshoe grille is the widest yet seen on a modern Bugatti and is framed by large cooling vents, vertically stacked headlights, and ducts that create air curtains along either side of the car to improve aerodynamic efficiency. The dramatic rear taillight graphic is derived from that of the track-only Bugatti Bolide. "That car had such a strong identity," Anschedt said. "We wanted to transfer that to a production car."Whereas the Chiron's looping body-side signature hides engine air and oil cooler intakes, in the Mistral these have been visually separated. The side vents are for the oil coolers only, while hot air exits at the rear of the car between the diagonal elements of the rear lights.Lots of Engine, No RoofThe Mistral's mighty W-16 gulps almost 2,500 cubic feet of air per minute at full throttle through two giant scoops mounted behind the seats. The intake openings are slightly larger than those of the Chiron Super Sport, but they have been engineered so the airflow is the same. The scoops funnel to a new airbox with a new filter setup and are strong enough to take the 4,400-plus-pound weight of the car in the event of a roll over.A bridge between the two scoops hides a small glass panel designed to prevent hot air from the engine compartment from washing into the open cockpit. There is no roof, and none is planned other than a small emergency cover. Bugatti roadster owners don't drive in the rain.The Mistral's steeply raked A-pillars and side windows echo those of the one-of-a-kind, $18.9-million Bugatti La Voiture Noire. The updated A-pillars, which can also support the weight of the car in a rollover, required a major rework of the top part of the Chiron tub. Strengthening elements have also been laid into the sills and the central tunnel of the tub to compensate for the lack of a roof. As a result, the Mistral weighs about the same as a Chiron Super Sport and has very similar suspension settings."The target was for the car to drive like a Super Sport," Bugatti deputy design director Frank Heyl said. The Mistral doesn't have the extended tail and larger rear wing of the Super Sport, however; instead, additional downforce is provided by a redesigned rear diffuser, which—as in all Chirons—is blown over by two of the six exhaust outlets. The Mistral's other four exhausts exit through a single central outlet.Opulence, It Has ItThe Mistral's opulently trimmed cabin features leather on the doors and seats hand-woven by workers in the Bugatti design department. The shifter on the center console is machined from a solid block of aluminum but includes a wood insert and, set in amber, a bronze miniature of Rembrandt Bugatti's famous dancing elephant sculpture, originally used as the hood ornament on the extravagant Type 41 built between 1927 and 1933.The amber, as well as the yellow-and-black color combination, recall colors and materials favored by the Bugatti family. If they choose, instead of a dancing elephant miniature, Mistral owners can opt to have their own special keepsakes encased in the shifter.The Mistral is also the first Volkswagen Group Bugatti not to carry a name from the marque's past—Veyron and Chiron were the names of Bugatti racing drivers from the 1930s. When asked what Mistral means, Aschim Anscheidt jokes: "It means that Maserati [which built a car called the Mistral between 1963 and 1970] didn't renew the trademark."More seriously, the name, which comes from a strong wind that blows down the Rhône Valley and through southern France, is meant to reinforce Bugatti's credentials as a French brand, despite its Croatian and German owners. That's also the reason for the red-white-and-blue tricolor band near the front wheels.The Bugatti Mistral has been designed to send off the W-16 in grand style, to celebrate the unique sound and titanic thrust of one of the most extraordinary engines ever put in a production car. And if the Grand Sport Vitesse roadster, a car we said offered the Bugatti Veyron experience in shattering 7.1 surround sound, is any guide, driving the Mistral will indeed be a spectacular experience.
WHAT IT IS: A sibling to the Ford F-150 Lightning full-size electric pickup truck, expanding the Ford F-Series family with a new electric Ranger pickup.WHY IT MATTERS: Demand for the Ford F-150 Lightning has exceeded the automaker's wildest dreams, with demand far outstripping supply. Not surprisingly, Ford CEO Jim Farley said there is another electric truck planned. When you strike gold, it makes sense to mine a similar vein. High-volume vehicles are key to Ford's aspirations to become the leader in EVs and scale will also help to reduce cost.PLATFORM AND POWERTRAIN: Farley and his team are not sharing details of the EV addition to the F-Series family, but Farley ruled out an electric F-250, F-350, or F-450 for now, and has also said it the truck is different from the next-gen Lightning. Which means Ford is most likely going smaller.Recent trademark filings for Maverick Lightning and Ranger Lightning may reveal Ford's hand. A Ford Ranger Lightning is the most logical next move, and would give the company a fresh EV in a segment that continues to gain popularity. Ford has said the new, next-gen, electric pickup will be made at the new Blue Oval City plant in Stanton, Tennessee, which will also make next-gen Lightnings, starting in 2025.We can't rule out a performance F-150: an electric Raptor, on the new, dedicated EV platform for the next-generation Lightning, which would mean more than the 580 horsepower and 775 lb-ft of torque already available on the current Lightning. But that will probably come down the road, after the smaller trucks.As the trademark filing and previous speculation indicate, at some point there will also be an electric version of the Ford Maverick, the car-based small lifestyle pickup that is currently available with a hybrid powertrain. But we think this is further out, given its role as an affordable, entry-level vehicle for the brand that no longer has entry-level cars. The Maverick has the least in common with the body-on-frame full-size F-Series family; the car-based truck uses the same platform as the Ford Escape. While Ford is protecting the trademark now, that's not necessarily an indication that it's imminent.ESTIMATED PRICE: $35,000EXPECTED ON-SALE DATE: 2025
mazda mazda3 Full OverviewAspiration toward a higher plane of luxury and refinement is a near-universal notion. Plenty of us Yanks would call it the American dream, but the idea is far from exclusive to those living in the States. Mazda has been working at it for years.The Japanese automaker has been known for decades as the sportier alternative to similarly priced Hondas and Toyotas (insert the well-worn "zoom-zoom" tagline here), but it's been striving toward a different brand identity as of late. Based on its product strategy over the past five years and having developed a rear-drive hybrid inline-six platform for the next Mazda 6 and a pair of new SUVs, it's obvious Mazda is working to go upscale along the lines of Lexus or Acura.But what of its current lineup? With the optional turbocharged engine, AWD, and the Premium Plus package, our 2022 Mazda 3 test vehicle rang in at a steep for the segment $34,115—more than $10K richer than a base Honda Civic and within three grand of a BMW 228i Gran Coupe. So the question becomes, is a loaded Mazda 3 a proper luxury alternative, or a cheap compact with a handful of extra features?Test Figures and Driving ImpressionsOne thing's for sure, this particular Mazda 3 isn't your basic front-drive compact sedan with a wheezy four-cylinder. Its optional 2.5-liter turbo inline-four develops 227 hp (or 250 hp on premium fuel) and 310 lb-ft of torque; both numbers are the highest you'll find in the compact segment this side of a Civic Type R or a Subaru WRX.Here are the numbers: 0-60 mph in 6.4 seconds and the quarter mile in 14.8 seconds at 94.6 mph. For context, when we tested an AWD Mazda 3 with the standard naturally aspirated four-pot kicking out 186 hp and 186 lb-ft, it reached 60 mph in 8.1 seconds and took 16.2 seconds to run the quarter. (By comparison, our long-term BMW 228i Gran Coupe took 6.0 seconds to hit 60 mph.) Braking from 60 to 0 mph was slightly better in the Mazda 3 turbo car, too, taking 120 feet and 122 feet, respectively, to get to a full stop. That's quite a bit off the stopping power of the new Honda Civic Si, however, which hauls to 0 mph in just 110 feet.On the road, this top-spec Mazda 3 delivers a driving experience that's more refined and mature than you'd expect of this class of vehicle. The turbo-four's plentiful torque provides a good shove any time you explore the latter half of the throttle's pedal travel, plus the earlier peak torque disguises the aging six-speed automatic tranny's lack of cogs compared to some of its peers. Additionally, noise, vibration, and harshness levels from the powertrain are better than some entry-level luxury cars.The steering is weighty and accurate, even providing a bit of feel. This is one area where Mazda's sporting history shines through. Ride quality is firmer than a more relaxed compact like the Hyundai Elantra, but that pays off in the 3's superb body control and stable handling. The platform feels rock-solid through corners and is happy to keep up when you get excited on a twisty two-lane. We had a chance to drive in snow and ice, too; the AWD system shuffled torque fore and aft to keep the little Mazda pointed straight and the driver unworried. The traction control system severely limits power, but you can turn it off and have a bit of fun when you do.All that said, Mazda's driver assist system isn't programmed to be nearly as supportive as those from Honda, Hyundai, Kia, or Toyota. Lane centering hardly ever engages, and the adaptive cruise control occasionally exhibits unnatural braking behavior. If you want something that minimizes fatigue on the highway with modern active safety features, the Mazda 3 isn't it.Design ExcellenceThe Mazda 3 easily looks like the most expensive vehicle in the compact segment, with a dash-to-axle spacing that disguises its FWD underpinnings better than competitors like the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class and BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe. Its LED head- and taillights are distinctively premium, and the way the turn signals blink on strong and slowly fade looks like it's straight off an Audi.Inside, the 2022 Mazda 3's interior layout is minimalist without feeling cheap, and there are no finicky touch buttons; you get expensive-feeling knobs for climate control and volume, which is a huge plus. This is what elegance and class can feel like in a relatively inexpensive vehicle. Materials and build quality feel top notch, too, and the ergonomics are excellent other than the cupholders, which aren't ideal for taller drinks.Some staffers experienced issues with the infotainment system (it can take a few too many steps to find basic functions like a radio tuner), but in many ways it comes off as a better-executed version of an older BMW iDrive system. Mazda's use of a rotary infotainment controller rather than a touchscreen allows the standard 8.8-inch infotainment display to be mounted high on the dash, which means drivers can keep their peripheral vision on the road while selecting a podcast or adding a gas station to their navigation route.That's not to say the interior isn't missing a few features given its nearly $35,000 price point. Even fully loaded, the Mazda 3 lacks cooled seats, wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, rear climate control vents, and a wireless charging pad—all of which are available in lower-priced competitors. It's also worth noting that the Mazda's rear seat is the tightest in the segment. Six-footers will be brushing their noggins on the headliner, and sharp impacts aren't going to be easy on the spine.Is the Mazda 3 Turbo a Good Car?The turbocharged and loaded-up 2022 Mazda 3 isn't a vehicle for everyone. Its back seat is exceedingly small and poorly equipped, the driver-assist tech is way behind those of the competition, and some folks won't vibe with the infotainment system's occasionally convoluted layout. There are competitors with more features, too. But would we take it over an entry-level luxury sedan like the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe? In a heartbeat.Looks good! More details? 2022 Mazda 3 Sedan AWD Turbo Specifications BASE PRICE $31,565 PRICE AS TESTED $34,115 VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan ENGINE 2.5L Turbo direct-injected DOHC 16-valve I-4 POWER (SAE NET) 227 hp @ 5,000 rpm* TORQUE (SAE NET) 310 lb-ft @ 2,000 rpm TRANSMISSION 6-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 3,376 lb (62/38%) WHEELBASE 107.3 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 183.5 x 70.7 x 56.9 in 0-60 MPH 6.4 sec QUARTER MILE 14.8 sec @ 94.6 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 120 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.84 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 26.6 sec @ 0.67 g (avg) EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 23/32/27 mpg EPA RANGE, COMB 343 miles ON SALE Now *250 hp on 93-octane fuel Show All
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