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
ram 1500-trx Full OverviewYes, we're calling our $91,185 2021 Ram 1500 TRX a good road trip vehicle in a time when the premium gas it guzzles costs nearly $6.00 per gallon near our office. No, we don't believe things are better just by virtue of being expensive, but sometimes, an expensive thing is expensive because it's actually good, and when it comes to long-distance travel, our Ram TRX long-term tester is king.Let's start with a few simple facts. If you can comfortably afford a $90,000 truck, you can afford the gas. You may not want to, but it isn't hard to find another truck with better fuel economy if that's the case. Either way, you know what you're getting into. If you're even considering a TRX, you want what it has to offer: big power, cushy off-road suspension, all the comfort features, and an overdose of truck attitude. More than anything, you want a truck. If you're going to get a truck anyway, and you want to be king of the interstate on your next family vacation, the Ram 1500 TRX is your chariot. Those fancy Bilstein shocks might've been developed for desert racing, but they're equally awesome on the highway. The TRX floats over the bad pavement left in the wake of 80-ton big rigs as easily as it goes down a trail.Available only with the four-door Crew Cab, the TRX is as massive on the inside as it is on the outside. People riding up front get big, comfy captain's chairs, and the folks in the back have all the legroom in the world. Blow $21,000 on options like we did, and you get everything from 12-way power leather heated seats, cooled front buckets, leather-wrapped grab handles, and a heated steering wheel to make the trip more comfortable. Before you even get in, you can pre-condition the cabin with the remote start function. That's a great way to enjoy the Ram's V-8 burble while making the cabin nice and comfy.You can also make those long interstate slogs easier on the driver. Our Ram has adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, blind-spot warnings, automatic wipers, a head-up display, and more. That's on top of the standard 12.0-inch portrait-oriented infotainment screen that does split-screen CarPlay or Android Auto so you can still use other functions at the same time.Then, there's the driver's favorite feature: 702 supercharged horsepower, standard. Merging on the freeway? Going up a hill? Passing slow traffic? Got the truck loaded down with gear or a trailer? All of the above, simultaneously? Just apply throttle, and all your problems are solved.You know how it goes. At some point in the road trip, there's always that one car up ahead that's camping in the left lane, pacing traffic in the right lane instead of passing. Once enough traffic stacks up behind the two, your options for getting ahead become scarce and don't last long. With a 702 hp V-8, you can make the most of them.We do, of course, have to talk about the gas mileage. If you're coming out of a truck that's 12 years old like the average new vehicle buyer in America, 10 to 14 mpg is nothing new for you. Might even be an improvement. On a recent trip to Phoenix and back, we set the cruise control at 80 mph, and the truck still self-reported more than 14 mpg (the EPA highway rating). Not great compared to other modern trucks, but not all that bad considering this thing is a flying brick with ample seating for five powered by a massive supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 being driven by people who can expense the gas.Sure, filling the 33-gallon tank hurts at $6 a gallon (or sometimes more), so much so we advise people to fill up at a quarter-tank so they don't have to run two transactions when the credit card cuts off—$175 fill-ups suck, but at least you can go nearly 400 miles on that gas, hopefully to a region with lower prices.The TRX is wildly expensive and impractical in many ways, but if you're going to buy one anyway, you'll be happy to know it's as pleasant to drive on the good old-fashioned family vacation as it is crossing the country off-road on the Trans-America Trail.Looks good! More details?More on Our Long-Term Ram 1500 TRXThe Ram 1500 TRX Joins the MT GarageWhich Is Quicker—a Charger SRT 392 Scat Pack or the TRX That Towed It to the Track?…And What About a TRX or a Rivian R1T?The TRX Isn't a Great Forest Service TruckBut It Is a Good MudderHuge Power Saves This Ship
alfa-romeo stelvio Full OverviewProsPunchy engineStrong, beautiful designFun to drive ConsSmall infotainment screenToned-down cabinTight interiorEverything sounds better in Italian, and the badge applied to the 2022 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Veloce is no exception. "Veloce" means "quick" in English, but can you imagine a vehicle called, say, the Ford Quick or the Chevy Fast? Yeah, no. Yet in Italian, the same word sounds sexy. But best of all, the Stelvio Veloce is indeed fast, sporty, and spirited.The Veloce trim came on board for the 2022 model year, replacing the Ti Sport trim. It's the highest available model with the standard turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder, which happens to be the most powerful base engine in the luxury compact SUV segment.Veloce but Not Molto VeloceWith 280 hp and 306 lb-ft of torque, there's no doubt the Stelvio has guts. Step on the throttle, and the response is immediate, and full torque is on tap from just 2,000 rpm. That's among the ingredients that make the Stelvio one of the sportiest SUVs, as is the eight-speed automatic transmission that likes to hold gears when Dynamic mode is active. Even the default Natural mode is a delight, though; the transmission is relatively snappy, and the perfectly linear steering delivers a wealth of feedback. In all modes, it's possible the Stelvio might ride a little too stiffly for some, but excellent damping takes the edges off the harshest impacts, and we enjoy having a better feel for the road.Unfortunately, there's a bit of un-veloce here: Despite that muscular turbo-four, at 5.9 seconds, the Stelvio Veloce is a little bit slower than some other compact luxury SUVs to 60 mph. The time is good overall, but in our testing it trails slightly behind the 2022 Porsche Macan (5.6 seconds), 2021 Audi Q5 (5.7 seconds), and even the last Stelvio we tested—a 2018 Ti Sport (5.4 seconds). But it's ahead of the 2022 Genesis GV70 2.5T (6.0 seconds), 2021 Acura RDXand 2022 BMW X3 xDrive 30i (6.4 seconds each).But the numbers aren't the full story. Combine its responsive powertrain with its capable, composed, and confidence-inspiring chassis, and the Stelvio Veloce is, in fact, perfectly veloce. Wherever you're driving it, the Stelvio behaves more like a lifted hot hatchback, feeling quick off the line and allowing drivers to attack back roads with a zeal that makes miles disappear faster than they might in a number of more appliance-like competitors. "I like that the steering is friction free and that the rim is thin," road test editor Chris Walton said. "This allows you to steer with your fingertips and not your palms."Overall, the experience behind that wheel is engaging, and the Stevlio's personality and captivating experience are what distinguish it from the rest of the segment—and make it the target of discerning drivers who need an SUV.Gorgeous Exterior, Subpar InteriorDespite being four years old, the 2022 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Veloce remains one of the best-looking SUVs in the segment. Like its Giulia sedan stablemate, the Stelvio has aged well and continues to look sharp even when newer models have entered the market. Unfortunately, that's not the case inside. Although there isn't anything wrong with the cabin, its plain layout lacks the attention to detail and sophistication of other SUVs in the segment.The 8.8-inch touchscreen is quite small for today's standards, and although we like its functionality and placement in the center console, the infotainment system feels antiquated and lacks updated graphics. There is no wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, and it's a bit hard to explore or find what you need given the limited menu buttons.The rest of the cabin lacks the plushness we've seen in other SUVs, as well. There's nothing that will grab the attention of anyone getting into a Stelvio for the first time. The ergonomics are perfectly fine, with everything within reach of the driver, and there are hard buttons for the A/C and a volume knob, but designers missed an opportunity to make the interior more elegant and premium. In addition, interior space is a bit tight for those in the rear seats, with a big drivetrain hump that will make middle-seat passengers uncomfortable.If Alfa was aiming for a simplistic, driver-focused cabin that wouldn't draw attention from the sensational driving experience, then we suppose the layout, design, and technology make sense. But when compared against other compact luxury SUVs, the Stelvio stands out for lacking content important to buyers these days. Ventilated seats, for example, aren't an option on the Veloce, and some safety technologies standard in other SUVs (like lane keep assist) are part of a $1,495 package here. Given the excellence permeating the segment from the likes of, say, Genesis, Alfa would do well to up its game.Although lane keep assist is an option, the Veloce adds several driver assist features that were previously optional. Adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, lane departure warning, automatic high-beams, and front and rear parking sensors are now standard. Navigation, wireless charging, and heated front and rear seats are also included on all trims.Should You Buy a 2022 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Veloce?If you're looking for a sporty experience, an attractive design, and a cabin that delivers the basics, then the answer is assolutamente sì. But if you'd rather drive an SUV that focuses on comfort and interior amenities, there are better options.The 2022 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Veloce we tested checked out at $60,665, on the expensive side of the ledger. Compare that with the $64,670 of our long-term 2022 Genesis GV70 Sport Prestige with the optional 3.5-liter turbo V-6 engine, and the Stelvio suddenly feels short on value. The GV70 does a better job delivering a plush cabin with lots of attention to detail and premium materials, and it still feels sporty without sacrificing ride comfort.And yet, for a model that's only received light updates since it came out in 2018, the Stelvio is aging gracefully. It falls short in many objective areas, but every opportunity to drive it is another opportunity for fun, and that's high on our list of priorities. If it's high on yours, too, you'll likely think the Stelvio is simply spettacolare.Looks good! More details?2022 Alfa Romeo Stelvio (Veloce) Q4 Specifications BASE PRICE $53,895 PRICE AS TESTED $60,665 VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door SUV ENGINE 2.0L Turbo direct-injected SOHC 16-valve I-4 POWER (SAE NET) 280 hp @ 5,200 rpm TORQUE (SAE NET) 306 lb-ft @ 2,000 rpm TRANSMISSION 8-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 4,023 lb (50/50%) WHEELBASE 110.9 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 184.6 x 74.9 x 66.0 in 0-60 MPH 5.9 sec QUARTER MILE 14.5 sec @ 94.6 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 123 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.83 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 27.1 sec @ 0.63 g (avg) EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 22/28/24 mpg EPA RANGE, COMB 406 miles ON SALE Now Show All
The Toyota Crown is, in Japan, an upmarket nameplate. Long a sedan, it recently became available in SUV form—based on the current Highlander three-row crossover—and, per a Japanese Toyota website, is about to turn over a new leaf. On July 15, Toyota promises a new Crown will appear, but as for what form this Crown will take, the automaker's offering precious little to go on besides a few cryptic hints and a new YouTube teaser with flashes of the new car.Here's what the website—with the url ending in "newcrown2022"—says when you first open it: "Sedan? SUV?" Before an animation replaces that cryptic text with "Discover your Crown." A countdown timer at the bottom of the page notes the wait until the official reveal on July 15, 2022.We could understand if you have no idea what to make of the sedan/SUV question, whether that means the Crown will be available (again) in both forms, or whether it hints at some new direction. The internet seems to think the lifted car pictured at top is the new Crown, which would make some sense given the sedan-UV tease on Toyota's site. The images of this bizarre car-SUV mashup were recently patented by Toyota, and we found them on Japan's patent database.With Toyota's release of the video above, the patent images seem confirmed. The glimpses of the Crown's headlights, taillights, and other details in the YouTube clip seem to jibe with those in these patent filings.We'll find out for sure later this week when the new Crown is unveiled, and whether the model will finally make it to the U.S. market, a move hinted at through Toyota's trademark of the name here.This story originally published July 6, and has since been updated to reflect new teasers and previews from Toyota.
0 Comments