Lincoln adds styling, content advancements to Corsair
It’s the latest model in the brand’s massive utility-vehicle overhaul
Ycan’t accuse Ford’s premium division of being asleep at the wheel in terms of product development. Lincoln ditched the three-letter vehicle name of the MKC as part of a comprehensive redesign (now called the Nautilus), the new 2020 Aviator was added to the line — bridging the gap between the Nautilus and the redesigned Navigator — and now the MKC has been replaced with the Corsair for 2020. We say replaced because it’s essentially a new vehicle, save for the engines.
The five-passenger Corsair is slated to arrive later this year with a noticeable sheet metal refit, including a larger grille, crisper fender and door panel-creases and a cleaner-looking liftgate. The Corsair exudes a richer, classier appearance that should strike the right chord with upscale tall-wagon buyers.
Compared to the MKC, the Corsair is 1.4 inches longer, nearly 3 inches wider and has about an inch more distance between the front and rear wheels. This contributes to a bit more storage capacity behind the back seat and behind the front seats when the second row is folded flat.
The back seat can be adjusted fore and aft by up to 6 inches, depending on whether cargo or passenger space is the priority.
In today’s market, an automaker that doesn’t address interior design does so at its peril. The Corsair’s cleaner, simplified dashboard is a far cry from the MKC’S busy flight-deck layout.
The Corsair is distinguished by a wide ribbon of vents, an 8-inch tablet-style touch screen tastefully propped up beside the gauges, and a control panel that protrudes just above the floor console. The transmission switches remain but now extend horizontally below the air vents. In the MKC, they were positioned vertically beside the touch screen, a location that seems more intuitive.
An unusual step, and one intended to make the Corsair a little classier: The alerts (unbuckled seatbelt, door ajar, etc.) are musical sound bites created by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. The pleasing notes replace the typical warning chimes.
One of the few carry-overs from the MKC are the available powerplants. The base Corsair Standard is equipped with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that puts out 250 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque. The optional Reserve trim is fitted with a turbocharged 2.3-liter turbo four-cylinder with a rating of 280 horsepower and 310 poundfeet.
Each engine, which can now be started remotely via your smartphone, is connected to an eightspeed automatic transmission. The MKC had a six-speed.
Fuel-economy numbers have yet to be announced, but you should expect a slight improvement from the MKC’S 23 mpg for combined city/ highway driving (2.0, FWD), mostly due to Corsair’s new transmission.
All-wheel drive can be added, no matter the engine. The on-demand system turns the front tires under optimum traction conditions but directs torque to the rear tires during hard acceleration or when front slip occurs, such as on wet or icy surfaces.
There are five operating modes: Normal, Excite (sporty), Slippery, Deep Conditions (mud and sand) and Conserve (economy).
Pricing for the Corsair Standard starts at $36,950, including destination charges. It comes with 10-way power-operated and heated front seats, power liftgate and a full suite of dynamic-safety technologies — such as emergency braking and blind-spot warning — that are part of the Lincoln Co-pilot 360 package.
Along with the bigger turbo engine, the Reserve adds voice-activated navigation, leather-upholstered
seats, power-folding second-row bench, panoramic sunroof and 19inch wheels (18s are standard).
Additional active-safety technology, such as speed sign recognition, traffic-lane centering and reverse braking assist, are optional, as is a windshield-projection display and 20-inch wheels.
The Corsair is not a rebadged MKC. It represents a significant move forward in terms of styling, content and spaciousness. In other words, those checklist items that matter the most to luxury-vehicle buyers.