{"id":135611,"date":"2019-04-17T00:01:55","date_gmt":"2019-04-17T04:01:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thedetroitbureau.com\/?p=135611"},"modified":"2019-04-17T06:09:36","modified_gmt":"2019-04-17T10:09:36","slug":"lincoln-corsair-a-small-suv-with-a-big-role-to-play","status":"publish","type":"reviews","link":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/reviews\/lincoln-corsair-a-small-suv-with-a-big-role-to-play\/","title":{"rendered":"Lincoln Corsair: a Small SUV with a Big Role to Play"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The 2020 Lincoln Corsair breaks cover in NY.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Check the dictionary and you\u2019ll find a variety of different meanings for the word, \u201ccorsair.\u201d It can be used to describe a pirate ship, as well as a World War II fighter plane, though Joy Falotico prefers the Latin definition, \u201cjourney,\u201d or \u201ccourse.\u201d<\/p>\n

That would seem more appropriate for Lincoln, the brand Falotico runs, because the Corsair is the newest in a series of recent models that are starting to put the luxury marque back on track after years of struggle.<\/p>\n

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Auto Show News!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Replacing the old Lincoln MKC, and making its debut at this week\u2019s New York International Auto Show, the Corsair gets a complete new look, a lot more upscale features and, about a year from introduction, it will also add a new plug-in hybrid drivetrain \u2013 with Lincoln likely to also add an all-electric version soon afterwards, Falotico told TheDetroitBureau.com during a conversation in New York ahead of Corsair\u2019s official NYIAS debut.<\/p>\n

(<\/em>Click Here<\/a><\/span> for our complete coverage of the 2019 NY Auto Show.)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/em><\/strong>The 2020 Lincoln Corsair will debut later this year, shortly after the sales launch of the three-row Aviator. Those two not only bookmark Lincoln\u2019s ongoing transformation but also lock in stone the much-delayed move to abandon the brand\u2019s flawed flirtation with easy-to-forget model names like MKS and MKX. As one senior executive \u2013 who we will mercifully leave unnamed — confided this week, even he had a tendency to forget which model was which.<\/p>\n

(From minicars to $4m supercars, <\/em>Click Here<\/span><\/a> for<\/em> a quick look at some of the big debuts coming at the NYIAS.)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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The compact Corsair will be offered initially with two turbo engine options, but a PHEV will follow, and an all-electric version is also in development.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If the Corsair was simply a new name for an old SUV it would help, but not by much. The fact is that this is a complete, top-to-bottom makeover. And for those who are ready to dismiss the 2020 Corsair as just a gussied-up version of the also-new Ford Escape, Lincoln officials are quick to point out the numerous ways they have modified their compact crossover so it\u2019s not just an expensive clone. That starts with the distinctive Corsair design, as well as the mult-link rear suspension not found on the Ford crossover.<\/p>\n

If one does get a sense of d\u00e9j\u00e0 vu checking out the Corsair it\u2019s because its silhouette bears a modest resemblance to the second-generation Range Rover Evoque. That\u2019s not bad company to be sharing, of course, and the sharp slope of the Lincoln\u2019s roofline does follow the basic form of the British ute. But the Lincoln has its own distinct design language, with a larger greenhouse \u2013 translating into better visibility for drivers and passengers \u2013 and a pleasing sort of S-shaped flow to its fenders and side panels.<\/p>\n

\u201cHuman hands worked to develop those sculpted S-curves and sides, all of which play off light and movement. It is virtually sculpture in motion, a vehicle definitely meant to seduce,\u201d says David Woodhouse, Lincoln\u2019s director of design.<\/p>\n

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The horizontal layout of Corsair's instrument panel enhances its apparent width.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The hood of the Corsair also flows more gracefully into the grille than most current utes. The new Lincoln is a nudge longer and wider \u2013 and a bit lower \u2013 than the old MKC. But it just doesn\u2019t have that zaftig bulk of so many current utility vehicles. It just has a fundamental grace, a word that is seldom applicable to utility vehicles.<\/p>\n

The integrated rear spoiler, which extends well beyond the steeply raked rear hatch glass, emphasizes the way the design team worked to manage aerodynamics without the awkward sort of design details we\u2019ve been seeing on some of the latest Asian SUVs.<\/p>\n

If there\u2019s anything that might generate controversy it\u2019s the adoption of a floating roof look, with glossy black on all of the pillars, a theme that is rapidly becoming a bit of an industry clich\u00e9.<\/p>\n

Inside, it also adopts a new form language, Woodhouse\u2019s team opting for a horizontal orientation that makes it feel wider and roomier inside. One of the nicer details can be found in the form of the Corsair\u2019s broad, linear air registers.<\/p>\n

The added length addresses at least one of the old MKC\u2019s shortfalls, a lack of rear seat legroom. Those back seats also can slide, with up to six inches of travel. The cabin is not just more spacious but also markedly more luxurious in appearance.<\/p>\n

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The Corsair grows slightly longer and wider than Lincoln's outgoing MKC crossover.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

And there\u2019s an emphasis on high technology \u2013 no surprise, since vehicles in this class routinely serve as an entry point for first-time luxury buyers. Features like the Sync infotainment system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto have become as critical to young shoppers as te leather and wood their parents saw as defining a luxury car.<\/p>\n

One of the more intriguing features clearly meant to give Millennials a thrill is the Corsair\u2019s \u201cPhone as a Key\u201d function. It allows a motorist to leave the conventional keyfob at home and simply rely on their smartphone with the \u201cLincoln Way\u201d app to enter and even start the vehicle. Up to four people can have these virtual keys, and there\u2019s even a valet mode. The system remembers each user\u2019s preferences for things like climate control, radio station and seat position.<\/p>\n

The Corsair also features Lincoln\u2019s Co-Pilot 360 suite, with advanced driver assistance features like Lane Keeping Assist and Blind Spot Detection. But other desirable ADAS systems, including Active Cruise Control with Traffic Jam Assist, come with the upgraded Co-Pilot 360 Plus package.<\/p>\n

For those who want studio-level audio, the Corsair will be offered with a 14-speaker Revel audio system.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s also an active noise cancellation system, Lincoln\u2019s current strategy focused on what it calls \u201cQuiet Flight.\u201d Features like a double firewall are meant to make the new MKC one of the quietest vehicles in its segment.<\/p>\n

(Why is this special-edition Lincoln Continental going for over $100,000? <\/em>Click Here<\/span><\/a> to find out.)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Ford has now fully abandoned its unloved "MK" nomenclature for classic model names.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

And like the Aviator, key vehicle tones have been recorded by members of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.<\/p>\n

At launch, the 2020 Lincoln Corsair will be offered with a choice of two engines, a base 2.0-liter turbo-four making 250 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque, as well as a 2.3-liter turbo-four bumping that up to 280 hp and 275 lb-ft. Both engines are mated to an eight-speed automatic. The 2.0-liter package comes standard with front-wheel-drive. All-wheel-drive is optional with the 2.3 and optional on the base engine.<\/p>\n

Looking forward, Corsair Chief Engineer John Jraiche told TheDetroitBureau.com that Lincoln \u201cwill have\u201d a plug-in hybrid package, as well, available \u201cvery soon,\u201d as in most likely during the Corsair\u2019s first year on the market. What hasn\u2019t been finalized is whether the PHEV version will primarily emphasize range or, like the plug-in version of the new Aviator, focus on delivering Corsair\u2019s best performance.<\/p>\n

Unlike the Escape, however, there are no plans for a conventional hybrid.<\/p>\n

But look for a fourth powertrain option to surface over the next couple years, Lincoln President Falotico told us. She said there are definite plans to offer a fully electric version of the Corsair, with Jraiche\u2019s engineer team currently moving forward as rapidly as possible.<\/p>\n

With Lincoln\u2019s global sales finally on the mend, the little Corsair will have a lot to prove for itself.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have great expectations for this vehicle,\u201d Falotico said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Lincoln continues to transform its model line-up, the latest entry the new Corsair making its debut at the 2019 NY International Auto Show. The compact crossover is larger and more upscale than the old MKC – and will soon be offered with both plug-in and pure battery-electric options, reports TheDetroitBureau.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":135530,"menu_order":0,"template":"","tags":[],"category_reviews":[15,27,19,30],"make":[76],"post-state":[],"category_old":[149,150,151,123,287,160,131,319,155,168,156,152,316,261,163,132,275,161,137,139,128,291,278,288],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/reviews\/135611"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/reviews"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/reviews"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/135530"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=135611"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=135611"},{"taxonomy":"category_reviews","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/category_reviews?post=135611"},{"taxonomy":"make","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/make?post=135611"},{"taxonomy":"post-state","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post-state?post=135611"},{"taxonomy":"category_old","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/category_old?post=135611"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}