The 2020 Lincoln Corsair is the luxury brand’s new compact crossover, replacing the MKC at the base of Lincoln’s crossover lineup.
The new Corsair brings with it styling and technology shared with Lincoln’s larger Aviator and Navigator. Although it has a new name and is fully redesigned, the Corsair bears similarity to the MKC not just in size, but in the fact it shares its underpinnings with the 2020 Ford Escape. There are noteworthy differences that distinguish the Lincoln from the Ford, though.
As the Lincoln Corsair was only just unveiled at the 2019 New York Auto Show, there are some key facts and figures still unannounced. We also haven’t had the opportunity to drive it yet, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a great deal of useful information to consider.
What’s new for 2020?
As we mentioned, the 2020 Lincoln Corsair is all-new, and its chassis comes from the also completely redesigned 2020 Ford Escape. The design clearly borrows heavily from the Navigator and Aviator with a tall, blunt nose, proud grille, subtle creases and a swept-back roofline. Despite sharing its platform, the Corsair looks quite different from the Escape.
Powering the Corsair are 2.0- and 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engines like in the MKC, but output is slightly altered (more on the powertrains later). An eight-speed automatic replaces the MKC’s six-speed. Lincoln has said that hybrid versions of the Corsair will be announced later, but no details are available yet.
The interior is completely redesigned, once again in the vein of the Navigator and Aviator. There are a number of new technology features now available with the Corsair.
How big is the new Corsair?
The Corsair falls in-between subcompact and compact luxury crossovers. It’s larger on the outside than the Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class and BMW X1 for example, but it’s a bit smaller than the Mercedes GLC-Class, BMW X3, Acura RDX and Audi Q5. It does lean a little closer to those larger models than the small ones, though. Despite being a little smaller outside than the GLC and X3, it has more legroom both front and rear and similar headroom and shoulder room. Its cargo space is also close, beating the GLC and landing just shy of the X3. The dimensions are very similar to its domestic rival, the Cadillac XT4.