2023 LINCOLN CORSAIR

SALES HEAT UP FOR REFRESHED 

LINCOLN CORSAIR COMPACT SUV

The Corsair may be the smallest entry in the Lincoln’s all-SUV fleet, but latest sales figures show that it is punching well above its weight class.

According to figures reported by fordauthority.com, the 2023 Lincoln Corsair jumped 28 percent for the third quarter with its 7,852 units sold, finishing second to the Lexus NX, which led the compact sales segment with a whopping 17,647 sold from July through September.

The 2023 Lincoln Corsair still shows a decline in yearly totals of slightly less than 14 percent, thanks mostly to a production halt to correct some software issues with its digital instrument cluster, according to fordauthority.com.

With 17,483 units sold, the 2023 Lincoln Corsair remains a solid fourth behind the NX, Buick Envision, and Volvo XC40 in the compact luxury SUV segment.

The Corsair debuted as a 2020 model to replace the MDX in the Lincoln lineup and has gone through a refreshing for 2023. (Kudos to Lincoln for abandoning the annoying trend toward alpha-numeric nomenclature among luxury automakers.)

The 2023 Lincoln Corsair was given styling tweaks that include a redesigned grille and new exterior lighting and wheels and, on the inside, a larger 13.2-inch touchscreen featuring Sync4 tech features and a 12.3-inch digital gauge display.

But the big update is the availability of Active Glide, the first hands-free driving system offered in the segment, according to the company.

“We want the drive experience to be even more effortless and personal,” Michael Sprague, North America director, Lincoln. said in a release, “and the new Corsair will deliver that with advanced technology and new features.”

The 2023 Lincoln Corsair comes in three trim levels with the Grand Touring trim coming as a plug-in hybrid. Base and Reserve trims get a 2.4-liter, turbocharged inline 4-cylinder engine that is rated at 250 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque. (The 2.3-liter turbo 4 has been dropped.)

An 8-speed automatic transmission is standard on the Base and Reserve trims while the Grand Touring PHEV comes with a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT).

Fuel mileage comes in at 21 miles-per-gallon city, 28 highway, and 24 combined for all-wheel versions like my test Reserve trim.. Front-wheel drive models have numbers of 22/30/25, according to the government.

The 2023 Lincoln Corsair PHEV with its standard AWD earns numbers of 78 MPGe on electric driving and 33 mpg combined with the 2.5L 4-cylinder gas engine.

Here’s a huge bonus: the 2023 Lincoln Corsair runs on regular gas! 

Every Corsair gets the suite of features from Lincoln’s CoPilot360 2.1 system that includes auto high beams, pre-collision assist with automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, forward collision warning, dynamic brake support, intersection assist, and post-collision breaking, lane-keeping alert, blind-spot assist, driver alert, road edge detection, adaptive cruise control, lane-centering,  rear cross-traffic braking, and rear parking assist.

Included on my test vehicle were rain-sensing wipers, a panoramic sunroof with power shades, heated and ventilated driver and front passenger seats, heated rear seats, heated steering wheel, wireless charging pad, a head-up display, active park assist, front parking aid, and rear parking sensors.

Options that boosted the starting MSRP ($45,75) to a final bottom line of $60,785 included 20-inch wheels instead of the standard 19s, premium leather seats, a roof rack,  and a Jet Package that adds special design touches to the exterior.  

What I liked about the 2023 Lincoln Corsair: It may be the smallest of the four SUVs that Lincoln offers, but it is big enough to handle routine chores like runs to Costco. The exterior is nicely done, and the inside is comfortable and appealing. The Reserve trim comes with a long list of standard features. It cruises smoothly and quietly. Second row seats can be adjusted to offer either more legroom or more cargo space.

What I didn’t like about the 2023 Lincoln Corsair: Some tech features can be tricky to get to, though overall the infotainment functions are not overly complicated. Took a while to find the button to disable the guidance I no longer needed.

Would I buy the 2023 Lincoln Corsair? Most definitely. You can get the base trim for under $40,000 though the Reserve would be the preferred choice. Compact SUVs like the Corsair are a much better choice for urban environs over larger SUVs.