By Leon Brittain
It was a joyous and helpful weekend as my family participated in moving our college daughter into her new apartment while simultaneously entertaining visiting aunts, uncles, and cousins. So of course the tasks required an SUV with storage capabilities, cargo management, and style when it was time for dinner and brunch in Annapolis, MD. Naturally, I took full advantage of the amenities from Automotive Rhythms’ American luxury chariot, also known as the 2023 Lincoln Corsair AWD Grand Touring plug-in hybrid.
Delivered in a Pristine White metallic exterior hue and an Ebony/Cashew premium leather interior with ambient lighting, we drove around Maryland in flair, grace, and comfort. A more youthful stance represents the mid-size SUV and its new, larger grille with a sundown satin metallic foil. By day my daughter and her cousins appreciated the padded leather 24-way seats, sky roof, and increased capacity during rides to and from the new home.
The two-row, 5-seater is the smallest SUV in the Lincoln family but honorably holds its own weight, especially with all-electric momentum which helps the American brand reach the goal of going gas-free in the near future. My Corsair Grand Touring was motorized by a 2.5-liter I-4 hybrid engine with 266 total horsepower. Also available is the 2-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder gas engine with 250-horsepower and paired to an 8-speed SelectShift automatic transmission with paddle activation. During inclement weather, the all-wheel drive system can switch between FWD and AWD depending on vehicle needs.
“Corsair is artistically crafted and expertly designed to attract younger Lincoln clients and give them the luxury experience they desire,” said Michael Sprague, North America director, Lincoln. “We want the drive experience to be even more effortless and personal, and the new Corsair will deliver that with advanced technology and new features.”
Along with my front passenger, I appreciated the floating middle console, push-button gear selector, Revel 14-speaker audio, and door-mounted seat controls. Equally, the teens were lounging on the second-row sliding bench (6” each way) and were pleased by the power shades and increase in USB ports for connecting and charging. Apps, audio, and temperature controls are tasked from SYNC4 and the corresponding 13.2″ touchscreen.
With its size and nimbleness, thanks partly to an Adaptive Suspension, the Corsair was entertaining on backroads and efficient on highways. More importantly, Lincoln Drive Modes allowed me to manipulate the SUV’s behavioral mannerisms based on my needs. Selection modes include Conserve, Excite, Normal, and Slippery. As a bonus, the hybrid model features Preserve EV mode to save the Corsair’s electric energy since it goes quickly, and Pure EV mode for cruising ecologically with electric energy only unless a particular burst of power is required from the gas engine. However, a bit more zest overall would have been helpful.
Future tech includes a hands-free package called Lincoln ActiveGlide 1.2 for speeds up to 80 mph, but I’m not a fan of vehicle systems that take over driver responsibilities as they leave too much room for errors. But I am a fan of Lincoln’s SOS Post-Crash Alert System, AdvanceTrac with Roll Stability Control, Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking, and Blind Spot Assist which detects other autos and motorcyclists in your blind spots and subsequently alerts the vehicle operator.
Competing with the Volvo XC40 and Acura RDX, expect to pay a starting MSRP of $38,690 for the 2023 Lincoln Corsair. Likewise, consider choosing the Eternal Red interior theme with Pista aluminum accents for added enthusiastic expressions.
