Lincoln
is currently riding high off a strong one-two SUV punch, having
successfully launched the redesigned full-size Navigator last year and
seeing critical approval of the resurrected mid-size Aviator model. Now
the American luxury brand has turned its attention to the compact SUV
formerly known as the MKC. All-new for 2020, that crossover now goes by
the cool-sounding "Corsair" name and, based on our first impressions,
is an altogether more competitive product than the MKC it replaces.
It's also a lot more expensive when fully loaded—like,
more-than-its-competitors expensive.
To see show you how much more money it'll take to buy a top-end 2020
Corsair versus an equivalent 2019 MKC, we hit Lincoln's online Corsair
configurator and threw every available option at it. It's worth noting
that the Corsair is currently offered in only Standard and Reserve trim
levels, while the old MKC could be had in Standard, Select, Reserve, and
bougie Black Label trims. Since we were aiming for maximum cost here,
that meant lining up a 2019 MKC Black Label against the 2020 Corsair
Reserve. With every available option, the Corsair stickers for nearly
$10,000 more than the similarly loaded MKC. Here's how:
We skipped right past the entry-level Corsair Standard, which is
priced reasonably for the segment (at $37,585 to start) for the fancier
Reserve trim, which starts at $44,270. In addition to the Standard's
list of, ahem, standard equipment (heated, power-adjustable
front seats; a 4G LTE data connection with onboard Wi-Fi; LED exterior
lighting; and a full complement of active safety gear), the Reserve
brings extras like navigation, 19-inch wheels, and a super-swank Revelo
audio system.
To that one must opt for the available 280-hp
turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine, which replaces the base
250-hp 2.0-liter engine and adds $6740 to the bottom line. That's a lot
of cheese, mostly because the engine requires adding all-wheel drive and
the Reserve I package and its ventilated front seats, heated outboard
rear seats, heated steering wheel, rain-sensing windshield wipers,
self-parking feature, adaptive cruise control, collision warning, and a
360-degree parking camera.
But wait, there's more! What you really need is the $11,540
Reserve II package, which adds to the Reserve I stuff an adaptive
suspension system (which in our experience delivers a pillowy ride
quality and secure handling on twisty roads) and leather-wrapped front
seats with 14 additional power-operated adjustments. Maximum cost
requires you to also select the $1,600 Reserve Appearance Package, the
$600 Beyond Blue Interior Package (blue-colored everything inside!),
$1,700 head-up display (which is actually quite large and useful), and
$695 Flight Blue paint (gotta match the interior). Going all-in on the
option sheet results in nearly $17,000 in extras, elevating the 2020 Lincoln Corsair Reserve's sticker price to a dizzying $61,255.
That's a lot of money for not a lotta Lincoln (it's only a compact
SUV!). Sure, Lincoln's styling and quality continue to improve, and the
gap between it and European rivals is closing. Based on our first drive
in the 2020 Corsair, the crossover is mostly lovely and deserving of its
more aspirational pricing (the car we evaluated was just over $60,000,
too). Only one hitch: The Corsair now costs more than a similarly loaded four-cylinder Audi Q5, BMW X3, or Mercedes-Benz GLC 300,
all of which are priced around $55,000. And while Lincoln doesn't offer
a larger or more powerful engine option beyond the Corsair's 280-hp
2.3-liter four, its European competitors do. In fact, you can buy the
349-hp Audi SQ5, 382-hp BMW X3 M40i, or 362-hp Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 for the same money you'd spend on this Corsair. Forget a one-two punch—Lincoln's SUVs are now swinging for the gut.
