2023 Lincoln Corsair Hybrid

Even when it was new, the Lincoln Corsair Hybrid's powertrain failed to blow us away, and today, with the same 266 horsepower on tap, it's slipped down the class ranks further as rivals have improved while the Corsair has not. It's sprightly enough, but an Audi Q5 Hybrid is quicker and more refined, while the Volvo XC60 Recharge and Lexus NX plug-in hybrid beat it comprehensively on electric-only driving range. The hybrid powertrain is only available on the expensive Grand Touring flagship trim, so with its $54k MSRP, the price of the 2023 Lincoln Corsair Hybrid puts it in the crosshairs of some very accomplished premium rivals. Had it been available in a cheaper trim, we might have been able to make a case for it, but there are various rivals on the market in the USA right now that provide a better overall package. That's not to say the Corsair is without merit - it boasts a premium finish, attractive styling, refined comportment, and good efficiency - but it's getting harder to recommend it at this price level.

The starting price of a new Lincoln Corsair Hybrid SUV is $53,885, and that's for the Grand Touring trim - the only one offered with the hybrid powertrain. The final cost will depend on the extras you add to the car, but thankfully, it's already well-equipped. Keep in mind that the price is MSRP and excludes the $1,395 destination charge.

The Corsair Hybrid sticks closely to the Lincoln playbook of comfort and refinement, and mostly offers a premium experience on the move. Body control isn't as tidy as that of a German SUV, but ride comfort is excellent thanks to the adaptive suspension, even on the 20-inch alloys. Handling prowess is of doubtful value in this class, and Lincoln focuses on comfort instead, but it must be said that a Q5 Hybrid is more fun to drive. The transmission is smooth, noise levels are low, and the brakes are progressive and easy to use in daily driving, but the cracks start to show when you press on. The lifeless steering becomes apparent and the brakes tend to become grabby when you need to stop quickly. Worse is the gruff and unrefined tone with which the large-capacity four-pot springs into life when needed. And it's needed fairly frequently, as the electric-only motivation is leisurely, and the gas engine chimes in to get a move-on when you step on it. It's certainly not terrible, and when driven sedately, it all gels nicely, but extending the powertrain shows up its shortcomings compared to rivals.

If you're looking for a plug-in hybrid luxury compact crossover with a comfortable ride, a stylish cabin, low gas mileage, and an excellent NHTSA safety review, the Lincoln Corsair Hybrid ticks all these boxes while benefitting from a freshened design this year. But it's not the best PHEV in its class and is now outdone by more powerful and refined rivals that also go farther on electric power alone - an important consideration for a PHEV. It's also much the same price as many of these, and in its current guise, the Corsair Hybrid fails to distinguish itself succinctly enough to be recommended over its competitors.

There is just one top-of-the-range Grand Touring trim for the hybrid powertrain, and it already comes with most of the luxury, convenience, and safety features fitted as standard. It has a panoramic vista roof, leather upholstery, heated front seats, adaptive suspension, a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, and a fully featured infotainment system with a big 13.2-inch touchscreen and navigation. All the important driver assists are also standard, including adaptive cruise control lane-keep and blind-spot systems, and rear parking sensors. We miss a gesture-controlled power liftgate and the 14-speaker Revel audio system that both sit on the options list, but we can live without them. It's cheeky to leave out the rain-sensing wipers and surround-view camera though, but these can only be had as part of a $3k package, but the car is already so expensive that we'd just leave it as is.