ArcaMax

The daunting thing about the car market right now is how expensive non-luxury-brand vehicles have become. On average, they have increased in cost by an astounding $20,000 over the past roughly four years.

But there are, interestingly enough, some luxury-brand vehicles that aren't particularly expensive -- relative to what it costs to buy a comparably equipped non-luxury-brand vehicle.

One of these is Lincoln's Corsair.

What It Is

The Corsair is a compact luxury crossover that shares a platform with the Ford Escape.

Being a Lincoln, it comes standard with equipment that's optional with the Escape as well as a powerful plug-in hybrid version that isn't offered with the Escape.

Prices start at $39,385 for the Premium trim, which comes standard with the 2.0-liter turbocharged engine that's the Escape's optional (and extra-cost) engine as well as LED headlights, 18-inch wheels, synthetic leather seats and a 13.2-inch LCD touch screen. Some of these features are available (also optionally) in the Escape, but if you order them, you'll be edging close to the price of this Lincoln.

And you'll still be driving home a Ford.

Not that there's anything wrong with driving home a Ford. The point is you could be driving a Lincoln instead.

This Lincoln also offers a 266-horsepower plug-in hybrid drivetrain already mentioned above -- that is not available with the Escape. It can be driven about 27 miles if you start out with a fully charged battery. After which -- like a conventional hybrid -- the gas engine automatically starts to keep you going. This version of the Corsair also comes standard with an adaptive suspension system -- that's not available with the Escape -- and luxury-brand amenities such as a 14-speaker Revel premium sound system, massaging front seats, heated rear seats and Blue Cruise self-driving tech.

It stickers for $54,265.

What's New for 2025

The Corsair carries over into the new model year essentially the same as last year.

What's Good

-- Extremely affordable -- relative to other compact luxury-brand crossovers such as the Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 (which lists for $49,250 to start) and the BMW X3 (which lists for $49,500 to start).

-- Available plug-in drivetrain offers the option to plug in without having to plug it in.

-- Kinship to the Escape is not obvious.

What's Not So Good

-- Plug-in's all-electric range is less than that of other plug-in hybrids in the class, such as the Benz GLC 300 (which can go about 40 miles on a fully charged battery).

-- Good-looking (and sloping) roofline cuts down on second-row headroom.

-- Diamond pattern grill is made of expensive-to-replace plastic.

Under the Hood

The Corsair comes standard with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that advertises 250 horsepower. It is the same engine that's optionally available in higher trims of the Escape -- which ends up costing nearly Lincoln money when you buy it so equipped. If you don't, all you'll get is a 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine -- and 180 horsepower.

The Lincoln's standard 2.0-liter engine is paired with an eight-speed automatic and front-wheel drive. An all-wheel-drive system is available as a standalone option.

The Grand Touring trim comes standard with the plug-in hybrid drivetrain mentioned earlier. It consists of a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine teamed up with an electric motor and battery pack that can be recharged by plugging it in - or not.

The latter is italicized to make clear the difference between a regular hybrid -- which must be driven to charge up its battery -- and an electric car, which must be plugged in to charge its battery.

The Corsair's plug-in hybrid drivetrain advertises 266 horsepower -- 16 more than the standard 2.0-liter engine that's standard in the nonhybrid versions of this small crossover.

On the Road

Driving the Corsair plug-in hybrid is like driving an electric car without the hassle. If you forgot to plug in last night, it will still be ready to go in the morning. It is not necessary to plan your life around plugging it in, and you don't have to be vigilant about how much charge you have remaining -- because you can just keep driving.

This makes the electric-drive part non-stressful. And if your daily drive is, say, 20 miles or so there and back, you could save a lot on gas -- assuming you are diligent about plugging it in when you get home. Either way, the drive will be smooth -- and very quiet. This is appropriate when driving a Lincoln. The plug-in's adaptive suspension delivers a soft, luxurious ride -- something often lacking in luxury-brand vehicles that paradoxically also want to be "sporty."

At the Curb

This Lincoln looks larger than it is -- yet it is almost exactly the same overall size as the Ford Escape it shares a platform with. The Ford is 180.1 inches long versus 181.4 inches long for the Lincoln. But unless you were to park the two side-by-side, you'd probably guess the Lincoln was larger -- and not by a little.

This visual effect is achieved by giving the Lincoln what appears to be a longer (and wider) hood and sweeping back the roofline, which ends up being noticeably lower than the Escape's by the time it reaches the rear of the vehicle. And it isn't just visual effect. The Lincoln does sit lower -- 63.8 inches off the ground at the highest point versus 65.9 inches for the Escape.

The price you pay for the sleeker, larger-looking look is less headroom for both front and rear seat occupants: 38.4 inches (in both row) versus 40 inches up front in the Escape and 39.3 inches in back. But it's not a big difference, and the more important point may be that the headroom in both the Corsair's rows is the same. It is more commonly the case in swooped-roof vehicles that there is dramatically less headroom in the second row -- but that's not the case here.

The Rest

There is one other way that most plug-in hybrids differ from vehicles that have to be plugged in. It is that most plug-in hybrids -- including this Lincoln -- can only be plugged in at home. This takes about three hours using a 240V outlet, which you may have to have installed in your garage or at least close enough for the cord to reach. Otherwise, it will take longer using a standard 120V household outlet.

The Bottom Line

If you'd like a luxury-brand small crossover that's not much more expensive than a loaded small crossover without the luxury brand (or the amenities) that's also a lot less expensive than other small, luxury-brand crossovers -- you might want to check this little Lincoln out.

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Eric's latest book, "Doomed: Good Cars Gone Wrong!" will be available soon. To find out more about Eric and read his past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.

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