2025 Lincoln Corsair Review: The Pros And Cons Of Playing To Your Strengths

The Lincoln Corsair is the entry level model for Ford's brand that shares a name with the 16th President of the United States, though as I discovered last year when I drove a 2023 model year Corsair and Ford Escape back to back, the Lincoln isn't just a fancier Ford. That's despite the two SUVs sharing a lot of mechanical components.

For 2025, the changes to the Lincoln Corsair are pretty minimal. It's still a Lincoln after all, which means that it was a very comfortable, reasonably high-tech, pricey luxury SUV. I recall that the Corsair was a noble steed when I drove it last year, and I'm happy to say that I had no issues with this year's model. End review, print it? Not exactly.

The 2025 Corsair still needs to fit in the context of the luxury SUV world around it. Despite the quilted leather, the segment the Corsair fits in is one of the most cutthroat in the industry. Some Lincoln fans are dedicated enough to stay with the brand no matter what, but other luxury car shoppers are ready to jump ship at the drop of a stovepipe hat, the second a better model comes around. With that mentality at play, the Corsair is sailing in dangerous waters.

This particular 2025 Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring is the plug-in hybrid, a drivetrain that's unique to the Grand Touring trim. The combined might of the 2.5-liter engine and electric motor generate 266 horsepower, while hybridization contributes to a 33 mile per gallon combined rating. Fully charged, Lincoln says, it can go upwards of 27 miles on just battery power.

Driving the Corsair was nothing short of a dream, really. American luxury SUVs tend to lean towards the more reserved side when it comes to presentation, and Lincoln is fairly emblematic of that. I found the sentiment to hold up not only in the Lincoln Nautilus I drove earlier this year, but also the Corsair. If comfortable cruising is your goal, it's really not a hard vehicle to like. 

The seats are cosseting, made even moreso by the fact that the front two are 24-way adjustable, heated, ventilated, and massaging. Something from BMW or Mercedes (potentially even Acura and Lexus) might be more visually interesting, but the Lincoln has it where it counts, in that I don't think about it at all when I'm driving. I just drive. Now, I'm a Millennial, which puts me a few decades younger than the target demographic of a $60,000+ Lincoln, but come my retirement years I can see myself wanting something that's just comfy to drive in and doesn't have a whole lot else to say.

The generally minimalistic driving experience extends to the hybrid drivetrain. Paired with the overall lack of road noise, the electrification means it's really quiet on the inside. It's not as serene as say, overlooking the Shenandoah Valley or anything, but it's a nice respite from the hubbub of the outside world when you're on your way to the pharmacy or jigsaw puzzle day with your retired friends from church. A big wraparound screen like you might see in other luxury SUVs (like Lincoln's own Navigator) is cool, but its absence doesn't really matter. To be honest, Lincoln didn't change a whole lot with the Corsair since I last drove it, and that might be a good thing and the truest execution of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

That's not to say the Corsair was a perfect car then, and nor has Ford cracked the code for blameless motoring now. I have some qualms. The way that you adjust the seats is a little complicated and the infotainment is always picking a fight with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, obscuring the screen or hiding options in menus and submenus. It could be more organized.

The hybrid drivetrain, as quiet as it is, could be also stand to be more efficient. 27 miles is just so-so EV-only range, and 33 miles per gallon hasn't been impressive for a few years. It's not bad, but it could be better. Plus, it doesn't seem to have the extra speedy zip often afforded by electric motors. In fact, the Corsair's acceleration is a little lackluster. It's no Hot Rod Lincoln by any stretch.

The littlest Lincoln isn't even a little bit cheap. Once you check all of the options, it weighs in at more expensive than Ford's most expensive SUV, the Expedition, which has an MSRP of $62,320. The entry-level gas engine only Corsair starts at $39,735, but then the hybrid Grand Touring ratchets up the tech and luxury to the tune of $54,365. 

This Lincoln carried the Grand Touring III trim, which included rain-sensing wipers, a hands-free liftgate, heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel, a heads-up display, Ford's BlueCruise driver assistance technology, and an array of additional parking sensors. That package is $8,675.

Its brown-ish grey paint — by the name of "Harbor Grey Metallic" — garners an additional $750 (for what it's worth, I really liked this paint color). The 24-way power seats that I mentioned earlier add $1,285 to the price tag, and $1,250 20-inch wheels round out the options. A $1,495 destination charge brings the price up to $67,820.

Over $67,000 is a lot of money for a compact SUV. It's undoubtedly nice to drive, and I liked the Corsair quite a lot, but is that enough when the price is so high? More economical brands like Toyota can absolutely destroy the Lincoln when it comes to pure efficiency and price. When it comes to luxury brands, the $62,415 Lexus NX 450h, also a plug-in hybrid, is more powerful at 304 horsepower, and more efficient with a 37-mile electric range. It's just a better option, and it's not the only one: these days, luxury hybrid SUVs aren't very hard to find.

The 2025 Lincoln Corsair is a good car, maybe even a great one if you don't care about the latest and greatest efficiency technology or getting the very most out of your hard-earned dollar. The Corsair would be a perfectly fine car to live with, there are just better options out there and you don't have to look very hard to find them.