5 things to know about the 2020 Lincoln Corsair

Lincoln is rounding out its SUV lineup with an all-new small SUV that replaces the MKC. The 2020 Corsair takes on the design language of its larger siblings and adds up-level technology that you don’t normally see in this small premium utility segment.

Here are five things you need to know.

There are 2 engine options

At launch, Corsair will come with two turbocharged 4-cylinder engines.

The base engine will be a 2.0-liter that delivers 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque.

This engine will be available with both front- and all-wheel-drive models, and it will be in every level of the Corsair, except the top-tier Reserve II.

The Reserve will be the only model that gets the up-level 2.3-liter engine that delivers 295 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. This will also only be available with all-wheel drive.

The base price is $36,940

The Corsair will only have two “trims”: the Standard and Reserve, but the trims will have two and three levels, respectively.

At a base level, the Corsair will have features such as automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane keep assist, automatic high beams, Active Noise Control that uses sound waves to filter out ambient noise, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto [comma] and the “Vision” steering wheel with ergonomically placed buttons and toggle switches.

And yet, the base price holds the line at $37K.

If you want to go all-in on the top-tier Reserve II trim with up-level engine and AWD, you’ll pay $56,115. But you’ll also add most of the up-level convenience and technology features, including the 24-way perfect position seats, navigation, panoramic roof, evasive steer assist, automatic reverse braking, hands-free liftgate, head-up display and adaptive suspension.

It will be the second Lincoln with Phone as Key

Launched on the Aviator, Phone As Key also makes its way into the petite Corsair.

This feature allows you to ditch your key fob, and using the Bluetooth technology on your phone, you can unlock and start your vehicle just by having your phone in your pocket.

You set this up via the Lincoln Way app, enabling up to four devices to be used as a key.

In terms of security, the paired phone must be within a couple feet to unlock the door, and it must be within the Corsair itself to start the vehicle.

Plus, there are fail-safe codes that allow access to the vehicle and the ignition assuming your phone is lost, stolen or out of juice. You can also easily delete a phone as key, assuming the phone falls into the wrong hands.

A plug-in hybrid is coming

At the Corsair’s press preview, nary a word was mentioned about the plug-in hybrid version. But at the LA Auto Show, Lincoln revealed the Corsair Grand Touring, which will be the plug-in hybrid trim.

This vehicle will come equipped with a 2.5-liter, 4-cylinder engine and a permanent magnet synchronous motor that will deliver a combined output of 266 horsepower. This is a step up from the base 2.0-liter engine in the gasoline model that delivers 250 horsepower.

The anticipated all-electric range will be 25 miles.

No pricing information has been announced, but plug-in hybrid will be available as a 2021 model in the summer of 2020.

The intelligent ACC adjusts vehicle speed with limit changes

Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) is a common feature on many new vehicles coming out recently. It allows the driver to set a constant speed, just like regular cruise control, but it adds the ability to slow down when approaching a slower-moving vehicle without any driver input.

A new aspect to this feature is the added ability to change speeds based on the speed limit.

We’ve seen this previously on a few other vehicles, but Corsair allows you to set a speed tolerance up to 20 mph higher the posted limit.

So, when you set your ACC at 64 in a 55 mph zone and have a speed tolerance of 9 mph set in your vehicle controls, if the speed limit increases to 65, your speed will automatically adjust to 74.

The bottom line

The 2020 Lincoln Corsair looks good, drives well and has a lot of cool amenities.

If you’re looking at the Audi Q5 ($43,945), BMW X3 ($42,945) or Cadillac XT5 ($41,690), Corsair should be added to your list. I think you’ll find you’ll not only get more for your money but also have access to features that aren’t available on the others.

For more information on the Lincoln Corsair, be sure to visit our full first-look review.