Tested: 2025 Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring Catches the PHEV Wave

Hybrids and plug-in hybrids are gaining favor as buyers seek a middle ground between traditional gas-engine vehicles and battery-only EVs. Plug-in hybrids, particularly, can offer some of the benefits of EVs, with fully electric driving around town, while their gas engines mean they retain convenient long-distance capability. Lincoln has been something of an early adopter here, adding a PHEV version of the Aviator in 2020 and the Corsair in 2021. The plug-in variant accounted for 13 percent of Corsair sales last year, its best showing so far. The Corsair’s PHEV powertrain is exclusive to the top-spec Grand Touring model. The plug-in’s mechanicals haven’t changed since its debut, but the Corsair has seen some tweaks and updates over the years. They include a larger center touchscreen and BlueCruise hands-free driver aids. This year the Jet Appearance package extends to the Grand Touring, bringing black 20-inch wheels, black upper door trim, and a blacked-out grille. The hybrid system consists of an 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine and two electric motors, one of which powers the rear axle of the Grand Touring’s standard all-wheel-drive system, along with a continuously variable transmission. (The related Ford Escape also offers a plug-in powertrain, but it’s less powerful and offered only with front-wheel drive.) The Grand Touring’s combined 266 horses are 16 more than the standard nonhybrid Corsair has in its corral, but the PHEV’s ponies have a much heavier burden. With the electric motors and the hybrid system battery, the Corsair Grand Touring tipped the scales at 4542 pounds, 559 pounds more than the last gas-only Corsair we tested.
Despite the extra mass, however, the instant torque of the electric motors keeps the PHEV Corsair neck and neck with the gasser at the test track. The Grand Touring’s 6.2-second 60-mph time is just 0.1 second behind that of the regular Corsair; same for its 14.8-second quarter-mile run. And in passing performance, the Grand Touring is the quicker of the two, nosing ahead of the standard model by 0.1 second in the 50-to-70-mph sprint.The Lincoln’s acceleration performance isn’t so impressive next to other plug-in hybrids in this class, however. In our testing, the Mercedes-Benz GLC350e was a shade quicker at 5.9 seconds to 60 mph, the Lexus NX450h+ hustled to 60 mph in 5.6 seconds, and the Volvo XC60 T8 did so in a zippy 4.2 seconds.
HIGHS: Cushy ride, modest EV range, solid fuel-economy gains.Typical of hybrids, a continuously variable transmission sends the engine’s torque to the wheels. Under hard acceleration, though, the Corsair’s CVT emulates the shifts of a conventional gearbox, to lessen perceived engine drone. That said, this four has a rather gritty engine note, and the Lincoln’s 74 decibels under wide-open throttle is louder than the NX450h+ with its 72 decibels. Marc Urbano|Car and DriverEV Range and EfficiencyWe preferred the livelier accelerator response of the Excite drive mode, which keeps the engine running more than in the standard mode but still allows engine-off coasting and engine shutdown at stoplights. Still, availing yourself of the Grand Touring’s ability to drive as an EV is the strategy that justifies going with the plug-in hybrid. The estimated 11-kWh battery provides 27 miles of EV range, according to the EPA; in our 75-mph highway range test, though, it managed just 19 miles. Punch the right pedal, and you’ll wake the gas engine. You can also switch to Preserve EV mode to save the battery’s charge for later. The Mercedes, the Lexus, and the Volvo all can travel farther on battery power alone: 54 miles for the GLC, 37 miles for the NX, and 36 miles for the XC60, per the EPA. C/D highway range numbers for the Lexus and the Volvo are 33 and 31 miles, respectively. Once the battery is drained, the EPA says to expect 33 mpg on average, which is much better than the standard all-wheel-drive Corsair’s 24-mpg EPA combined estimate. Recharging the Corsair at home is an overnight affair when using a standard 110-volt outlet (figure 10 to 11 hours) or about three to four hours if you have a 240-volt source. Like other Lincolns, the Corsair offers the BlueCruise driver-assist system, which allows for hands-off driving on about 130,000 miles of mapped highways. This next-level cruise control, similar to Super Cruise at General Motors, is part of an options package (even on the Grand Touring) and requires a subscription to maintain the capability after four years. When the steering-wheel icon in the instrument screen is lit up blue, that indicates you’re on a BlueCruise-capable roadway. Engage the adaptive cruise control, and the system will steer for you. However, the driver must watch the road, and a camera on the steering column monitors the driver’s eye movements; the system will chastise you if you look away for more than a couple seconds. BlueCruise does a fairly good job of maintaining lane position and can even change lanes, once the driver activates the turn signal (be sure to let it flash three times, otherwise the request will be canceled). LOWS: Significant price premium, rivals have more range, gas engine could be more refined.The Grand Touring’s large, 20-inch rolling stock likes to announce potholes with a thwack, but the suspension largely delivers a gentle, plush ride that seeks to emulate the Corsair’s larger showroom-mates. Like them, the Corsair doesn’t goad its driver into picking up the pace on winding roads, and its steering effort feels kind of rubbery, but its 0.83 g of skidpad grip is respectable for this class. The brake-pedal action doesn’t suffer any weirdness, as some hybrids’ stoppers do, and this Corsair Grand Touring hauled itself down from 70 mph in just 160 feet—19 feet better than the last Corsair we tested. A Look InsideThe Corsair’s current generation dates back a few years, so it doesn’t have the dash-spanning digital display that you find in the latest Lincoln Nautilus or the new Navigator. Instead, there’s a 13.2-inch infotainment touchscreen and a 12.3-inch digital instrument display. The touchscreen can show multiple functions at once and isn’t too hard to navigate. There’s also a smattering of physical buttons and a volume knob. Joystick-style buttons on the steering aren’t hard to adapt to either. The interior is nice but doesn’t approach the level of other Lincoln models. Our test car had the optional Perfect Position 24-way power seats ($1285) that boast separately adjustable left and right under-thigh support as well as multiple massage programs. Rear-seat space is fine for two adults. We’re able to fit seven carry-on suitcases in the cargo hold behind the rear seats and 22 with the rear seatbacks folded.
The Corsair Grand Touring opens at $55,850, which strains the value equation given that the nonhybrid lesser models are $40,980 for the Premiere and $48,135 for the Reserve (plus $2300 for all-wheel drive). Our Grand Touring also featured a $8675 option package (Equipment Group 302A), and it seems like much of that content should be standard on the top-spec model. And yet, this pricing isn’t out of line with competitor brands: The NX450h+ starts at $62,415, and the XC60 hybrid spans $59,345 to $76,545. A duffel bag with $61,050 in unmarked bills would also get you a Mercedes-Benz GLC350e. Clearly, going the trendy plug-in-hybrid route in a premium-brand SUV, even a compact one, is a pricey endeavor. The tough spot for Lincoln is that, having been a little ahead of the curve, the PHEV Corsair has less EV range than those newer rivals. The Corsair, then, is for Lincoln loyalists looking to ease into the electric revolution.VERDICT: Being an early adopter isn’t always an advantage.SpecificationsSpecifications
2025 Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring AWD
Vehicle Type: front-engine, front- and rear-motor, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE

Base/As Tested: $55,860/$68,820
Options: Equipment Group 302A (hands-free liftgate, rain-sensing wipers, windshield-wiper de-icer, heated and ventilated front seats, heated outboard rear seats, heated steering wheel, inductive device charging pad, head-up display, front and rear parking sensors, BlueCruise with 4-year subscription), $8675; Jet Appearance package (black-painted 20-inch wheels, black and body-color exterior trim), $2250; Perfect Position 24-way adjustable front seats, $1285; Red Carpet Metallic Tinted Clearcoat paint, $750
POWERTRAIN

DOHC 16-valve 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle inline-4, 163 hp, 155 lb-ft + 2 AC motors, 129 and 67 hp, 173 and 111 lb-ft (combined output: 266 hp; 11-kWh [C/D est] lithium-ion battery pack; 3.3-kW onboard charger)
Transmissions, F/R: continuously variable automatic/direct-drive
CHASSIS

Suspension, F/R: struts/multilink
Brakes, F/R: 12.1-in vented disc/11.9-in vented disc
Continental CrossContact LX Sport
245/45R-20 99V M+S
DIMENSIONS

Wheelbase: 106.7 in
Length: 181.4 in
Width: 76.4 in
Height: 63.8 in
Passenger Volume, F/R: 55/46 ft3
Cargo Volume, Behind F/R: 56/27 ft3
Curb Weight: 4542 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS

60 mph: 6.2 sec
100 mph: 16.5 sec
1/4-Mile: 14.8 sec @ 95 mph
120 mph: 26.7 sec
Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.
Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 6.3 sec
Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 3.1 sec
Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 4.2 sec
Top Speed (gov ltd): 121 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 160 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.83 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY

Observed: 28 MPGe
75-mph Highway Driving, EV/Hybrid Mode: 53 MPGe/31 mpg
75-mph Highway Range, EV/Hybrid mode: 19/340 mi
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway, Gasoline: 33/32/34 mpg
Combined, Gasoline + Electricity: 76 MPGe
EV Range: 27 mi
C/D TESTING EXPLAINEDJoe Lorio has been obsessed with cars since his Matchbox days, and he got his first subscription to Car and Driver at age 11. Joe started his career at Automobile Magazine under David E. Davis Jr., and his work has also appeared on websites including Amazon Autos, Autoblog, AutoTrader, Hagerty, Hemmings, KBB, and TrueCar.
Source: caranddriver.com