Motoring: Music to your ears

The Corsair, Lincoln's most affordable small luxury SUV, based on the Ford Escape, debuted in 2020. For the 2024 model year, Corsair is available in three trim levels: Premiere, Reserve, and Grand Touring. The latter, which I drove for a week, featured a plug-in hybrid powertrain that brings improved fuel economy and enables all-electric driving through the hands-free assist, i.e., allowing hands-free driving. Only available on the most expensive version of the Corsair, it requires a subscription after four years. For clarification's sake, being hands-free does not equate with self-driving.

Corsair's Standard and Reserve trim power package is a turbocharged 250-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder gas engine. An eight-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive are standard equipment, while the optional all-wheel drive costs extra. The turbo motor is powerful enough to accelerate from zero to 60 mph in about six seconds. The front-wheel drive model, with the turbo four's estimated mileage, is 22 mpg city and 29 mpg highway. All-wheel drive drops mileage by one mpg.

My test model, Grand Touring (plug-in hybrid), combines a 2.5-liter inline-four with front and rear electric motors for a combined rating of 266 horsepower. Slower to speed than the turbo motor, Grand Touring accelerates from zero to 60 mph in about seven seconds. The plug-in-hybrid model, good for 28 miles of all-electric driving range, gets an EPA estimated rating of 34 mpg city and 32 mpg highway.

Amenities include soft leather, upholstered, massaging seats, 24-way power-adjustable seats, a head-up display, adjustable ambient lighting, and an app that unlocks, locks, and starts the vehicle with a smartphone. Two optional interior themes are available: Smoked Truffle adds warmly toned trims and upholstery to the cabin. Eternal Red's deep red-colored leather and bright aluminum trim lend a throwback look to the space.

A standard modestly-sized 13.2-inch touch screen runs Lincoln's easy-to-operate Sync 4 infotainment system. Steering column-mounted mini-joysticks alleviate the hassle of constantly looking away from the road and reaching for the screen. Both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration are included on every trim level. In-dash navigation costs extra with Standard trim. Upscaling to the Reserve model swaps a 10-speaker stereo system for a 14-speaker Revel and adds SiriusXM satellite radio with real-time traffic and weather updates.

Take note: Lincoln contracted with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra to perform its vehicle's sounds. For example, unlike the computer-generated tones heard in other cars, unbuckling a Corsair seat belt or tapping the infotainment plays harmonious musical notes. Included on all trims: Active noise canceling, ambient lighting, heated seats, a hands-free tailgate, and welcome lighting.

One of the must-have options is the Corsair adaptive suspension for the way it smoothes Corsair's ride quality. The Corsair rolls quiet and comfortable at highway speeds. As for more specifics on the previously mentioned BlueCruise, hands-free driving includes a complementary four-year subscription, compared to the previous two-year term. Simply put, it works its magic when changing lanes. Activate the left turn signal, let go of the wheel, and Corsair steers into the adjoining lane, finds its center, and then deactivates.

Corsair's generously proportioned cargo bay boasts room for eight carry-on suitcases stowed behind the rear seats. Folding the rear seat backs nearly doubles that.

Lincoln's limited warranty runs four years or 50,000 miles, while the powertrain warranty is good for six years or 70,000 miles. There is no complimentary scheduled maintenance.

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Automotive journalist, Tim Banse, wrote The Gazette's Motoring car review column from 1989 to 2013 and has published stories in Popular Mechanics and Yachting magazine. He's toured carmaker factory floors in the U.S. and Japan and raced cars at Riverside, Watkins Glen, and Michigan International Raceway press events. He's stood close enough to a crash test to feel the shock wave reverberate off his chest. His first car was a vintage '56 Chevy Belair.