Volvo XC60 vs Lincoln Corsair

The 2021 Lincoln Corsair was introduced as a replacement for the Lincoln MKC, which had been around since 2014. The MKC, based on the Ford Escape platform, lacked the athleticism of its Ford counterpart and even after a facelift in 2019, it still had a dated cabin. The Corsair, however, rode on the new C2 platform, also used by the new Escape, and Lincoln succeeded in making it feel distinct from its Ford sibling. The Corsair's design was refined, featuring slab sides, blacked-out rear pillars, and straight belt- and rooflines, giving it a larger appearance. Inside, the Corsair shared design elements with the more expensive Lincoln SUVs, such as a flowing dash and floating center touchscreen, but it had more hard-touch materials. The trims included Standard, Reserve, and the new Grand Touring plug-in hybrid, with the Reserve trim adding features like 19-inch wheels, a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, and a 14-speaker Revel stereo system.

The 2022 Volvo XC60 received subtle styling updates, including a new front fascia with "air blades" and a reworked grille that moved sensors behind the heated Volvo logo. The rear bumper was redesigned to hide the tailpipes, and new wheel designs were introduced. The XC60 shared the Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform with the XC90 and other Volvo models. The interior remained largely unchanged, retaining its clean design with a portrait-oriented touchscreen and minimal clutter. The B6 R-Design test car featured aluminum mesh speaker grilles and textured seats, but the overall interior felt subdued compared to other Volvo models. The Inscription trim level offered Nappa leather upholstery and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.

The 2021 Lincoln Corsair offered a base 2.0-liter EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 250 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. An optional 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder engine provided 295 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. Both engines were paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, with the 2.0-liter available in FWD or AWD and the 2.3-liter exclusively in AWD. The Corsair featured unique drive modes like "Conserve" and "Excite," with the latter akin to Sport mode. The 2.3-liter engine provided brisk acceleration and confident cornering, though there was some body roll. The suspension was designed to absorb deeper potholes at higher speeds, resulting in some road noise. The Grand Touring trim added a plug-in hybrid powertrain with a combined 266 hp, 28 miles of pure EV driving, and an efficiency rating of 78 MPGe in electric mode and 33 mpg combined in hybrid mode.

The 2022 Volvo XC60 introduced new B5 and B6 mild-hybrid powertrains, replacing the previous T5 and T6 powertrains. Both combined a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with a 48-volt electrical system and integrated starter generator, adding 13 hp in short bursts. The B6 also included an electric supercharger. The B5 produced 258 hp and 247 lb-ft of torque, while the B6 offered 295 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. Both used an eight-speed automatic transmission, with the B5 available in FWD or AWD and the B6 in AWD only. The B5 accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds (6.6 seconds with FWD), and the B6 in 5.9 seconds. The XC60 provided a smooth power delivery and encouraged calm, relaxed driving. The plug-in hybrid XC60 Recharge offered 400 hp and 472 lb-ft of torque, with a 0 to 60 mph time of 5 seconds. The Polestar Engineered version increased output to 415 hp and 494 lb-ft, with a 0 to 60 mph time of 4.9 seconds.

The 2021 Lincoln Corsair had a spacious cabin with comfortable seats and ample storage space. However, the large lip when stepping in or out of the vehicle was a notable downside, as it could cause tripping. The test model featured reclining and sliding rear seats, providing impressive legroom for a compact SUV. The Corsair offered 27.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats and 57.6 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, which was average for the segment. A power liftgate was standard, with a hands-free power liftgate available.

The 2022 Volvo XC60's interior space remained competitive, with above-average front-seat headroom but below-average rear-seat headroom. Legroom in both rows was about average for the segment. The mild-hybrid models offered 21.6 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up and 49.8 cubic feet with the rear seats down. The plug-in hybrid models had slightly less cargo space, at 21.1 cubic feet with the rear seats up and 49.3 cubic feet with the rear seats down. The XC60 provided a commanding driving position with good forward and rear visibility, aided by large exterior mirrors.

The 2021 Lincoln Corsair came standard with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system running SYNC 3, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. The screen was easy to use, with a logical menu layout and a dock of buttons at the bottom. The Reserve trim added optional wireless device charging, a 14-speaker Revel premium audio system, and a head-up display (HUD) with crisp graphics.

The 2022 Volvo XC60 received a tech overhaul, featuring a 9-inch touchscreen running the Android Automotive operating system, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, Bluetooth, and a built-in WiFi hotspot. The new system included Android-specific features like Google Assistant for voice control, Google Maps for navigation, and access to third-party apps via the Google Play Store. Over-the-air (OTA) software updates were also enabled. The system promised full iPhone compatibility, though without the added functionality of syncing a Google profile. The digital instrument cluster could display a map or a "Calm" setting to minimize distraction.

The 2021 Lincoln Corsair came standard with forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and rear parking sensors. The Lincoln CoPilot360 Plus suite added features like adaptive LED headlights, surround-view parking cameras, front parking sensors, speed-limit sign recognition, stop-and-go adaptive cruise control, reverse automatic braking, and automatic parking assist. The Corsair was an IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus when equipped with high-feature headlights.

The 2022 Volvo XC60 had not been rated by the IIHS or NHTSA for the 2022 model year, but the 2021 model received top ratings from both organizations. Standard safety features included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, automatic post-collision braking, a driver-attention monitor, traffic-sign recognition, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. New features for 2022 included Ready to Drive Notification and Emergency Stop Assist. The optional Pilot Assist system combined adaptive cruise control and automated lane centering for highway driving.