2020 Lincoln Corsair vs 2020 Lincoln Aviator

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator was positioned between the Navigator and the compact MKC, which was replaced by the Lincoln Corsair. Lincoln's return to real vehicle names signaled a departure from the old alphabet-soup naming convention, indicating a move away from copying imports. The Aviator featured a unified design across Lincoln's lineup, with handsome headlights and an upright chrome grille. Its tapering roofline and low, wide beltline gave it an elongated, boat-like appearance. Inside, the Aviator boasted a flowing design with soft-touch materials and selective brightwork. The seats were both elegant and sturdy, with shifter buttons resembling piano keys. The cabin was filled with plush leather, even in less obvious places, showcasing Lincoln's commitment to luxury. The Aviator also had unique touches like a massive panoramic moonroof and warning jingles recorded by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. The lineup included five trims, with the Standard trim offering a well-equipped base and the Black Label trims providing extreme luxury.

The 2020 Lincoln Corsair, despite sharing its chassis and some powertrains with the Ford Escape, never felt like a Ford. Every body panel and trim piece was unique to Lincoln, exuding refinement. The Corsair featured a low hood line, restrained chrome grille, and teardrop headlights, with J-shaped LED running lamps reminiscent of a Jaguar. The tall roof gently sloped from the B-pillar, ending on a Land Rover-like edge. The clamshell tailgate and thin taillights with a connecting strip added elegance, drawing comparisons to the Audi Q5 and Porsche Cayenne. The body sat low on optional 20-inch wheels, with "Lincoln" spelled out wide on the tailgate. Inside, the Corsair's dashboard was rich with materials and details, featuring curved matte-finish wood, long horizontal air vents, and floating gear-selector buttons. Chrome trim adorned various controls, and the two-tone steering wheel had thumb joysticks for easy control. Despite some hard plastic on the lower dash and matte black plastic on the center console, the Corsair felt like an expensive car with fashion-forward color combos.

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator came standard with a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine, producing 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque. The Grand Touring trim combined this engine with a 100-hp electric motor, resulting in a net 494 hp and 630 lb-ft of torque. Both powertrains used a 10-speed automatic transmission, with the base V6 offering rear-wheel drive (RWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD), while the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) was AWD only. Both versions could accelerate from 0-60 mph in about 4 seconds. The Grand Touring's hybrid setup provided smooth, confident acceleration and improved fuel efficiency, with a combined 23 mpg and a 21-mile electric-only range. The Aviator's steering was light, and its brakes were cushioned, offering a refined driving experience. The Excite drive mode added some dynamism, but the Aviator's 5,600-pound weight limited its sportiness. Fuel economy for the conventional Aviator was 18 mpg city, 26 highway, and 21 combined for RWD, and 17/24/20 for AWD.

The 2020 Lincoln Corsair offered two turbocharged 4-cylinder engines paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission. The 2.0T trim had a 2.0-liter engine with 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, with front-wheel drive (FWD) standard and AWD optional. The 2.3T trim, available only with AWD, shared a 295-hp, 310 lb-ft, 2.3-liter engine with the Mustang. The transmission was smooth, though it occasionally hiccuped in lower gears. The Corsair's steering lacked road feel, but its body control was excellent, providing a rock-solid ride over various road conditions. Adaptive dampers came standard with the 2.3T, firming up the ride in Excite mode. The Corsair prioritized comfort over sportiness, with a soft brake pedal and a focus on a quiet, comfortable driving experience. Fuel economy for the 2.3T was 21 mpg city, 28 highway, and 24 combined, while the 2.0T AWD was rated at 21/29/24, and the FWD model at 22/29/25. A plug-in hybrid trim, the Grand Touring, was expected to offer 266 hp and an electric range of over 25 miles.

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator, with its three rows, competed with the Audi Q7, Infiniti QX60, Mercedes-Benz GLE, Land Rover Discovery, and Cadillac XT6. The optional second-row captain’s chairs were fantastic, while the power-closing third row was adequate for adults but best suited for kids on longer trips. With the second and third rows folded, the Aviator offered 77 cubic feet of cargo space, comparable to the Cadillac XT6. The Aviator's interior featured some confusing controls, such as the door handles and seat adjustments. The 30-way seats had a massage function, but their controls were split between a door-mounted panel and the center touchscreen. The door-release function was also unconventional, with a button instead of a handle, which could be confusing for passengers. A manual door release was available only for the driver’s door, raising concerns about accessibility in emergencies.

The 2020 Lincoln Corsair's interior was designed for comfort, with seat controls on the doors and a button for massage settings on the touchscreen. The Perfect Position seats offered 24 ways of adjustment, including separate extensions for each thigh. The driving position was airy, with good sightlines and ample glass. Rear passengers could slide the seat back and recline, with optional heated seats and a panoramic moonroof enhancing comfort. Headroom and legroom were generous. Cargo space was smaller, with 28 cubic feet behind the seats and 58 when folded. The Sync 3 infotainment system was user-friendly, with analog controls for climate and audio. However, the engine auto stop-start control was either buried in the driver-assist menu or accessed via an obscure button. The digital instrument panel was crowded when displaying the trip computer, but the thumb pads on the steering wheel made it easy to navigate menus. The center console was roomy, with a sliding storage bin and a wireless phone charger in the center armrest.

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator featured the Sync 3 infotainment system with a 10.1-inch touchscreen in a landscape layout, providing a user-friendly interface for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The fully digital instrument panel and a massive head-up display offered a wealth of information in a minimalist and unobtrusive manner.

The 2020 Lincoln Corsair offered the option to use a smartphone as an ignition key through the Lincoln Way app, though this feature was deactivated in the test car. The hidden touchpad on the B-pillars allowed for convenient access with a 5-digit code. The head-up display was wide and info-rich, showing outside temperature, turn signals, directions, and controls for the semi-automated driving feature. The instrument panel was minimalist, with limited customization options. Voice recognition and destination searches were fast and accurate, and in-car WiFi was available, though software updates required an external WiFi connection.

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator came with standard safety features, including front and side-impact airbags, traction control, and a tire pressure monitoring system. The Lincoln Co-Pilot360 suite included forward-collision avoidance, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, and a head-up display.

The 2020 Lincoln Corsair was rated a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), with top scores in all six crash tests and for its forward emergency braking system. It lost the "+" designation due to poorer headlight scores. Standard safety features included forward emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, traffic-sign recognition, auto high beams, blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure warning, rear side airbags, and knee airbags for both driver and passenger. The Co-Pilot360 Plus package added lane-keep assist with semi-automated functionality, evasive steering assist, and rear emergency braking.