2020 Lincoln Corsair vs 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan

The 2020 Lincoln Corsair was a standout in the luxury SUV segment, exuding refinement and elegance. Despite sharing its chassis and some powertrains with the Ford Escape, the Corsair never felt like a Ford. Unique body panels and trim pieces set it apart, with a low hood line, restrained chrome grille, and teardrop headlights that gave it a sophisticated look. The J-shaped LED running lamps were reminiscent of a Jaguar, while the clamshell tailgate and thin taillights borrowed cues from the Audi Q5 and Porsche Cayenne, respectively. The Corsair's design was both unique and elegant, with a confident gesture of "Lincoln" spelled out wide on the tailgate and the model name integrated into the front doors.

Inside, the Corsair's dashboard was nearly as captivating as the Mercedes-Benz GLC's, featuring rich materials like curved matte-finish wood and a thick strip of leather with contrast stitching. The floating center stack, chrome-trimmed air vents, and gear-selector buttons added to the luxurious feel. However, the lower portion of the dash had some hard plastic, and the center console's matte black plastic was less polished. Despite these minor flaws, the Corsair felt like the expensive car it was, with fashion-forward color combinations and a comfortable, airy driving position.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan, on the other hand, offered a clean, conservative, and timeless design that was both upscale and likely to age well. It was large for its class, nearly as spacious inside as a Hyundai Santa Fe or Kia Sorento, thanks to its long-wheelbase version. The Tiguan's upsizing resulted in a roomy interior with plenty of space for four people, and the optional third-row seat expanded capacity to seven, though it was best suited for children. The interior featured modern geometric forms and a no-nonsense control layout, with shiny detailing and a flush touchscreen display. However, the Tiguan had too much hard plastic, and the steering wheel stalks felt flimsy.

The Tiguan's SEL trim with 4Motion AWD and no additional options had a window sticker price of $35,040, including the destination charge. The Tiguan's design was understated but practical, with a large panoramic sunroof, generous back-seat space, and a usefully shaped cargo area. The 40/20/40-split folding rear seat allowed for versatile cargo configurations, and the cargo volume ranged from 33 to 37.6 cubic feet behind the second row, with a maximum capacity of 65.7 to 73.5 cubic feet, depending on whether the SUV had the third-row seat.

The 2020 Lincoln Corsair offered two turbocharged 4-cylinder engines paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission. The 2.0T trim featured a 2.0-liter engine with 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, with front-wheel drive (FWD) standard and all-wheel drive (AWD) optional. The 2.3T trim, available only with AWD, shared a 295-hp, 310 lb-ft, 2.3-liter engine with the Mustang. While the transmission could occasionally hiccup when starting from lower gears, it generally provided a smooth experience. The Corsair's steering lacked road feel, but the body maintained total control, offering a steady and composed ride. The adaptive dampers, standard with the 2.3T, firmed up the ride in Excite mode, but the overall driving experience was not particularly sporty. The Corsair's fuel economy was EPA-estimated at 21 mpg city, 28 highway, and 24 combined for the 2.3T, with similar ratings for the 2.0T AWD and FWD models.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan was equipped with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine generating 184 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque. An eight-speed automatic transmission sent power to the front wheels by default, with the 4Motion AWD system available as a $1,400 option on most models and standard with the SEL Premium R-Line. The Tiguan's powertrain was adequate but suffered from turbocharger lag, making it feel breathless when extra power was needed. The Tiguan's nearly 4,000-pound curb weight contributed to this perception of lethargy. The EPA rated the Tiguan's fuel economy at 25 mpg combined with FWD and 24 mpg with AWD, but during testing, the AWD model averaged 22.6 mpg.

Despite its powertrain limitations, the Tiguan provided a pleasurable driving experience with light but responsive steering, a soft and compliant ride, refined braking action, and nimble handling. However, the Tiguan's suspension allowed too much vertical and lateral body motion on curvy roads, and the tires gave up their grip early in corners. The Tiguan was remarkably quiet and composed on the highway, making long road trips more enjoyable.

The 2020 Lincoln Corsair's interior was designed for comfort and convenience. Seat controls were located on the doors, similar to a Mercedes, and the Perfect Position seats offered 24 ways of adjustment, including separate extensions for each thigh. The driving position was airy with good sightlines, and rear passengers could slide the seat back and recline. Optional heated rear seats and a panoramic moonroof added to the comfort. However, cargo space was on the smaller side, with 28 cubic feet behind the seats and 58 cubic feet when folded. The Sync 3 infotainment system was easy to use, but the engine auto stop-start control was either buried in the driver-assist menu or accessed via an obscure button. The center console was roomy, with a sliding storage bin and a wireless phone charger in the center armrest.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan prioritized comfort with large doors and tall seating hip points for easy entry and exit. The front seats offered a wide range of adjustments and excellent outward visibility. The Tiguan's perforated V-Tex leatherette upholstery mimicked real leather, and the dual-zone climate control system was effective. The back seat provided generous legroom and foot space, with air conditioning vents and USB charging ports for passengers. The Tiguan's 40/20/40-split folding rear seat allowed for versatile cargo configurations, and the cargo volume ranged from 33 to 37.6 cubic feet behind the second row, with a maximum capacity of 65.7 to 73.5 cubic feet, depending on whether the SUV had the third-row seat. However, storage space was limited, with a slot forward of the shifter serving as the wireless smartphone charger.

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 vehicle. The hidden touchpad on the B-pillars allowed for unlocking the car with a 5-digit code. The head-up display (HUD) was among the widest and most info-rich in the industry, displaying outside temperature, turn signals, directions, and controls for the semi-automated driving feature. The instrument panel, however, could have offered more 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 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan featured the next-generation Modular Infotainment Toolkit (MIB) platform called MIB3, available starting with the SE trim. MIB3 equipped the Tiguan with an 8-inch touchscreen, faster processing and response times, and an expanded offering of features and services, including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, WiFi for up to four devices, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, Amazon Alexa compatibility, and a long list of Car-Net connected services. However, the voice recognition technology was lacking, and the standard six-speaker sound system struggled with bass-heavy music. The SEL Premium R-Line featured a nine-speaker Fender premium audio system, which was a significant improvement. Both the SEL and SEL Premium R-Line featured Volkswagen Digital Cockpit instrumentation, offering an understated approach to technology and information display.

The 2020 Lincoln Corsair had not been tested by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), but the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) rated it a Top Safety Pick with the best scores in all six crash tests and for its forward emergency braking system. The Corsair lost the "+" designation due to poorer scores for headlights. Standard safety features included forward emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, traffic-sign recognition, auto high beams, blind-spot monitoring, and lane-departure warning. The Co-Pilot360 Plus package added lane-keep assist with semi-automated functionality, evasive steering assist, and rear emergency braking. Rear side airbags and knee airbags for both driver and passenger were standard.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan came equipped with the IQ Drive collection of advanced driving assistance systems, including forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. Starting with the SE trim, the Tiguan added adaptive cruise control, while the SEL trim included lane-departure warning with lane-keep assist. The SEL Premium R-Line featured automatic high-beam headlights and front and rear parking sensors. The adaptive cruise control demonstrated smooth braking but was slow to accelerate when traffic cleared. Lane-keep assist was effective but inconsistent, and the blind-spot warning indicator was easy to see. The Tiguan's parking sensors were sensitive, sometimes mistaking the street for a collision threat. The standard reversing camera provided a clear view, and the SEL Premium R-Line offered a top-down surround-view vantage point. Automatic post-collision braking was standard, and Car-Net connected services included automatic collision notification, emergency calling, and Family Guardian alerts. The IIHS rated the Tiguan a "Top Safety Pick" in SEL and SEL Premium R-Line trims, while the NHTSA had not published complete crash-test results.