2021 Lincoln Corsair vs 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan

Volkswagen completely overhauled the Tiguan for the 2018 model year, introducing an all-new second generation of its compact crossover SUV. The redesign addressed the original Tiguan’s biggest shortcoming—its diminutive size—and aimed to make it more competitively priced against rivals like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. The result was a vehicle that maintained its stylish and conservatively German exterior but showed some evidence of cost-cutting upon closer inspection. The Tiguan's clean and simple lines, horizontal grille, and contemporary Volkswagen styling were appealing, but the interior was plain, with dull surfaces and hard black plastic. The focus seemed to have shifted to electronics, with an optional digital dashboard and a glass-covered touchscreen infotainment system standing out as highlights.

The Corsair, introduced as a replacement for the Lincoln MKC, rode on the new C2 platform shared with the Ford Escape. Lincoln succeeded in making the Corsair feel distinct from its Ford counterpart, a level of differentiation that General Motors struggled to achieve with its Cadillac XT4 and XT5 crossovers. The Corsair featured refined design cues like slab sides, blacked-out rear pillars, and straight belt- and rooflines, making it appear larger than it was. Inside, the Corsair's cabin shared the flowing dash and floating center touchscreen with more expensive Lincoln SUVs, but with more hard-touch materials. The trims included Standard, Reserve, and the new Grand Touring plug-in hybrid, each offering a range of features from 18-inch alloy wheels to a 14-speaker Revel premium stereo system.

The 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan was powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 184 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque. This engine drove either the front or all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission. The Tiguan's powertrain offered a snappy throttle response with minimal turbo lag, but its larger size and weight made it only moderately fleet of foot. The Tiguan's handling was impacted by its longer wheelbase, making it less nimble than competitors. However, its soft suspension ensured a comfortable driving experience, even on rough roads. The Tiguan was a quiet highway cruiser, with a well-insulated cabin that muted engine and wind noise.

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 engine provided 295 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque, delivering strong acceleration. 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 with some body roll. The suspension absorbed deeper potholes well, and the Grand Touring trim added a plug-in hybrid powertrain with a combined 266 horsepower and an efficiency rating of 78 MPGe in electric mode.

The 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan excelled in practicality, with a second row of seats that could slide up to seven inches fore and aft, making the third row useful. The third row, though not spacious, had enough legroom for shorter adults and was cozy for kids. Front-drive Tiguans came with the third row as standard, while AWD models had it as a $595 option. The split second-row seats folded flat, providing 65.7 cubic feet of cargo space with the third row collapsed and 73.5 cubic feet in two-row models. The Tiguan's wide beam offered plenty of hip and shoulder room in the front seats, and its abundant glass and seating position made it feel roomier than its competitors.

The 2021 Lincoln Corsair had a spacious cabin with comfortable seats and plenty of storage space. However, the large lip when stepping in or out of the Corsair was a notable downside. The test model featured reclining and sliding rear seats, providing impressive legroom in the second row. The Corsair offered 27.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats and 57.6 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, both average for the compact luxury SUV segment. The Corsair came standard with a power liftgate and was available with a hands-free power liftgate.

The 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan featured the MIB II infotainment system, which was set to be replaced by MIB3 the following year. The current system was already one of the best on the market, with a 6.5-inch touchscreen display in the base S trim and an 8-inch capacitive touchscreen in higher trims. The Tiguan S had a single USB-C port, while higher trims had USB-A ports and a wireless charging pad. VW’s Digital Cockpit, available on top SEL trims, was a fully digital instrument panel that could be customized and reconfigured. Standard features included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity, and a WiFi hotspot.

The 2021 Lincoln Corsair came standard with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system running the SYNC 3 system. It had a logical menu layout and standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Reserve test model included optional wireless device charging, a 14-speaker Revel premium audio system, and a head-up display (HUD) with crisp graphics.

For the 2020 model year, Volkswagen improved the Tiguan’s standard safety package, adding forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. However, features like adaptive cruise control with lane-keeping assistance and LED headlights with automatic high beams were reserved for the top SEL trim. All 2020 Tiguan models came with Car-Net, a telematics package offering remote locking and unlocking, status checks, and vehicle location. The Tiguan was rated a Top Safety Pick by the IIHS for top-of-the-line SEL Premium models with LED headlights.

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 test model featured Lincoln CoPilot360 Plus, which included 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.