2021 Lincoln Corsair vs 2021 Lexus GX

The 2021 Lexus GX 460’s styling was a testament to its long tenure on the market. Retaining the same basic body shell from a decade ago, it had undergone several updates over the years. The GX adopted Lexus’ trademark spindle grille in 2014, which was further updated in 2020 with a new textured insert and triple-beam LED headlights. The 2021 model didn’t see any major styling changes, but silver 18-inch wheels became standard on the Premium trim level. Despite its age, the GX’s tough, aggressive look remained distinctive and appealing to SUV shoppers. However, the interior did not meet modern luxury standards, with wood trim that felt like molded plastic and an abundance of actual plastic. Standard leather upholstery was a plus, with semi-aniline leather available on the Luxury trim.

The 2021 Lincoln Corsair, introduced as a replacement for the Lincoln MKC, rode on the new C2 platform shared with the Ford Escape. This new platform allowed Lincoln to differentiate the Corsair from its Ford counterpart, a feat General Motors struggled to achieve with its Cadillac XT4 and XT5 crossovers. The Corsair’s design was refined, featuring slab sides, blacked-out rear pillars, and straight belt- and rooflines, giving it a larger presence. Inside, the Corsair shared design cues with the Aviator and Navigator, including a flowing dash, floating center touchscreen, and “Piano Key” shifter buttons. However, the fit and finish didn’t match the more expensive Lincoln SUVs, with more hard-touch materials present. The Corsair offered trims like Standard, Reserve, and the new Grand Touring plug-in hybrid, each with a range of features and options.

The 2021 Lexus GX kept it simple with a single powertrain option: a 4.6-liter V8 engine producing 301 horsepower and 329 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. The GX 460’s performance was a throwback to older SUVs, with a 0-60 mph time of 7.8 seconds. However, its 5,130-pound weight made higher-speed maneuvers challenging, and braking required careful planning. The body-on-frame construction resulted in a less refined ride quality, with noticeable body roll and low grip in corners. Despite these drawbacks, the GX excelled in off-road capability, featuring a Torsen center differential, standard 4WD with a low range, and several driver aids like hill-descent control and hill-start assist. The optional Off-Road Package added features like a transmission cooler, fuel-tank protector, and Multi-Terrain Select. The GX 460 had a maximum towing capacity of 6,500 pounds.

The 2021 Lincoln Corsair offered two engine options: a 2.0-liter EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder with 250 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, and an optional 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder with 295 horsepower and 310 pound-feet 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 providing a sportier driving experience. The 2.3-liter engine offered brisk acceleration and confident cornering, though there was some body roll and light steering. The suspension was designed to absorb deeper potholes, resulting in a comfortable ride. The new Grand Touring trim added a plug-in hybrid powertrain, combining a turbocharged 2.5-liter engine with a CVT, battery power, and electric motors for a combined 266 horsepower and 28 miles of pure EV driving.

The 2021 Lexus GX’s interior ergonomics reflected its age, with an upright dashboard and high center console that limited legroom. The steering wheel was positioned at an odd angle, and the tall seating position felt bus-like. The dashboard shape and boxy profile provided excellent outward visibility, though forward visibility was limited by the tall hood. Storage space was limited, with small center-console storage, cupholders, and in-door bottle holders. The GX came standard with three rows of seating for seven, but the third row was best reserved for children due to limited space and difficult access. Cargo space was also limited, with 64.7 cubic feet available with the second and third rows folded, and very little space with the third row up.

The 2021 Lincoln Corsair offered 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, posing a tripping hazard. 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, expanding to 57.6 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. These figures were 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 2021 Lexus GX was light on tech features, with standard Bluetooth, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant connectivity, but no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto compatibility. The standard infotainment system had outdated graphics and limited functions, with a separate display for time and temperature using a seven-segment format. However, Lexus included analog controls for most functions, providing a refreshing alternative to screen-centric interfaces.

The 2021 Lincoln Corsair came standard with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system running the SYNC 3 system, with a logical menu layout and standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Reserve trim added features like wireless device charging, a 14-speaker Revel premium audio system, and a head-up display with crisp graphics. The steering wheel design allowed for easy access to voice control, enhancing the overall user experience.

The 2021 Lexus GX 460 had not been rated by the NHTSA or IIHS. It came standard with the Lexus Safety System+ bundle, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, automatic high beams, lane-departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were also standard. However, the GX lacked some advanced safety features found in other Lexus and Toyota models, such as traffic-sign recognition and Lane Tracing Assist.

The 2021 Lincoln Corsair came standard with a comprehensive suite of safety features, including 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 the Lincoln CoPilot360 Plus suite, adding 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 the high-feature headlights in the Reserve II package.