2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L vs 2021 Lincoln Corsair

The 2021 Lincoln Corsair replaced the Lincoln MKC, which had been around since 2014 and was based on the Ford Escape platform. Despite a facelift in 2019, the MKC's cabin felt dated and lacked the athleticism of the Escape. The Corsair, built on the new C2 platform shared with the latest Escape, marked a significant improvement. Lincoln managed to differentiate the Corsair from its Ford counterpart, a feat that General Motors struggled to achieve with its Cadillac XT4 and XT5 models. The Corsair's design, featuring slab sides, blacked-out rear pillars, and straight belt- and rooflines, gave it a refined and larger appearance, similar to the Aviator and Navigator.

Inside, the Corsair's cabin shared design elements with its more expensive siblings, including a flowing dash, floating center touchscreen, and "Piano Key" shifter buttons. However, it didn't quite match the fit and finish of the pricier models, with more hard-touch materials present. The black leather and dark wood trim in the test model seemed aimed at older buyers, while younger buyers might prefer the lighter palettes with tan leather. The Corsair offered trims like Standard, Reserve, and the new Grand Touring plug-in hybrid, each with varying levels of features and luxury.

The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L, a new seven-passenger model, was not based on the existing Grand Cherokee but rather an extended version of the upcoming redesigned 2022 Grand Cherokee. This new model featured a third-row seat and more cargo volume. Its styling, reminiscent of the upcoming Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer models, was expected to drive strong sales. The Grand Cherokee L's design, with its signature seven-slot grille, trapezoidal wheel arches, and familiar lighting arrangements, was instantly recognizable as a Jeep and looked great across all trim levels.

Jeep offered the Grand Cherokee L in various trims, including Laredo, Altitude, Limited, Overland, Summit, and Summit Reserve, with prices ranging from $36,995 to $64,235. The test vehicle, a Summit trim with 4WD, metallic paint, and several optional packages, had a sticker price of $64,770. While some interior materials and fittings didn't quite meet the high price point's expectations, the Summit's quilted and perforated leather, real wood trim, and advanced technology represented a significant improvement over the old model.

The 2021 Lincoln Corsair came with a base 2.0-liter EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 250 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. This engine provided adequate power, but the optional 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder engine, with 295 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque, offered stronger acceleration. Both engines were paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, with the 2.0-liter available in front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD), while the 2.3-liter was exclusively AWD. The Corsair featured unique drive modes like "Conserve" and "Excite," with the latter akin to a sport mode. The 2.3-liter engine provided brisk acceleration and confident cornering, though there was some body roll and light steering. The suspension was designed to absorb deeper potholes at higher speeds, though road noise was noticeable.

For 2021, Lincoln introduced the Grand Touring trim with a plug-in hybrid powertrain. This setup combined a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with a continuously variable transmission (CVT), battery power, and two electric motors, producing a combined 266 hp. It offered 28 miles of pure electric driving, with an efficiency rating of 78 MPGe in electric mode and 33 mpg combined in hybrid mode.

The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L came standard with a 3.6-liter V6 engine producing 293 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive (RWD) or one of three 4WD systems. The V6 engine offered brisk acceleration but was loud when revved. The eight-speed automatic transmission was well-behaved but sometimes resisted downshifts to improve fuel economy. The Grand Cherokee L's maximum tow rating was 6,200 pounds, with an EPA rating of 21 mpg in combined driving.

An optional 5.7-liter V8 engine, available only with Overland, Summit, and Summit Reserve trims and 4WD, generated 357 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque, increasing towing capacity to 7,200 pounds. However, the EPA fuel economy estimate dropped to 17 mpg combined. The test vehicle had the V6 engine and 4WD, averaging 17.8 mpg on the testing loop. The Grand Cherokee L offered a Sport driving mode, but it held revs too high and didn't significantly enhance the driving experience. The Quadra-Lift adaptive air suspension provided better ride control, and additional Selec-Terrain off-road modes included Snow, Mud/Sand, and Rock.

The Quadra-Lift suspension offered 8.3 inches of ground clearance in its Normal setting, with two Off-Road settings raising it to 10.9 inches. The Grand Cherokee L could ford up to 24 inches of water and had approach, breakover, and departure angles of 30.1, 22.6, and 23.6 degrees, respectively. The Overland model with the Off-Road Group was the only Trail Rated version, offering maximum off-road capability. The Grand Cherokee L's stiffer structure provided a smooth ride and capable handling, with variable-ratio steering and large 20-inch wheels.

The 2021 Lincoln Corsair featured 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 the floor sank below the doorframe, posing a tripping hazard. The test model's reclining and sliding rear seats made the second row comfortable, with 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 seats folded, which was average for the segment. A power liftgate was standard, with a hands-free option available.

The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L provided comfort with heated, ventilated, and massaging front seats with 12-way power adjustment, a heated steering wheel, and a four-zone automatic climate control system with air vents in all three rows. However, the dashboard vents were too small, making it difficult to cool the cabin quickly. The test vehicle's captain's chairs in the second row offered plenty of legroom and comfort, with manual side window sunshades. The third row was comfortable for all but the tallest adults, with large side windows providing a great view.

The Grand Cherokee L's front-seat storage space was limited, but second-row passengers had a storage console between the captain's chairs, accessible to third-row occupants. Cargo space behind the third row measured 17.2 cubic feet, with a useful storage bin under the load floor. Folding the third row down provided 46.9 cubic feet of cargo space, expanding to 84.6 cubic feet behind the front seats.

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 test model included optional wireless device charging, a 14-speaker Revel premium audio system, and a head-up display (HUD) with crisp graphics.

The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L featured the latest Uconnect 5 infotainment system, offering faster response and an improved user experience. Two touchscreen sizes were available: 8.4-inch and 10.1-inch with navigation. The test vehicle had the larger screen, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Alexa compatibility, satellite radio, and connected services, including a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. The natural voice-recognition system worked well, though some results were unexpected. The optional 19-speaker McIntosh audio system sounded terrific but had a logo that didn't fit the interior's vibe. The Grand Cherokee L also offered a 10.25-inch digital instrumentation panel, a digital rearview mirror, a thermal-imaging night vision system, and a Fam Cam rear-seat monitoring system. The head-up display remained visible to drivers wearing polarized sunglasses.

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, adding a HUD, rain-sensing wipers, 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.

The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L introduced Active Driving Assist, a hands-on driving-assistance system combining adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability and lane-centering assistance. The system worked well but felt artificial in the driver's hands. Intersection Collision Assist, standard on Summit models, detected threats at intersections and applied brakes if necessary. The Grand Cherokee L also offered Parallel and Perpendicular Park Assist. Crash-test ratings were unavailable at the time of the review, but the new model was expected to improve upon the old Grand Cherokee's flaws.