2021 Lincoln Corsair vs 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan

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 create a distinct feel for the Corsair, differentiating it from its Ford counterpart. The Corsair's design was refined, featuring slab sides, blacked-out rear pillars, and straight belt- and rooflines, giving it a larger appearance. Inside, the Corsair's cabin shared design elements with more expensive Lincoln SUVs, such as a flowing dash and floating center touchscreen. However, it had more hard-touch materials, and the black leather with dark wood trim seemed to target older buyers. The Corsair offered trims like Standard, Reserve, and the Grand Touring plug-in hybrid, each with varying levels of luxury and features.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan, with its clean lines and balanced proportions, presented a conservative yet upscale design. It was larger than its predecessor, offering a roomy interior comparable to larger SUVs like the Hyundai Santa Fe. The Tiguan's interior was spacious, with ample legroom and an optional third-row seat for increased passenger capacity. The cabin featured modern geometric forms and a no-nonsense control layout, though it had more hard plastic than luxury competitors. The Tiguan came in trims like S, SE, and SEL, with sporty R-Line variants, and offered a range of prices from $25,245 to $39,095.

The 2021 Lincoln Corsair offered two engine options: a base 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," providing a confident driving experience with strong acceleration and braking. 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 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan was powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 184 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque. This engine was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, with FWD standard and 4Motion AWD available as an option. The Tiguan's powertrain was adequate but suffered from turbo lag, making it feel breathless during passing maneuvers. The Tiguan returned 25 mpg in combined driving with FWD and 24 mpg with AWD, though real-world testing showed an average of 22.6 mpg. Despite its powertrain limitations, the Tiguan offered a pleasurable driving experience with light steering, a compliant ride, and refined braking.

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. The Corsair's reclining and sliding rear seats provided impressive legroom, making it a comfortable choice for road trips. Cargo space was 27.6 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 57.6 cubic feet with the seats folded, which was average for its class. The Corsair came standard with a power liftgate and offered a hands-free power liftgate option.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan prioritized comfort with large doors, tall seating hip points, and a wide range of front seat adjustments. The back seat offered excellent support, generous legroom, and air conditioning vents, making it suitable for tall passengers and reverse-facing child seats. The Tiguan's 40/20/40-split folding rear seat allowed for versatile cargo configurations, with cargo volume ranging from 33 to 37.6 cubic feet behind the second row and up to 73.5 cubic feet with the seats folded. Storage space was limited, but the Tiguan's cargo area was usefully shaped with deep wells for carrying items.

The 2021 Lincoln Corsair came standard with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system running SYNC 3, featuring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Reserve trim added wireless device charging, a 14-speaker Revel premium audio system, and a head-up display (HUD) with crisp graphics. The Corsair's steering wheel was well-designed, with the voice control button easily accessible.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan introduced the MIB3 infotainment system starting with the SE trim, featuring an 8-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, WiFi, SiriusXM 360L, and Amazon Alexa compatibility. The system had some quirks, and the standard six-speaker sound system struggled with bass-heavy music. The SEL Premium R-Line trim offered a nine-speaker Fender premium audio system and Volkswagen Digital Cockpit instrumentation, providing an understated yet functional technology experience.

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 Lincoln CoPilot360 Plus suite added features like 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 earned an IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus rating with the high-feature headlights in the Reserve II package.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan was equipped with IQ Drive, including forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. The SE trim 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 Tiguan's adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist were effective but had some inconsistencies. The Tiguan earned an IIHS Top Safety Pick rating in SEL and SEL Premium R-Line trims.