2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L vs 2021 Lincoln Corsair

The 2021 Lincoln Corsair was introduced as a replacement for the Lincoln MKC, which had been around since 2014. The MKC, despite a facelift in 2019, never quite matched the athleticism of its Ford Escape counterpart and had a dated cabin. 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 sibling, a feat that General Motors struggled to achieve with its Cadillac XT4 and XT5. The Corsair's design, featuring slab sides, blacked-out rear pillars, and straight belt- and rooflines, gave it a refined and larger appearance, aligning it with the Aviator and Navigator.

Inside, the Corsair's cabin shared the flowing dash, floating center touchscreen, and "Piano Key" shifter buttons seen in more expensive Lincoln SUVs. However, it didn't quite match their fit and finish, with more hard-touch materials present. The black leather with dark wood trim 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 a range of features from 18-inch alloy wheels and a 10-speaker stereo to a 14-speaker Revel premium audio system and 24-way multi-contour seats with a massaging function.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L, introduced as a longer version of the standard two-row Grand Cherokee, added 11.4 inches to accommodate a third row of seats. The wheelbase was also extended by five inches, providing more second-row legroom and wider rear doors. The extra length blended seamlessly into the body, making the standard Grand Cherokee appear truncated. The Grand Cherokee L retained Jeep's signature design elements like the seven-slot grille and U-shaped wheel arches, but with modernized lighting and improved paint finish and panel fit. The high-end Summit and Summit Reserve trims featured black roofs, larger wheels, and more chrome, with new exterior paint colors like Ember, Hydro Blue, and Midnight Sky added for 2022.

Inside, the Grand Cherokee L's interior was luxurious, with dual high-resolution screens, real wood, aluminum, quilted Nappa leather, and a faux-suede roof. The layout felt premium, reminiscent of a Mercedes, but without shared parts. The cabin offered ample space in all rows, with second-row captain's chairs standard and a 60/40 split bench seat optional. The panoramic roof, large windows, and numerous USB ports enhanced comfort, though the air vents were somewhat inadequate, requiring the fan to be kept on high, which was noisy.

The 2021 Lincoln Corsair featured a base 2.0-liter EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 250 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. This engine was adequate, 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 FWD or AWD and the 2.3-liter exclusively in AWD. The Corsair's drive modes, like "Conserve" and "Excite," provided a unique driving experience, with the 2.3-liter engine delivering brisk acceleration and confident cornering, despite some body roll and light steering.

The suspension was designed to absorb deeper potholes at higher speeds, though road noise was noticeable. The Grand Touring trim added a plug-in hybrid powertrain, combining a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with a CVT, battery power, and two electric motors, producing a combined 266 hp. It offered 28 miles of pure EV driving, with an efficiency rating of 78 MPGe in electric mode and 33 mpg combined in hybrid mode.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L offered two familiar engines: a 3.6-liter V6 and a 5.7-liter V8, both paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and available in RWD or 4WD. The V6, with 293 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque, felt underpowered for the vehicle's weight, especially when fully loaded. The V8, with 357 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque, provided better performance and a satisfying sound. The 4xe plug-in hybrid, with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, a 17.3-kilowatt-hour battery pack, and two electric motors, offered 375 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque, though it was not yet tested.

The V6's fuel economy was decent at 18 mpg city, 25 mpg highway, and 21 mpg combined, while the V8's was lower at 14/22/17. The Grand Cherokee L's chassis was impressive, with a stellar ride composure and steering feel. The optional air suspension offered five ride height settings, enhancing comfort and off-road capability. The driving modes, similar to Land Rover's, adjusted various systems for different terrains, making the Grand Cherokee L versatile and capable.

The 2021 Lincoln Corsair had 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, potentially causing tripping hazards. The 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 and 57.6 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, both average for its class. A power liftgate was standard, with a hands-free option available.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L featured the Uconnect 5 infotainment system, known for its simplicity and straightforward graphics. The interface was sleek and sharp, with physical switches for climate, seat climate controls, and stereo functions. The Laredo and Altitude trims had an 8.4-inch touchscreen and a 10-inch digital instrument panel, while higher trims had a 10.1-inch touchscreen. The Grand Cherokee L offered plenty of space in all rows, with second-row captain's chairs standard and a 60/40 split bench seat optional. The panoramic roof, large windows, and numerous USB ports enhanced comfort, though the air vents were somewhat inadequate, requiring the fan to be kept on high, which was noisy.

The 2021 Lincoln Corsair came standard with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system running the SYNC 3 system, with 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 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L's upper trims offered premium features like multiple massage modes for the 16-way power adjustable front seats, a head-up display, night vision with pedestrian and animal detection, a 360-degree camera system, and an Active Driving Assist system. The navigation system could take over the instrument panel, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were wireless. New for 2022, Jeep added an optional 10.3-inch touchscreen display for the front passenger and dual 10.1-inch touchscreens with Amazon Fire TV for rear-seat passengers. Adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, forward automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, and rear parking sensors were standard, with additional features available on higher trims.

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 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 high-feature headlights.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L had not yet been tested by NHTSA or IIHS. Standard safety features included driver and passenger knee airbags, a rear seat alert, trailer sway control, and various driver aids. Additional safety features were available on higher trims.