Lexus GX vs Lincoln Corsair

The 2021 Lincoln Corsair was introduced as a replacement for the Lincoln MKC, which had been around since 2014. The MKC, based on the Ford Escape platform, lacked the athleticism of its Ford counterpart and even after a facelift in 2019, it still had a dated cabin. The Corsair, however, rode on the new C2 platform shared with the latest Escape, but Lincoln managed to make it feel distinct from its Ford sibling. 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 shared design elements with the Aviator and Navigator, including a flowing dash and floating center touchscreen, but it had more hard-touch materials and a black leather with dark wood interior that seemed aimed at older buyers.

The 2022 Lexus GX 460 Black Line Special Edition, evaluated in Black Onyx, eradicated almost all chrome from its exterior, transforming it into a rolling black hole. Despite its new Black Line treatment, the GX still looked old, resembling the first-generation 2002 GX 470. Inside, the cabin quality was high, with smooth, silky refinement typical of Lexus. The GX was quiet, with only the faint roar of the standard V8 engine audible. The Black Line Special Edition featured NuLuxe upholstery, black ash wood trim, and a black headliner, with heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, and triple-zone automatic climate control. However, the rear seat access was tricky, and the third-row seat was cramped and eliminated cargo space.

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 turbocharged four-cylinder engine provided 295 hp and 310 lb-ft 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 there was some body roll and light steering. The suspension absorbed potholes well, though there was noticeable road noise. The Grand Touring trim added a plug-in hybrid powertrain with a combined 266 hp, 28 miles of pure EV driving, and an efficiency rating of 78 MPGe in electric mode and 33 mpg combined in hybrid mode.

The 2022 Lexus GX 460, with a base curb weight of 5,126 pounds, featured a 4.6-liter V8 engine producing 301 horsepower and 329 pound-feet of torque at 3,500 rpm. This powertrain allowed the GX to tow up to 6,500 pounds and achieve a 0-60 mph time of 7.8 seconds. A six-speed automatic transmission paired with a full-time 4WD system, sending 40% of power to the front wheels and 60% to the rear in normal conditions. The GX's drag coefficient was 0.35, contributing to its EPA fuel economy estimate of 16 mpg combined. The standard Kinetic Dynamics Suspension System (KDSS) improved wheel articulation off-road and reduced body motions on-road. Despite its age, the GX remained agreeable to drive, with refined ride and handling, though the steering was slow and heavy, and the brake pedal was touchy. The Off-Road Package added features like Multi-Terrain Select, Crawl Control, skid plates, and monitoring cameras.

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, posing a tripping hazard. The test model featured reclining and sliding rear seats, providing impressive second-row 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 Lexus GX provided an elevated driving position from a 10-way power-adjustable seat with clear outward visibility. The GX's tall height, narrow width, and short length made it easy to maneuver in various environments, though the steering required extra effort. The test vehicle's seats were comfortable, with padding in appropriate places, but some switchgear was old-school. The Black Line Special Edition featured NuLuxe upholstery, black ash wood trim, and a black headliner, with heated and ventilated front seats and heated rear seats. However, rear seat access was tricky, and the third-row seat was cramped and eliminated cargo space. The GX's tailgate swung open to the side, making loading difficult in tight spaces. Cargo space was limited to 11.6 cubic feet behind the third row, 46.7 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 64.7 cubic feet with the second row folded.

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

The 2022 Lexus GX 460 featured a new 10.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, eliminating the need for the old Remote Touch Interface (RTI) touchpad. The system included standard Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, and navigation, along with a CD player and Lexus Enform connected services. A 17-speaker Mark Levinson premium audio system was available but not installed in the test vehicle. The stereo controls were awkwardly placed below the off-roading controls, making them harder to use. The infotainment display offered a dual-screen view, and the voice recognition technology was quick and accurate. The GX also included Intuitive Parking Assist, surround-view, and terrain-view cameras.

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 was an IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus when equipped with the high-feature headlights in the Reserve II package.

The 2022 Lexus GX, despite its age, included standard Lexus Safety System+ with adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and automatic high-beam headlights. It also had blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and Safety Connect services with automatic collision notification and emergency calling. However, it lacked some modern safety technologies found in competitors, such as lane-keeping assist, lane-centering assist, and semi-autonomous driving systems.