Mercedes-Benz GLC vs Lincoln Corsair

The 2021 Lincoln Corsair was introduced as a replacement for the Lincoln MKC, which had been based on the Ford Escape platform since its 2014 debut. Despite a 2019 facelift, 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, successfully differentiated itself from its Ford counterpart, unlike some General Motors models. The Corsair's refined design, featuring slab sides, blacked-out rear pillars, and straight belt- and rooflines, made it appear larger than it was, sharing design cues with the Aviator and Navigator.

Inside, the Corsair's cabin mirrored the flowing dash and floating center touchscreen of its more expensive Lincoln siblings, though it had more hard-touch materials. The black leather and dark wood trim seemed aimed at older buyers, while younger buyers might prefer 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 luxury and technology. Our Reserve test model included features like a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, 14-speaker Revel stereo, and a panoramic moonroof, enhanced by the Elements package and 24-way multi-contour seats with a massaging function.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC, in contrast, embraced a timeless aesthetic with soft curves and rounded edges, maintaining a modern aggression with its LED headlights. The GLC's long hood and wide grille gave it a dramatic stance, resembling a raised C-Class or E-Class sedan, emphasizing its car-like characteristics. The GLC's cabin was an automotive work of art, with soft lines and curves extending into the flowing dash and rounded touchscreen. Mercedes' move towards larger screens and a minimalist approach was evident, though the current design was still highly regarded.

The GLC was available in both conventional SUV and crossover "coupe" body styles, with the latter sacrificing some cargo space for a sharper look. Standard equipment on the GLC 300 included 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, synthetic leather upholstery, and a 10.2-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Our test GLC 300 featured the Multimedia and Premium packages, adding navigation, SiriusXM, and ambient lighting. Higher trims like the AMG GLC43 and AMG GLC63 offered more potent powertrains and performance upgrades.

The 2021 Lincoln Corsair's base engine was a 2.0-liter EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder, producing 250 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. This engine provided adequate power, but the optional 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder, 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 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 road noise was noticeable.

For 2021, the Corsair added the Grand Touring trim with a plug-in hybrid powertrain, combining a turbocharged 2.5-liter engine with a CVT, battery power, and electric motors for 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 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 came standard with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, producing 255 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. Power was routed through a nine-speed automatic transmission to the rear wheels or available 4MATIC AWD. The GLC featured steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters and Dynamic Select with Eco, Comfort, Sport, and Sport+ drive modes. Even in Comfort mode, the engine provided ample power, though there was occasional lag from a stop. The steering was soft but precise, and the GLC handled high-speed turns with confidence, striking a balance between refinement and responsiveness.

For those seeking more power, the AMG GLA 45 offered a twin-turbo V6 with 385 hp, while the AMG GLA 63 featured a twin-turbo V8 with 469 hp, and the 63 S variant produced 503 hp. These AMG models delivered sports car-like performance.

The 2021 Lincoln Corsair's cabin was spacious, with comfortable seats and ample storage. However, the large lip when stepping in or out of the vehicle was a notable downside, potentially causing tripping hazards. The rear seats were reclining and sliding, 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 seats folded, both average for the segment. A power liftgate was standard, with a hands-free option available.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 provided 56.5 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded, and 19.4 cubic feet with the seats up. The GLC Coupe's fastback profile reduced these figures to 17.6 and 49.4 cubic feet, respectively. The GLC's interior featured a decently sized center console, deep door pockets, and retractable cupholders, making good use of space. Rear-seat space was adequate, with plenty of legroom and headroom in the SUV, though the Coupe's low roofline reduced headroom.

The 2021 Lincoln Corsair came standard with an 8-inch touchscreen running the SYNC 3 infotainment system, featuring a logical menu layout and standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The steering wheel design allowed easy access to voice control. Our Reserve test model included optional wireless device charging, a 14-speaker Revel audio system, and a head-up display with crisp graphics.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC featured the MBUX infotainment system with a 10.25-inch touchscreen, center console touch controller, and advanced voice control. The system was intuitive, with both touch controller and touchscreen options. The steering wheel had touch-sensitive pads for customizing the digital instrument panel and navigating the infotainment screen. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, though switching between the GLC's radio and smartphone apps required navigating through menus.

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. Our test model included 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 high-feature headlights.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC included standard safety features like automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors, hands-free parking assist, and a driver drowsiness monitor. The parking sensors were overly sensitive, triggering false positives at intersections. Optional safety features included a 360-degree parking camera, dynamic cruise control, automatic high beams, and lane departure warning.