Compare the2023 Subaru OutbackVS 2023 Lincoln Corsair

Safety
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Outback are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Corsair doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Outback has standard Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Corsair doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Outback. But it costs extra on the Corsair.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Outback’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Corsair doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

Both the Outback and the Corsair have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Subaru Outback is safer than the Lincoln Corsair:

	Outback	Corsair
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Leg Forces (l/r)	230/249 lbs.	188/315 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Subaru Outback is safer than the Lincoln Corsair:

	Outback	Corsair
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	28	197
Chest Movement	.5 inches	.9 inches
Abdominal Force	101 lbs.	191 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	635 lbs.	816 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	146	344

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Subaru Outback is much safer than the Corsair:

	Outback	Corsair
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
Structure	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	69	391
Head Peak Forces	no contact	93 G’s
Neck Tension	156 lbs.	379 lbs.
Torso	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
Shoulder Deflection	.94 in	1.1 in
Shoulder Force	201 lbs.	223 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.54 in	1.77 in
Pelvis	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
Pelvis Force	1026 lbs.	1160 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	MARGINAL
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Neck Tension	67 lbs.	201 lbs.
Torso	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Torso Max Deflection	1.42 in	1.5 in
Pelvis	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	848 lbs.	1093 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Outback its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 29 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Corsair last would have qualified as only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2019.

Reliability

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Lincoln vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru 3 places higher in reliability than Lincoln.

Engine

The Outback XT/Wilderness’ standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder produces 277 lbs.-ft. more torque (277 vs. ) than the Corsair Grand Touring’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Outback XT/Wilderness 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Lincoln Corsair turbo 4 cyl.:

	Outback	Corsair
Zero to 60 MPH	5.9 sec	7.3 sec
Quarter Mile	14.6 sec	15.6 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	95.9 MPH	88.4 MPH

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the Outback lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability (That’s why Porsche uses boxer engines.). The Corsair doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Outback gets better mileage than the Corsair running its gasoline engine:

			MPG
Outback
	AWD	2.5 DOHC flat-4	26 city/32 hwy
		XT 2.4 turbo flat-4	22 city/29 hwy
Corsair
	FWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/29 hwy
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/29 hwy

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Subaru Outback uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Corsair with the 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder engine requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Outback has 7.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Corsair Grand Touring’s standard fuel tank (18.5 vs. 11.1 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Outback has 2.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the Corsair’s standard fuel tank (18.5 vs. 16.2 gallons).

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Subaru Outback higher (6 to 7 out of 10) than the Lincoln Corsair (5 to 7). This means the Outback produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Corsair every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Outback’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Corsair:

	Outback	Corsair
Front Rotors	12.4 inches	12.1 inches

The Outback’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Corsair are solid, not vented.

The Outback stops shorter than the Corsair:

	Outback	Corsair
60 to 0 MPH	125 feet	126 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

The Outback Wilderness/Onyx XT has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Corsair; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Outback’s wheelbase is 1.4 inches longer than on the Corsair (108.1 inches vs. 106.7 inches).

The Outback Wilderness executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Corsair Standard AWD (27.2 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 27.7 seconds @ .67 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Outback’s turning circle is 1 foot tighter than the Corsair’s (36.1 feet vs. 37.1 feet).

Passenger Space

The Outback has 6.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Corsair (109 vs. 102.5).

The Outback has .6 inches more front headroom, 1 inch more front shoulder room, .4 inches more rear headroom, .9 inches more rear legroom, 4 inches more rear hip room and 1.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Corsair.

Cargo Capacity

The Outback has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Corsair with its rear seat up (32.6 vs. 27.6 cubic feet). The Outback has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Corsair with its rear seat folded (75.6 vs. 57.6 cubic feet).

Towing

The Outback’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Corsair’s (2700 vs. 2000 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Lincoln Corsair is only 3000 pounds. The Outback offers up to a 3500 lbs. towing capacity.

Servicing Ease

The engine in the Outback is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Corsair. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

Ergonomics

The Outback has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The Corsair doesn’t offer a locking fuel/charge port door.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Outback’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Corsair’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Poor.”

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Outback to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Corsair doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

When the Outback Limited/Touring is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Corsair’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Outback owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Outback will cost $745 less than the Corsair over a five-year period.

The Outback will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Outback will retain 52.14% to 55.07% of its original price after five years, while the Corsair only retains 47.08% to 47.36%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Outback is less expensive to operate than the Corsair because it costs $54 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Outback than the Corsair, including $141 less for a water pump, $445 less for a muffler, $87 less for front brake pads, $172 less for fuel injection, $146 less for a fuel pump, $356 less for a timing belt/chain and $894 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Subaru Outback will be $8987 to $9557 less than for the Lincoln Corsair.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Subaru Outback and the Lincoln Corsair, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Subaru Outback outsold the Lincoln Corsair by over five to one during 2022.