Compare the2023 Volkswagen Atlas Cross SportVS 2023 Lincoln Corsair

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Atlas Cross Sport 4Motion’s standard Hill Descent Assist allows you to creep down safely. The Corsair doesn’t offer Hill Descent Assist.

Both the Atlas Cross Sport and the Corsair have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive, lane departure warning systems and around view monitors.

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 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport is safer than the Lincoln Corsair:

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 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport is much safer than the Corsair:

The Atlas Cross Sport’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Corsair’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Volkswagen pays for scheduled maintenance on the Atlas Cross Sport for 2 years and 20,000 miles. Volkswagen will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Lincoln only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Corsair.

The Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport’s engines use a cast iron block for durability, while the Corsair’s engines use an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

The Atlas Cross Sport’s optional 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 10 more horsepower (276 vs. 266) and 266 lbs.-ft. more torque (266 vs. ) than the Corsair Grand Touring’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

The Atlas Cross Sport has 7.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the Corsair Grand Touring’s standard fuel tank (18.6 vs. 11.1 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Atlas Cross Sport has 2.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Corsair’s standard fuel tank (18.6 vs. 16.2 gallons).

For better stopping power the Atlas Cross Sport’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Corsair:

The Atlas Cross Sport’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 Atlas Cross Sport stops shorter than the Corsair:

For better traction, the Atlas Cross Sport has larger standard tires than the Corsair (245/60R18 vs. 225/60R18). The Atlas Cross Sport SEL Premium R-Line’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Corsair (265/45R21 vs. 245/45R20).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Atlas Cross Sport SEL Premium R-Line has standard 21-inch wheels. The Corsair’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Atlas Cross Sport’s wheelbase is 10.6 inches longer than on the Corsair (117.3 inches vs. 106.7 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Atlas Cross Sport is 4.4 inches wider in the front and 4.2 inches wider in the rear than on the Corsair.

The Atlas Cross Sport SEL 4Motion handles at .81 G’s, while the Corsair Standard AWD pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Atlas Cross Sport has 9.6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Corsair (112.1 vs. 102.5).

The Atlas Cross Sport has 2.6 inches more front hip room, 4.4 inches more front shoulder room, 1.8 inches more rear legroom, 7.2 inches more rear hip room and 4.3 inches more rear shoulder room than the Corsair.

The Atlas Cross Sport has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Corsair with its rear seat up (40.3 vs. 27.6 cubic feet). The Atlas Cross Sport has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Corsair with its rear seat folded (77.8 vs. 57.6 cubic feet).

Maximum trailer towing in the Lincoln Corsair is limited to 3000 pounds. The Atlas Cross Sport offers up to a 5000 lbs. towing capacity.

The Atlas Cross Sport 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 Atlas Cross Sport’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Corsair’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the Atlas Cross Sport SEL to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Corsair doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

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 Atlas Cross Sport’s available 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 Atlas Cross Sport to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Corsair doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

When the Atlas Cross Sport SEL is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The Corsair’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Atlas Cross Sport offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Corsair doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport and the Lincoln Corsair, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Volkswagen Atlas outsold the Lincoln Corsair by almost three to one during 2022.