Compare the2023 Subaru CrosstrekVS 2023 Lincoln Corsair

Safety
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
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 Crosstrek CVT 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 Crosstrek 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 Crosstrek. But it costs extra on the Corsair.

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

Both the Crosstrek 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, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors, rear cross-path warning and driver alert 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 Subaru Crosstrek is safer than the Lincoln Corsair:

	Crosstrek	Corsair
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	138	197
Chest Movement	.7 inches	.9 inches
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	428 lbs.	816 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	201	344

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

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Crosstrek is 1.3% to 1.8% less likely to roll over than the Corsair.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, with its optional front crash prevention system, and its headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Crosstrek its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2019, a rating granted to only 136 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Corsair is 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 flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the Crosstrek lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability without compromising ground clearance. The Corsair doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Crosstrek
AWD	Manual	2.0 DOHC flat-4	22 city/29 hwy
	Auto	2.0 DOHC flat-4	28 city/33 hwy
		2.5 DOHC flat-4	27 city/34 hwy
Corsair
	Auto	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/29 hwy
AWD	Auto	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/29 hwy

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Subaru Crosstrek uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Corsair with the 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder engine requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Crosstrek has 5.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the Corsair Grand Touring’s standard fuel tank (16.6 vs. 11.1 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Crosstrek has a standard locking fuel door The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Corsair. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

Environmental Friendliness

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

Transmission

The Crosstrek offers a manual transmission for better acceleration, control and sportiness. The Corsair doesn’t offer a manual transmission.

Brakes and Stopping

The Crosstrek stops much shorter than the Corsair:

	Crosstrek	Corsair
70 to 0 MPH	169 feet	179 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	120 feet	126 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	136 feet	139 feet	Consumer Reports

Suspension and Handling

The Crosstrek Premium 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 Crosstrek Premium executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Corsair Standard AWD (27.3 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 27.7 seconds @ .67 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Crosstrek’s turning circle is 1.7 feet tighter than the Corsair’s (35.4 feet vs. 37.1 feet).

Chassis

The Subaru Crosstrek may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 550 to 1100 pounds less than the Lincoln Corsair.

The Crosstrek is 4.9 inches shorter than the Corsair, making the Crosstrek easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The Crosstrek has .3 inches more front headroom and 4.4 inches more rear hip room than the Corsair.

Servicing Ease

The engine in the Crosstrek 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 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 Crosstrek’s available headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Corsair’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Poor.”

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Crosstrek owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Crosstrek will cost $600 less than the Corsair over a five-year period.

The Crosstrek will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Crosstrek will retain 57.4% to 60.77% 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 Crosstrek is less expensive to operate than the Corsair because it costs $236 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Crosstrek than the Corsair, including $141 less for a water pump, $330 less for a muffler, $93 less for front brake pads, $163 less for fuel injection, $156 less for a fuel pump, $402 less for a timing belt/chain and $925 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Subaru Crosstrek will be $12091 to $19227 less than for the Lincoln Corsair.

Recommendations

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

The Subaru Crosstrek outsold the Lincoln Corsair by almost six to one during 2022.