Compare the2025 Kia SportageVS 2024 Lincoln Corsair

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 Sportage 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.

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

Both the Sportage and the Corsair have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear 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, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

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 Kia Sportage is much safer than the Corsair:

The Kia Sportage achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2024 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The Corsair is not a “Top Safety Pick” for 2024.

The Sportage comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Corsair’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Sportage 4 years and 30,000 miles longer than Lincoln covers the Corsair. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Corsair ends after only 6 years or 70,000 miles.

There are over 47 percent more Kia dealers than there are Lincoln dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Sportage’s warranty.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Sportage’s reliability 15 points higher than the Corsair.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Lincoln vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 61 more problems per 100 vehicles, Lincoln is ranked 25th, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Lincoln vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia above average in long-term dependability. With 3 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Lincoln is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Lincoln vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 13 places higher in reliability than Lincoln.

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

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Kia Sportage 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 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Sportage has 3.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the Corsair Grand Touring’s standard fuel tank (14.3 vs. 11.1 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Sportage has a standard locking fuel door which locks and unlocks with the power locks. 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.

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

For better traction, the Sportage has larger tires than the Corsair (235/65R17 vs. 225/60R18).

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Sportage’s wheelbase is 1.8 inches longer than on the Corsair (108.5 inches vs. 106.7 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Sportage is 1.1 inches wider in the front and .6 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Corsair.

The Sportage X-Pro Prestige handles at .84 G’s, while the Corsair Reserve AWD pulls only .83 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Kia Sportage may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 300 to 700 pounds less than the Lincoln Corsair.

The Sportage has .1 inches more front headroom, .4 inches more front shoulder room, .7 inches more rear headroom, 2.7 inches more rear legroom and 2.6 inches more rear hip room than the Corsair.

The Sportage has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Corsair with its rear seat up (39.6 vs. 27.6 cubic feet). The Sportage has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Corsair with its rear seat folded (74.1 vs. 57.6 cubic feet).

The Sportage’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Corsair’s (2500 vs. 2000 pounds).

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the Sportage X-Pro 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.

When the Sportage SX/Prestige/X-Pro 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.

The Sportage will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Sportage will retain 54.88% to 56.18% of its original price after five years, while the Corsair only retains 47.93% to 52.69%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Kia Sportage will be $8409 to $11422 less than for the Lincoln Corsair.

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

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Sportage third among compact suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Corsair isn’t in the top three in its category.

The Kia Sportage outsold the Lincoln Corsair by almost six to one during 2023.