Compare the2025 Lincoln CorsairVS 2025 Kia Sportage PHEV

The Lincoln Corsair has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Sportage PHEV doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Corsair offers optional Post Collision Braking, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Sportage PHEV doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

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

The Corsair’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Sportage PHEV runs out after 100,000 miles.

The Corsair has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The Sportage PHEV doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

The Corsair’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 17 lbs.-ft. more torque (275 vs. 258) than the Sportage PHEV’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid. The Corsair Grand Touring’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 5 more horsepower (266 vs. 261) than the Sportage PHEV’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Car and Driver the Lincoln Corsair turbo 4 cyl. is faster than the Kia Sportage PHEV:

Both the Corsair and Sportage PHEV have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. The Corsair has a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily.

The Corsair’s standard fuel tank has 5.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the Sportage PHEV (16.2 vs. 11.1 gallons).

The Corsair has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Sportage PHEV doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Lincoln Corsair higher (7 to 8 out of 10) than the Kia Sportage PHEV (6). This means the Corsair produces up to 6.6 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Sportage PHEV every 15,000 miles.

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the Lincoln Corsair, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the Sportage PHEV.

The Corsair Grand Touring has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Sportage PHEV doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Corsair stops shorter than the Sportage PHEV:

For better traction, the Corsair’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Sportage PHEV (245/45R20 vs. 235/55R19).

The Corsair’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Sportage PHEV’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Corsair offers optional 20-inch wheels. The Sportage PHEV’s largest wheels are only 19-inches.

The Corsair offers an optional space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Sportage PHEV; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

The Corsair offers an optional driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Sportage PHEV’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For better maneuverability, the Corsair’s turning circle is 1.5 feet tighter than the Sportage PHEV’s (37.1 feet vs. 38.6 feet).

The Lincoln Corsair may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs up to about 550 pounds less than the Kia Sportage PHEV.

The Corsair uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Sportage PHEV doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Corsair has 1.7 inches more front headroom, 1.8 inches more front legroom, .8 inches more front hip room, .7 inches more rear headroom and .7 inches more rear shoulder room than the Sportage PHEV.

A standard locking glovebox keeps your small valuables safer in the Corsair. The Sportage PHEV doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Maximum trailer towing in the Kia Sportage PHEV is limited to 2000 pounds. The Corsair offers up to a 3000 lbs. towing capacity.

The Corsair Grand Touring can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Corsair can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Sportage PHEV can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The Corsair uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Sportage PHEV uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The Corsair offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, warning, turn signal and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Sportage PHEV doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Corsair’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Sportage PHEV’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the Corsair the driver can close them all from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can also lower the windows the same way. The driver of the Sportage PHEV can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Corsair’s exterior PIN entry system. The Sportage PHEV doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its 911 Connect can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

The Corsair’s standard Intelligent Access allow you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the cargo door, and start the vehicle, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Smart Key standard on the Sportage PHEV doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door.

The Corsair’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Sportage PHEV’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted. The Corsair’s optional wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Corsair Reserve offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Sportage PHEV doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Corsair’s standard rear view mirror and optional side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Sportage PHEV offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the Corsair and the Sportage PHEV have standard heated front seats. The Corsair also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Sportage PHEV.

The Corsair Reserve/Grand Touring offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Sportage PHEV.

The Corsair is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Sportage PHEV doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

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