Compared: 2024 Lincoln Corsair vs. 2024 Audi Q3
Lincoln's flagship crossover goes head to head with its European competition.
Audi | Lincoln
QuickTakes:
Fresh off a recent mid-cycle refresh, the Corsair in 2024 continues to be the defining model in Lincoln's lineup. It has been a top-selling vehicle within Ford's luxury subsidiary for several years now, likely due to its practical size and luxe features.
Giving the domestic Corsair a run for its money, however, is a constant barrage of high-end imports from competitors such as Audi, whose 2024 Q3 delivers similar compact SUV functionality with a signature German finish. Certain line items — such as price, available all-wheel drive, and a hybrid option — are the biggest areas of difference between these two fashionable family haulers.
Lincoln
The Q3 Comes With Standard AWD, Though the Corsair Has a Wider Lineup
In terms of price, the Q3 consistently beats the Corsair throughout each of the two vehicles' respective tiers. The Q3 range consists of two trims, beginning with the base Premium edition at about $38,000, followed by the $41,000 Premium Plus.
The Q3 Premium comes standard with leather seating, while the Plus adds upgraded LED interior lighting and a 360-degree camera. An optional $2,400 engine upgrade is available on either trim, making the $43,000 Premium Plus 45 the most expensive Q3 available.
The Corsair range, on the other hand, stretches out to three tiers, starting with the $40,000 Premiere. The $44,500 Reserve adds cosmetic upgrades, adaptive suspension, and leather upholstery, while the top-of-the-line Grand Touring edition is a plug-in hybrid and tops out above $55,000.
Both vehicles are powered by similar 2.0-liter inline-four engines, although the Lincoln's is more powerful, generating 250 horsepower, compared with the Audi's 184. The Q3's aforementioned engine upgrade, however, does close that gap slightly, getting a boost to 228 horsepower.
The Corsair doesn't offer any alternate engine options. That said, the most significant difference between the Q3 and Corsair lies in powertrains. Every version of the Q3 comes standard with Audi's Quattro all-wheel drive, while Lincoln's optional four-wheeling platform will cost around $2,000 extra, further widening the price disparity.
Audi
The Corsair Provides a Lengthy List of Luxury Upgrades
There are a few choice items on the Corsair, such as an available head-up display and remote start, that the Audi can't match. A 13.2-inch dash-mounted infotainment screen is also standard on the Lincoln. It's significantly larger than both the Q3's stock 8.8-inch unit and the available 10.3-inch upgrade. The Corsair offers more cargo space as well, boasting 57.6 cubic-feet versus the Audi's 48 cu-ft.
Not all of the Lincoln's advantages are flashy and luxury forward, though. The list also includes added safety features such as standard rear side airbags, which are available only as a $350 add-on from Audi. Some versions of the Corsair also include BlueCruise, Ford's advanced driver-assistance technology.
Outside of adaptive cruise control, the Q3 doesn't have an equivalent high-tech driver aid.
Lincoln
The Hybrid Corsair Is the Star of the Fuel-Economy Show
Despite the Q3's more depletive AWD platform, it's nearly as efficient as the FWD Corsair, clocking in at an estimated 22/29/25 mpg city/highway/combined, as opposed to the base Lincoln's 22/30/25 mpg. And while the AWD Corsair is a bit thirstier, with a 21/28/24 mpg rating, the plug-in hybrid model is the standout option, achieving 78 MPGe/33 mpg.
