Chevrolet Blazer vs Lincoln Corsair

The 2021 Lincoln Corsair was introduced as a replacement for the Lincoln MKC, which had been around since 2014. The MKC, despite a facelift in 2019, never quite matched the athleticism of its Ford Escape counterpart and had a dated cabin. The Corsair, built on the new C2 platform shared with the latest Ford Escape, marked a significant improvement. Lincoln managed to differentiate the Corsair from its Ford sibling, a feat General Motors struggled with in its Cadillac XT4 and XT5 models. The Corsair's design, with its slab sides, blacked-out rear pillars, and straight belt- and rooflines, gave it a refined and larger appearance, similar to the Aviator and Navigator.

Inside, the Corsair featured a flowing dash, floating center touchscreen, and signature “Piano Key” shifter buttons. However, it didn't quite match the fit and finish of Lincoln's more expensive SUVs, with more hard-touch materials present. The black leather with dark wood trim seemed aimed at older buyers, while younger buyers might prefer the lighter palettes with tan leather. The Corsair came in Standard, Reserve, and the new Grand Touring plug-in hybrid trims, each offering a range of features from 18-inch alloy wheels and a 10-speaker stereo to a 14-speaker Revel premium audio system and 24-way multi-contour seats with a massaging function.

The 2022 Chevrolet Blazer was available in 2LT, 3LT, Premier, and RS trims. Most trims came with a standard turbocharged four-cylinder engine and the option of front-wheel or all-wheel drive. The RS trim featured a V6 engine and a sophisticated twin-clutch AWD system. For 2022, the Blazer saw minor updates, including revised bumper and bodyside trim for the Premier trim, a new Enhanced Convenience Package, and a Trailering Package for models with the turbocharged engine. Two-tone paint was also available for the LT and RS trims.

The Blazer's design, inspired by the Camaro, was appealing, especially with 20-inch wheels. However, the black trim on the rear bumper gave it an unfinished look. Inside, the Camaro influence continued with an 8-inch touchscreen, large round air vents with temperature adjustment rings, and a strip of climate buttons. The interior had plenty of hard plastic, and the upper door panel trim was notably hard. The RS trim's red interior accents matched the exterior paint, adding a layer of sophistication.

The 2021 Lincoln Corsair offered a base 2.0-liter EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 250 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. This engine provided adequate power, but the optional 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder engine, with 295 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque, delivered stronger acceleration. Both engines were paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, with the 2.0-liter available in FWD or AWD and the 2.3-liter exclusively in AWD. The Corsair featured unique drive modes like “Conserve” and “Excite,” with the latter akin to a Sport mode. The 2.3-liter engine offered brisk acceleration and confident cornering, though there was some body roll and light steering. The suspension was designed to absorb deeper potholes, though road noise was noticeable.

For 2021, the Grand Touring trim added a plug-in hybrid powertrain, combining a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with a CVT, battery power, and two electric motors, producing a combined 266 hp. It offered 28 miles of pure EV driving, with an efficiency rating of 78 MPGe in electric mode and 33 mpg combined in hybrid mode.

The 2022 Chevrolet Blazer came with a standard 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. The Blazer RS featured a 3.6-liter V6 engine with 308 hp and 270 lb-ft of torque, also paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. The V6 engine was available with the 3LT and Premier trims but only the RS had the dual-clutch AWD system. The V6 engine offered satisfying acceleration, though it was loud and unrefined. The Blazer RS felt firm and sporty in city and suburban driving, with decent grip and capable brakes. However, on back roads, the suspension was less pleasing, and the nine-speed automatic was slow to downshift. The steering in Sport mode felt artificially heavy, and the SUV struggled in higher-speed curves.

The Blazer RS AWD had an EPA fuel economy rating of 21 mpg in combined driving, but our test vehicle averaged 20.5 mpg in FWD mode, likely due to heavy traffic.

The 2021 Lincoln Corsair had a spacious cabin with comfortable seats and ample storage space. However, the large lip when stepping in or out of the vehicle was a notable downside, posing a tripping hazard. The rear seats were reclining and sliding, providing a comfortable second row with impressive legroom for a compact SUV. The Corsair offered 27.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats and 57.6 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, both average for the segment. A power liftgate was standard, with a hands-free option available.

The 2022 Chevrolet Blazer's interior was reasonably comfortable and useful. The RS trim's black leather upholstery with red perforations looked good but wasn't high quality. The steering wheel was pleasing to grip, with power tilt and telescopic adjustment and heating. The front seats offered power adjustment, heating, and ventilation but lacked thigh support. Dual-zone automatic climate control was available, with effective air conditioning and rear air vents. The back seat was wide and flat, with plenty of legroom and the ability to slide forward and back. Storage space was impressive, with a large glove compartment, a bin under the center armrest, and various shelves and bins in the door panels. The Blazer offered 30.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats and 64.2 cubic feet with the seats folded, both small for a midsize SUV. Most trims had a power rear liftgate, with hands-free operation available on the RS and Premier trims.

The 2021 Lincoln Corsair came standard with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system running the SYNC 3 system. The screen was easy to use, with a logical menu layout and standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The steering wheel had a well-placed voice control button. The Reserve trim added wireless device charging, a 14-speaker Revel premium audio system, and a head-up display (HUD) with crisp graphics.

The 2022 Chevrolet Blazer's infotainment system was user-friendly, with an 8-inch touchscreen display, high-resolution graphics, and simple physical controls. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, with an upgraded system offering satellite radio and connected navigation. Connected services included an OnStar Safety and Security plan and a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot. The infotainment system was easy to use, with separate stereo volume and tuning functions and climate controls. The enhanced voice recognition and connected navigation systems were fast and accurate. The Blazer also had wireless smartphone charging and an 8-speaker Bose audio system, though the sound quality was mediocre. Safety features included rear parking sensors, a high-resolution reversing camera, a 360-degree surround-view camera, and a rear camera mirror.

The 2021 Lincoln Corsair came standard with forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and rear parking sensors. Additional features included traction control, a tire-pressure monitoring system, and a full array of airbags. The Lincoln CoPilot360 Plus suite added a HUD, rain-sensing wipers, adaptive LED headlights, surround-view parking cameras, front parking sensors, speed-limit sign recognition, stop-and-go adaptive cruise control, reverse automatic braking, and automatic parking assist. The Corsair was an IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus when equipped with the high-feature headlights in the Reserve II package.

The 2022 Chevrolet Blazer came standard with Chevy Safety Assist, including forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, low-speed automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, and automatic high-beam headlights. It also had a rear-seat reminder system and Teen Driver technology. Available safety upgrades included a vibrating Safety Alert Seat, adaptive cruise control with enhanced automatic emergency braking, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, and LED headlights. The Blazer's advanced driving assistance systems worked well, with smooth adaptive cruise control and effective lane-keeping assistance. However, the Blazer did not receive a "Top Safety Pick" rating from the IIHS due to its headlights' performance.