Shipping cars to America is really weird right now, and I’m not talking about private imports. A model of car can be classed under a wildly different tariff rate depending on where it comes from and what powers it, and automakers have been bending over backwards to take a more advantageous position. Volvo moved some EX30 production from China to Belgium for lower tariff rates before discontinuing it in America, Toyota’s shuffled RAV4 production allocation within North America, and now Lincoln has joined the fray. After the Corsair crossover entered purgatory for a year, it’s re-emerged with new propulsion from a different plant on the other side of the world.
While the old Corsair was available either with a traditional gasoline engine or a plug-in hybrid powertrain, this updated model takes a different approach. It uses essentially the same turbocharged series-parallel hybrid system that’s available in the larger Nautilus, albeit with output reduced from 310 horsepower to 305. That’s a big jump in power from the 266 horsepower provided by the old plug-in hybrid powertrain, and you don’t have to plug this new Corsair in. It simply recharges as you drive, making it more ideal for condo-dwellers looking to save on fuel, and it comes with a proper mechanical all-wheel-drive system.
So why go with a new powertrain? Well, the Corsair’s been subject to a bit of a map change. It’s been kicked out of its former Louisville, Kentucky assembly plant so that facility can be re-tooled for the Ford Fathom compact electric pickup truck. Lincoln’s sent production over to China, specifically to the Changan-Ford joint venture. This would present a problem if the model were to continue with its old plug-in hybrid powertrain because gasoline-electric plug-in hybrid vehicles get an HTSUS number of 8703.60.00, a unique identifier for a genre of goods used to classify tariff rates. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this HTSUS number was included in the federal government’s 100 percent tariffs on Chinese-built EVs announced in 2024. By switching to a standard hybrid powertrain, Lincoln’s able to save a whole bunch of money on importation. Talk about tariff engineering.
Beyond the country of origin and method of propulsion, the biggest changes to the Corsair are styling-related. The entire front clip’s been reworked to look more like the outgoing Nautilus, including fresh headlights with daytime running lights that spear into the grille, a flatter grille design, and a recess up the center of the hood. It’s a bit odd considering the Nautilus was just facelifted to tone down its lighting signature, but that’s product development for you. Not everything happens at the same time.
Around back, a new taillight treatment with far more intricate elements adds another touch of Nautilus DNA while looking far more upscale than the rear lighting on the old Corsair. Oh, and you also get three new wheel designs including a swooshy five-spoke option. Overall, it’s a much larger exterior update than the Corsair’s previous facelift, which basically just enlarged the grille.
Stepping inside the updated Corsair, the biggest change you’ll find has to do with the optional seats. The latest 24-way massaging thrones are no longer hard-backed, instead adopting a one-piece, fully upholstered backrest treatment. Beyond that, there’s a new interior color option on hand, BlueCruise 1.5 is now standard across all trims, and some of the materials have changed. That’s it. No panoramic display setup as you get in the Nautilus and Navigator, no major changes to the dashboard or steering wheel. It still looks plenty nice with stitched materials, metallic accents, and rich colors; just don’t expect any dramatic changes inside.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the new traditional hybrid powertrain means the 2027 Lincoln Corsair splits the price difference between the old gasoline-powered model and the old plug-in hybrid model. It starts at $48,790 including a stiff $2,295 freight charge, which is $670 more than the least expensive all-wheel-drive Lexus NX 350h hybrid. That’s a lot more power than its main rival for not much more money, but don’t expect this current situation to run for long. Lincoln recently announced it’s bringing some production back to America from China by 2030. While the Nautilus headlined that story, the Corsair could join it. International trade really is a strange thing right now, isn’t it?
Top graphic image: Lincoln
