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Best Car Deals for April 2025Head-to-Head: 2023 Lincoln Corsair VS. 2023 Cadillac XT4
Today’s primetime battle is the Lincoln Corsair vs. Cadillac XT4! Read on to find out who wins when it comes to specs, performance, and comfort.
Sometimes, Luxury Comes in Small Packages
There are several compact SUVs on the market, but the number of compact luxury SUVs is relatively small. Companies like Lincoln and Cadillac are continuing to produce SUVs that are not only luxurious on the outside, but also the inside.
The 2023 Lincoln Corsair is Lincoln’s smallest SUV. It looks similar to the Ford Edge on the outside, but its luxurious veneer screams “high-class”. It competes directly with the 2023 Cadillac XT4. Both vehicles have a lot to prove since they are going up against European makers like Mercedes, BMW, and Audi.
They’re designed for drivers who want to enjoy the finer things in life all while being able to drive the kids to soccer practice and get the groceries. They are practical, yet they make a statement.
The 2023 Lincoln Corsair gets a few changes such as some new exterior appointments and new cabin design. There is now a 13.2-inch infotainment display as well as a 12.3-inch digital gauge display. There are new control locations and a redesigned center console, and there are new interior themes available. The powertrain options consist of a turbocharged 2.0L inline four-cylinder and a 2.5L plug-in hybrid engine.
The 2023 Cadillac XT4 also received some updates. The XT4 Sport trim features sport-tuned suspension, sport seats, and new exterior appointments. There are also 2 new paint colors and blind spot monitoring is standard on all trims.
Let’s take a better look to see who wins out in our showdown!
Specs
The 2023 Lincoln Corsair has two engine options. The first is available on the Standard (base) trim and Reserve trim. It is a 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder that makes 250 horsepower and 280 lbs.-ft. of torque. It is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. It has 22 MPG city and 29 MPG highway (FWD configuration) and only drops 1 MPG for the AWD.
The other option is available only on the Grand Touring trim, and it is a 2.5L plug-in hybrid engine. This engine is mated to a CVT transmission and puts out 266 horsepower. This engine gives drivers 28 miles of driving on nothing but electricity, and it is rated for 34 MPG city/32 MPG highway.
The Cadillac XT4 offers up a turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder and a nine-speed automatic transmission. This powertrain puts out 235 horsepower and 258 lbs.-ft. of torque. It gets 23 MPG city and 30 MPG highway. This is only slightly better than the Lincoln Corsair, and only average when compared to other competitors.
Driving and Performance
The 2023 Lincoln Corsair is underwhelming to drive. The engine provides only mediocre power, and rivals easily beat it on acceleration. The 2.0L managed to run from zero to 60 MPH in 6.1 seconds. The 2.5L hybrid faired worse and came in at 7.0 seconds on the same test.
There isn’t anything special to report on the handling either. It is certainly not sporty, but you don’t feel like you’re driving a box around corners either. It was not a thrilling driving experience. The ride was smooth and comfortable though with plenty of isolation from the road.
There is only enough power in this little SUV to tow 2,000 lbs. Other choices would be better if you are planning on towing anything bigger than a small trailer.
The 2023 Cadillac XT4 shambled from zero to 60 MPH in 7.8 seconds. It feels livelier than the Lincoln Corsair when driving in town, and it feels peppy when merging onto a highway. It handles well, but it certainly isn’t sporty. The Sport trim is no better when it comes to handling, and the 20-inch wheels made riding on rough pavement very unpleasant. There was a lot of vibration transferred to the cabin when the road surface was less than ideal.
The brakes appear to be the only strong point on the 2023 Cadillac XT4. Everything else was simply mediocre at best. The 2023 Cadillac XT4 can tow up to 2,500 lbs.
Comfort and Interior
The interior of the 2023 Lincoln Corsair is dapper and sophisticated. The seats are premium leather, and the themes are mature and stylish. There is plenty of space for everyone, but the rear passenger headroom is compromised by the sloping roofline.
There are plenty of gadgets and technological goodies to be had in the Corsair, and some examples are a 13.2-inch infotainment touchscreen, an app that lets you start the car remotely from anywhere, available adjustable ambient lighting, and a standard 10-speaker audio system. You get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, and steering wheel-mounted controls keep your hands on the wheel.
You can fit plenty into the cargo area. There is an ample 27.6 cubic feet behind the rear seats, and you can increase that to 57.6 cubic feet by folding the rear seats.
The 2023 Cadillac XT4’s interior is comfortable, but it feels more like a Chevy than a Cadillac. There are a lot of hard plastics on the door panels and the faux leather dashboard covering does a poor job of mimicking actual leather. Even the buttons feel like they belong on a much lower-quality vehicle.
The infotainment system is also lacking compared to the Lincoln Corsair. There is only an 8.0-inch touchscreen display, but it is easy to use and intuitive. You get features like an onboard Wi-Fi hotspot, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay. The base sound system won’t win any awards with its seven speakers but going for the 13-speaker Bose setup on the Premium Luxury and Sport trims sounds amazing. You can also get a wireless smartphone charging pad, a head-up display, and a digital gauge display if you add on the Technology package.
The cargo area provides 22.4 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 48.9 cubic feet with the rear seats folded down. The Lincoln Corsair is the choice to make when it comes to space.
Trims and Features
The 2023 Lincoln Corsair comes in three trims. All trims get Lincoln’s Co-Pilot360 2.1 system that includes important safety features such as blind-spot monitoring, forward collision warning, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, evasive steering assistance, intersection collision mitigation, and rear automatic emergency braking.
The Standard is the base model is available in FWD or AWD and comes with features such as LED headlights, simulated leather upholstery, a digital instrument panel, dual-zone automatic climate control, a power liftgate, a 13.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system, 10-speaker sound system, remote start, 18-inch wheels, and Wi-Fi.
The Reserve trim includes everything the Standard trim offers plus 19-inch wheels, real leather seats, additional interior lighting, and upgraded exterior lights.
The Grand Touring trim gives you everything in the Reserve trim plus the 2.5L plug-in hybrid engine, standard AWD, adaptive suspension, a CVT transmission, a panoramic sunroof, and unique exterior styling appointments.
Add on the Collection II package to get features like a surround-view camera system, power-folding rear seatbacks, a heated steering wheel, a hands-free tailgate, front and rear parking sensors, wireless smartphone charging, a power-adjustable steering column, and auto-dimming mirrors.
Choose the Collection III package and add Lincoln’s ActiveGlide hands-free driving system, a head-up display, automated parking, upgraded cabin air filters, heated rear seats, adaptive headlights, and a 14-speaker Revel audio system.
The Jet Appearance package gives the Lincoln Corsair a dark look by adding 20-inch black alloy wheels, a black grille, black badges, and body-colored fender and lower door molding.
The 2023 Cadillac XT4 also comes in three trims. The Luxury trim is the base model and comes with features such as LED headlights, remote start, a power liftgate, simulated leather upholstery, power-adjustable front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, keyless entry and ignition, 18-inch wheels, a Wi-Fi hotspot, an 8-inch touchscreen, automatic emergency braking, rear parking sensors, blind-spot monitoring, rear-cross traffic alert, a seven-speaker audio system, and satellite radio.
You can also add on a cold weather package, a driver awareness package, and a sunroof.
The Premium Luxury trim gives you everything that the Luxury trim offers plus roof rails, real leather upholstery, rain-sensing windshield wipers, a driver awareness package, ambient interior lighting, power-folding mirrors, and memory settings for the driver’s seat.
You can add on a comfort and convenience package, a technology package, and an enhanced visibility package as well.
The Sport trim gives you a sport-tuned suspension, 20-inch wheels, adjustable bolstered seats, alloy pedals, a sport steering wheel, cornering lights, and sporty exterior appointments.
The Verdict
These two luxury compact SUVs fall short when it comes to power, but they make up for that shortcoming with cargo space. The interior of the Lincoln Corsair feels like a luxury car compared to the rather bland and cheap-feeling interior of the Cadillac XT4. Both featured mediocre handling, but the Lincoln wins out by being slightly more fun.
While the price of the 2023 Lincoln Corsair is higher, you get a better-quality ride as well as a better interior. When you spring for a luxury SUV, you at least want to feel like you’re in one. This is where the Cadillac XT4 fails. It just isn’t up to par with what we would expect in a compact SUV. If you’re going to spend the money, get a 2023 Lincoln Corsair in the Reserve or Grand Touring trim (depending on if you want the hybrid powertrain or not).
The Lincoln Corsair wins this match-up! It is just the best choice if you want luxury, and isn’t that what it is all about when you’re shopping in this category?
