Escape is more pleasant to drive than Corsair

[Charlie K]

I recently rented both a Lincoln Corsair and then a base model Ford Escape. Both were 2025 models. I generally liked the Corsair, but I didn't love it. Leaving so many of the controls on the screen is definitely a bad idea. Also, some of the touch sensitive buttons on the steering wheel didn't work.

The 3 cylinder engine in the Escape is pathetic, but that's what you get in a base model. I've driven a lot of new vehicles and the controls on the Escape were by far some of the nicest ones that I've seen. Everything was right where I expected it to be, everything worked as I expected it to, and everything was easy and intuitive. It was quite refreshing. The screen was small by today's standards, but I didn't need to be bigger because it just worked.

I think that the manufacturers have it backwards. If you must remove physical controls, then remove them from the lower trims and save the physical controls for higher trim levels. Luxury cars are supposed to be pleasant to drive and I will pay extra for ones that are.

 

[NJRonbo]

I recently rented both a Lincoln Corsair and then a base model Ford Escape. Both were 2025 models. I generally liked the Corsair, but I didn't love it. Leaving so many of the controls on the screen is definitely a bad idea. Also, some of the touch sensitive buttons on the steering wheel didn't work.

The 3 cylinder engine in the Escape is pathetic, but that's what you get in a base model. I've driven a lot of new vehicles and the controls on the Escape were by far some of the nicest ones that I've seen. Everything was right where I expected it to be, everything worked as I expected it to, and everything was easy and intuitive. It was quite refreshing. The screen was small by today's standards, but I didn't need to be bigger because it just worked.

I think that the manufacturers have it backwards. If you must remove physical controls, then remove them from the lower trims and save the physical controls for higher trim levels. Luxury cars are supposed to be pleasant to drive and I will pay extra for ones that are.

I agree with this. I miss physical buttons and knobs

 

[tidji74]

I drove a 2020 Escape Titanium 2.0 AWD for almost four years, a 2022 Explorer Limited 2.3 4WD for five months, and now I’m in a 2023 Corsair Reserve. And I agree—the no-buttons idea is bad, and very dangerous. Drove the 2022 Corsair and things were much easier to operate. In both the Escape and the Explorer, everything was very easy to operate. Muscle memory helped a lot.

As for driving: the Escape was quite sporty and, in Sport mode, simply great. Seats were very small.

Wanting something bigger,

I bought the Explorer—awesome vehicle, but it was stiff and had terrible, loud wind noise. The driver’s seat was amazing, though, and it was very peppy, fast, and drove extremely well.

As far as the Corsair goes, I’ll keep it until the end of the extended warranty. It has the most comfortable ride, is the quietest of the three, and the audio system is outstanding.

That said, I am under impression the 2.0 in the Corsair feels detuned in Normal mode—too slow. Switch to Excite mode, and it becomes more like the Escape: fast, but noticeably stiffer.

 

[G-434951]

I don't understand why the manufacturers can't get this right.

I haven't spent enough time in Hyundai, Kia, or Genesis to say how they are, but it seems like every one of the manufacturers get it wrong. I would buy a Lexus, but they're on of the worst offenders.

Hopefully they will figure it out soon.

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[B_A_H]

"Pleasant" is subjective. Any Escape with the 13.2" display has its controls in the screen just like every model of the Corsair. Only the lowest Escape trims with the 8" display have additional manual controls. If you think living with an 8" display to regain manual controls but giving up a slew of other luxury and convenience features is a good trade off then I suggest you're probably in the minority and not the market the Corsair is aimed at.

 

[Charlie K]

"Pleasant" is subjective. Any Escape with the 13.2" display has its controls in the screen just like every model of the Corsair. Only the lowest Escape trims with the 8" display have additional manual controls. If you think living with an 8" display to regain manual controls but giving up a slew of other luxury and convenience features is a good trade off then I suggest you're probably in the minority and not the market the Corsair is aimed at.

Don't get me wrong. I much prefer the higher trim levels and I would not actually buy a base model Escape. What I'm saying is that I the ergonomics of the Escape put the Corsair to shame. I don't understand why the manufacturers can't incorporate ergonomics into the higher trim levels. Lincoln, Lexus, Mercedes, etc. are still in demand, so maybe I am in the minority. I love Android Auto and would never go back to a car without a screen. But, ALL car reviewers from CR, to Edmunds, to Car and Driver, to Savagegeese, and more agree that physical controls are more desirable than controls that are wholly incorporated into a screen.

 

[B_A_H]

The auto industry swings in tandem when it comes to design and features. The pendulum swung too far toward burying everything in screens. At least with Sync 4 (and I'm guessing Digital Experience) Ford did a decent job with the layout, UI, and menu system. Most complaints from reviewers and the public are as much about functions being buried four menus deep or confusing and illogical menu layout than what's in the screen itself.

Personally, I use Sync 4 vs. AA. I like the native integration and interface, the system is more responsive when AA isn't running, and the native phone/messaging/e-mail is so much more simple, functional, and usable. AA, especially wirelessly, also beats the crap out of a phone in terms of battery usage and heat. In addition, a car's cellular antenna is significantly more powerful in terms of signal gain and overall performance than a smartphone's internal antenna, primarily due to its physical size, placement outside the vehicle, and the ability to use the car's metal body as an effective ground plane.

For music, I use Amazon Music via Premium Connectivity (Alexa) which I'll extend when the trial is over. If you're an Amazon Music Unlimited subscriber all the content that's streamed to the car is 6-bit/44.1 kHz or 24-bit/192 kHz lossless audio which makes a huge difference in sound quality when played back on one of Lincoln's premium Revel audio systems. A 4 minute ultra HD track uses 200MB of cellular data. That's a lot of AT&T bandwidth Ford is paying for.

To each their own as they say.

 

[MORSNO]

"Pleasant" is subjective. Any Escape with the 13.2" display has its controls in the screen just like every model of the Corsair. Only the lowest Escape trims with the 8" display have additional manual controls. If you think living with an 8" display to regain manual controls but giving up a slew of other luxury and convenience features is a good trade off then I suggest you're probably in the minority and not the market the Corsair is aimed at.

Well said, the Escape and Corsair are marketed to two different customers.

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