Compare the2025 BMW X3VS 2025 Lincoln Corsair

The X3 has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The Corsair doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

The X3 has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Corsair doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the X3. But it costs extra on the Corsair.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the X3’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Corsair doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

Both the X3 and the Corsair have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the BMW X3 is safer than the Lincoln Corsair:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The X3’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the Corsair’s (12 vs. 5 years).

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the X3 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. BMW will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Lincoln doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Corsair. (Lincoln offers free mainteance on some Corsair models.)

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the X3’s reliability 42 points higher than the Corsair.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that BMW vehicles are better in initial quality than Lincoln vehicles. With 18 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks BMW higher than Lincoln.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Lincoln With 61 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks BMW higher than Lincoln.

The X3 30 xDrive’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 5 more horsepower (255 vs. 250) and 20 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 275) than the Corsair’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The X3 M50 xDrive’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 127 more horsepower (393 vs. 266) than the Corsair Grand Touring’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the X3 30 xDrive 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid is faster than the Lincoln Corsair turbo 4 cyl.:

On the EPA test cycle the X3 gets better mileage than the Corsair running its gasoline engine:

The X3 has 6.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the Corsair Grand Touring’s standard fuel tank (17.2 vs. 11.1 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The X3 has a gallon more fuel capacity than the Corsair’s standard fuel tank (17.2 vs. 16.2 gallons).

The X3 has a standard locking fuel door with a power remote release convenient to the driver. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Corsair. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

The X3 M50’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Corsair doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the X3’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Corsair:

The X3’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Corsair are solid, not vented.

The X3 stops much shorter than the Corsair:

For better traction, the X3 has larger standard tires than the Corsair (245/50R19 vs. 225/60R18). The X3’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Corsair (F:255/40R21 & R:285/35R21 vs. 245/45R20).

The X3’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Corsair Premiere’s standard 60 series tires. The X3’s optional 255/40R21 front and 285/35R21 rear tires have a lower 40 series front and 35 series rear profile than the Corsair’s optional 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the X3 has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Corsair Premiere. The X3’s optional 21-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels optional on the Corsair.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the X3’s wheelbase is 6.1 inches longer than on the Corsair (112.8 inches vs. 106.7 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the X3 is 1.1 inches wider in the front and 1.2 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Corsair.

The X3’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (50.5% to 49.5%) than the Corsair’s (56% to 44%). This gives the X3 more stable handling and braking.

The X3 30 xDrive handles at .92 G’s, while the Corsair Premiere AWD pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The X3 30 xDrive executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.9 seconds quicker than the Corsair Premiere AWD (25.8 seconds @ .72 average G’s vs. 27.7 seconds @ .67 average G’s).

The X3 has 1 inch more front headroom and .8 inches more front shoulder room than the Corsair.

The X3 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Corsair with its rear seat up (31.5 vs. 27.6 cubic feet). The X3 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Corsair with its rear seat folded (67.1 vs. 57.6 cubic feet).

The engine in the X3 is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Corsair. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

The X3’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Corsair’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the X3 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Corsair doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the X3 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Corsair doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

When the X3 is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The Corsair’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

The BMW X3 has a standard Homelink wireless remote control system for garage door operation and device management, conveniently located on the rear view mirror. Homelink® eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries. Lincoln charges extra for Homelink® on the Corsair.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the BMW X3 has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Corsair.

The X3’s Parking Assistant can parallel park by itself, with the driver only controlling the transmission and speed with the brake pedal. With its available fully controlled system, the driver just activates it and it parks autonomously, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Optional Remote Control Parking will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Corsair’s automatic parking system does not offer parking by remote control.

The BMW X3 outsold the Lincoln Corsair by almost three to one during 2024.