Compare the2026 Lincoln CorsairVS 2026 Subaru Outback

The Lincoln Corsair has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Outback doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The Corsair offers optional Post Collision Braking, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Outback doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Both the Corsair and Outback have rear cross-traffic warning, but the Corsair has Rear Cross Traffic Braking (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Outback’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the Corsair and the Outback have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, 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, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The Corsair comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck. The Outback’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

Lincoln’s powertrain warranty covers the Corsair 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Subaru covers the Outback. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Outback ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The Corsair has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The Outback doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the car’s engine.

The Corsair’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 70 more horsepower (250 vs. 180) and 97 lbs.-ft. more torque (275 vs. 178) than the Outback 2.5i’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Corsair Grand Touring’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 6 more horsepower (266 vs. 260) than the Outback XT/Wilderness’ standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the Corsair running on electricity gets better mileage than the Outback:

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

The Corsair Grand Touring can travel with zero emissions for 27 miles. The Outback can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the Corsair Grand Touring’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Outback doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The Corsair has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Outback doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Lincoln Corsair higher (6 to 7 out of 10) than the Subaru Outback (5 to 6). This means the Corsair produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Outback every 15,000 miles.

The Corsair stops much shorter than the Outback:

For better traction, the Corsair’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Outback (245/45R20 vs. 225/65R17).

The Corsair Premiere’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Outback Wilderness’ standard 65 series tires. The Corsair’s optional tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Outback XT’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Corsair Premiere has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Outback Wilderness. The Corsair’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels on the Outback XT.

The Corsair has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Outback doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The Corsair’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Outback doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

The Corsair is 10.3 inches shorter than the Outback, making the Corsair easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Corsair uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Outback doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Corsair has .2 inches more front legroom and .6 inches more front hip room than the Outback.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Corsair’s available liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Outback doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The Corsair Grand Touring can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Corsair can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Outback can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The Corsair uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Outback uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The Corsair’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Outback doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Corsair Reserve/Grand Touring offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, warning, turn signal, navigation instruction and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Outback doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The power windows standard on both the Corsair and the Outback have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Corsair is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Outback prevents the driver from operating the rear windows just as it does the other passengers.

If the windows are left open on the Corsair the driver can close all of them from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can also lower the windows the same way. The driver of the Outback can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Corsair’s standard Intelligent Access allow you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the cargo door, and start the vehicle, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Keyless Access and Start standard on the Outback doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door.

The Corsair’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Outback’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Lincoln Corsair has power folding mirrors that offer unparalleled convenience while maneuvering in tight places or parked. With the mirrors folded it’s easier to walk past and help prevent parking damage. The mirrors can be quickly unfolded when the driver is ready to leave. Power folding mirrors costs extra on the Outback and aren't offered on the Premium/Limited.

The Corsair Reserve/Grand Touring offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Outback.

The Corsair has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the Outback Premium/Limited/Wilderness/Touring/Onyx.

The Corsair’s optional Active Park Assist 2.0 can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Outback doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The Corsair is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Outback doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Lincoln Corsair and the Subaru Outback, based on reliability, safety and performance.