By David Colman

Hypes: Powerful but Economical Motor, Huge Panoramic Roof
Gripes: 240hp is nice but a new 400hp twin turbo V6 is nicer

The big news at Lincoln this year is the return of the Continental, a storied 77 year old nameplate now attached to an all new luxury sedan for 2017. A lot of the Continental’s $60,000 luxury has also surfaced in Lincoln’s completely revamped 2017 MKZ, a five person luxury sedan restyled both inside and out this year. The MKZ is based on the Ford Fusion platform. But its Continental styled grill, sumptuous interior, and lively drivetrain move the MKZ into a class well beyond Fusion level.

Lincoln finally abandoned their upswept butterfly trademark grill on the new MKZ for a revised prow that looks much sleeker. Not coincidentally, the perforated mesh screen establishes the MKZ’s close familial ties to the new Continental. Inside our handsome Midnight Blue Sapphire Metallic test car, the spread of Ebony leather looks understated and elegant. Both front “Multicontour” seats feature 10 way motor-driven adjustability, with heating and ventilation standard. Rear seats are heated as well. The interior is dominated by the most expansive retracting sunroof I can recall. This huge swath of gleaming black glass fully retracts in two stages: first the interior screen cover slides aft, followed by retraction of the entire glass roof. This “Panoramic” roof puts on quite a show while insuring that claustrophobia will never figure in your MKZ trip plans.

After having driven a Hybrid Fusion during the week preceding my stint in the MKZ, I found the Lincoln’s interior to be preferable on several counts. Foremost is the irrefutable logic of the controls in the new Lincoln. For 2017, the MKZ eliminates the capacitive touch-based system of the previous model, instead using more knobs and buttons than slide switches. This advance alone makes it ever so easy to adjust seat temperature, cabin climate and steering wheel heater with the simple push of a button. In the Fusion, steering wheel heat requires going through a menu and locating a virtual button on a complicated video screen. Likewise, the Lincoln’s 6-speed SelectShift automatic gearbox, which offers a manual mode with paddles, is controlled by a series of large PRNDL buttons stacked vertically adjacent to the steering wheel rim, a placement that is much easier to use than the Fusion’s new rotary gear selector wheel.

Our base model Lincoln utilized a 2.0 liter turbocharged inline 4 cylinder “GTDI” direct injection engine that provides really strong performance considering its diminutive displacement. Both torque (275lb.-ft.) and horsepower (245hp) have increased by 5lb.-ft. and 5hp over the 2016 model. With the aid of the paddles to select just the right gear ratio of the 6 offered, the new MKZ really flies. The all-wheel-drive system harnesses the engine’s strong output, judiciously channeling just the right amount of drive to each Michelin Primacy MXM4 tire (245/40R19). The alloy rims of our test MKZ, which Lincoln describes as “premium painted aluminum wheels with painted pockets and chrome inserts” looked particularly spiffy. They will, however, prove labor intensive to keep clean.

Last year, Lincoln introduced a comforting premium program for customers seeking concierge level design tweaks. For example, you can fit your MKZ with Vintner’s Wood inserts complemented by Merlot leather seating surfaces. This “curated” Black Label program also extends to special after-sales attention, offering complimentary car washes after service, and access to special food and entertainment events. Clearly, this is an effort by Lincoln to match the customer friendly trappings Lexus and Infiniti owners have come to expect. At a base price of just $35,170, the redone MKZ already has a big financial advantage over its more expensive Japanese competitors. The Black Label program is just more icing on an already rather delectable piece of cake.

2017 Lincoln MKZ Reserve AWD

• Engine: 2.0 liter inline 4, GTDI, turbocharged
• Horsepower: 240hp
• Torque: 275lb.-ft.
• Fuel Consumption: 20 MPG City/28 MPG Highway
• Price as Tested: $36,507
• Star Rating: 9 out of 10 Stars

By David Colman

Hypes: Cargo Hungry Behemoth, Prime Airstream Tote
Gripes: No Memory Settings, Flimsy Mirror Stalk

The Navigator is Lincoln’s effort to turn the Ford Expedition into a true luxury SUV. Since both vehicles weigh 6,200 pounds, share similar Eco Boost turbocharged 3.5 liter V6 engines, and 6 speed automatic gearboxes, what makes the $66,066 Navigator worth $20,000 more than the $46,315 Expedition? Call it panache, or the refinement of breeding, but the Lincoln name plate, which has long stood for excellence, does not disappoint in this instance. Our first drive in it took us home at night, When we flipped the key fob remote to unlock the burly SUV, the first thing we noticed were power deployed running boards tipping into place to facilitate cabin entry. The Navigator, after all, stands 78 inches tall, so step-in is no easy chore without running board assistance. The second thing we took note of was the large display of an illuminated Lincoln logo on the dark pavement on either side of the vehicle. This ingenious entry light system won our hearts over immediately. It really is a brilliant touch, unlike anything we’ve seen before.

The good vibes continue once ensconced in the vast cockpit. We should point out that our test vehicle did not make do with base level equipment. Rather, it included pricey Equipment Group 101A ($6,850) which the window sticker would lead you to believe just adds 22 inch polished aluminum 20 spoke wheels and 285/45R22 Pirelli Scorpion Verde tires. Further research, however, indicates you receive much more than wheels and tires for your extra six thousand dollars. Specifically, the 101A Group also adds those useful running boards, upgraded premium leather low backed bucket seats, upgraded leather instrument panel, door panels and console, unique color headliner, upgraded Ziricote wood appliqué, and 2-tone exterior tuxedo black lower body-side moldings. All these niceties add up to a rather stellar looking package. The deviated light tan stitching across the sweeping chocolate dashboard looks fetchingly European. The seats are sumptuous front and rear, with myriad fine tuning available for back rest angle, lumbar support, heating and ventilation. About the only thing missing from the luxury index is a provision for memory retention of driver settings for seat, mirror and steering wheel position.

This rig drives big, like a semi. You need to be real careful about where you position it in your lane, because its width of 80 inches does not allow much room for error. While the steering feedback is surprisingly accurate and informative, the sheer size of the Navigator demands your full attention. The Pirelli Scorpions are enormously effective at gobbling up the miles without jiggering the ride quality. Their vast 285mm tread snags a lot of pavement when you’re tackling winding secondary roads. While you’ll never forget the 3 ton bulk you’re commanding here, the Navigator never embarrasses itself in the handling department. And in the power department, Lincoln has found the magic key to make a fuel efficientV6 rival the large displacement V8 it replaces in the Navigator line for 2015. This turbo marvel, which you can barely see when you peer into the vast engine bay, produces 380hp and 460lb.-ft. of torque, more than enough grunt to tow 9,000 pounds of trailer with ease. By comparison, the sibling Ford Expedition makes 365hp and 420lb.-ft. of torque, so in the power department you get what you pay for with the Lincoln. The Navigator’s exterior rear view mirrors are particularly generous in size, which makes them perfect for towing chores. Their lower edge incorporates directional signals, and you will find side traffic alert lights located on the outer edge of the mirrors. Trailer sway control is a welcome standard feature.

The interior of this unit is so vast that most of the time you’ll wonder what to do with its 61.5 cubic feet of cargo space. New for 2015 are electrically folding second and third row seats, so transforming the interior of the Navigator from people mover to cargo truck is less of a chore than it once was. The console receptacle between the front seats is deep enough to accept a couple of six packs, so even small object storage is never a problem inside the Navigator. Compared to some newer luxury SUVs, the Lincoln’s music/operations interface (called My Lincoln Touch) seems exasperatingly involved and demanding, which should come as no surprise since Microsoft provides the dynamics. The only other niggle is the inside rear view mirror, which is so insubstantially mounted to the windshield that it vibrated like a tuning fork. Aside from those minor issues, the Navigator is without question the Cunard QE2 of the highway, regal looking in its optional Ruby Red Tinted Metallic Clearcoat ($495), magisterially towering above the flotsam and jetsam like a true luxury liner.

2015 Lincoln Navigator 4×4

• Engine: 3.5 liter v6 Eco Boost turbo
• Horsepower: 380hp
• Torque: 460lb.-ft.
• Fuel Consumption: 15MPG City/20MPG Highway
• Price as Tested: $73,395
• Star Rating: 8.5 out of 10 Stars

By David Colman

Hypes: Handsome, Useful and Fun to Drive
Gripes: Tight Rear Seat

After Ford jettisoned its Mercury brand, they also allowed their Lincoln franchise to drift aimlessly for several years. The nameplate that once symbolized speed with its Zephyr in the 1930s and personal luxury with its Continental in the 1940s and 1950s, completely lost focus in recent times. But Ford has resolved to end the slide by refreshing Lincoln’s product line. Their latest effort is the MKS, a new offering for 2015 that brings Lincoln into the mid-price crossover SUV market with an upgraded and restyled version of the Ford Escape.

The best thing about the MKS is its explosively powerful turbocharged 2.3 liter EcoBoost inline 4. This engine package, which is not available on the Ford Escape, is worth every penny of the extra $1,140 you will pay. It absolutely rockets the MKS to the forefront of performance for this class of SUV. While it’s no gas miser at 21 MPG overall consumption, the extra fuel you ignite with the EcoBoost power plant yields 285hp and a whopping 305lb.-ft. of torque. With that kind of output running through a paddle-shifted 6-speed Select Shift automatic gearbox, the MKS becomes one of the liveliest mid size SUVs you can buy for under $50,000.

Given that kind of performance advantage under the hood, it is surprising that Lincoln engineers dropped the ball on other aspects of performance that should make such a vehicle fun to drive. Two areas of concern become obvious before you’ve driven the MKS a couple of miles. Steering effort is much too light to provide any sense of road awareness. The feather touch steering effort encourages imprecision through over control. Brake pedal response is so touchy that you’ll inadvertently perform a panic stop before you get the hang of where the threshold point is located. After a couple of drives in the MKS, you will learn to compensate for these idiosyncrasies, and driving it does then become rewarding. The optional 19 inch diameter, 5-spoke alloy wheels (a bargain at $395), mount 245/45R19 Michelin Latitude tires which contribute significantly to stability on twisting back roads. While you never entirely lose the bobblehead ride motion created by the elevated stance of the MKS, the compromise between ride comfort and sharp handling is well modulated in this Lincoln.

The central pillar of the dashboard contains the “My Lincoln Touch” screen which oversees most functions of the infotainment system, navigation needs, and ventilation controls. Unlike its Ford counterparts, the MKC dash also includes redundant buttons for air conditioning, fan and heat. This duplication makes it much easier for you to attend to the basics of climate control without the need to fiddle with a bouncing touch screen. The MKS’s center stack also presents a novel interface for gear selection. Along the left edge of the binnacle, you will find a series of oversized buttons that look like they belong on a ’59 Edsel, or on one of those phones designed for seniors with bad eyesight. The top button starts and stops the engine, while the rest control operation of the gearbox. These are arrayed in vertical sequence beneath the ignition button, with an “S” labeled pad at the very bottom which sets the transmission into sport mode for manual override driving. Even at the end of my week in the MKS, I found this start/transmission array difficult to operate because it never falls readily to hand or mind. I also accidentally caused the gearbox to slip into Neutral while fiddling with the adjacent radio selection screen. That made me wonder what would happen if the R button for Reverse was depressed mistakenly. One nice feature of this setup is its ability to automatically shift from Drive to Park when you simply turn the engine off. Another benefit of the button stack is that it opens up the entire floor console between the front seats to cup and oddment storage.

Lincoln outfitted our test MKS ($6,935)with Equipment Group 102A, which brightens the interior with an enormous panoramic, double pane sliding roof. It also adds folding exterior mirrors, navigation with voice recognition, heated and cooled front seats, rear cross traffic alert, and a nifty hands free rear lift gate. While you will benefit from these niceties, the Technology Package ($2,235) is kind of a mixed bag. Adaptive Cruise Control is handy for stress-free speed maintenance at 65mph, but the included “Forward Sensing System” which illuminates a bank of flashing red lights right under your nose, is a complete waste of time. It illuminated repeatedly when the system detected something as inert as a guardrail lining the outside of a sharp turn. Save your money on this option group.

2015 Lincoln MKC AWD

• Engine: 3.0 liter alloy V-6 with twin scroll turbo, CVVT and DOHC
• Horsepower: 325hp @5400rpm
• Torque: 354lb.-ft.@3000rpm
• Fuel Consumption: 19 MPG City/28 MPG Highway
• Price as Tested: $48,225
• Star Rating: 10 out of 10 Stars

Hits:

• Impressive power from EcoBoost V6 engine
• Heavy hauler will tow 4,500 lbs.
• Twin sunroof adds to spaciousness

Misses:

• Poor rear vision
• Annoying center console lid design
• Shortage of storage compartments

The Lincoln MKT makes optimal use of Ford’s sweet EcoBoost motor which is twin-turbocharged to produce 355 hp from just 3.5 liter of V6 displacement. This relatively small and efficient engine, also used in Ford’s Flex, returns good gas mileage figures (16 city/21 highway) considering its bus-like application in this spacious (6 or 7 passenger), heavy (4,680 pound) people mover. If you opt for the standard seating package of two front buckets and two rows of benches, you’ll be able to squeeze seven aboard, with just a footlocker at the back for belongings. The MKT provides a convenient power assist for opening the rear hatchback either via the key fob remote or a switch located under the dash. Unfortunately, there is no source of power provided to slam the hatch closed other than your own wrist.

Our test MKT eliminated the 7th seat in the second row in favor of an $895 “Refrigerator Console” that converts this Lincoln into a mini-motorhome for six. In this configuration, the 2 second row seats look identical to those in the front row, but lack the fronts’ 12-way adjustability, and heating and cooling. The twin occasional seats in the far back are best left for small children, or folded flat (via the nice power fold and tumble feature) to make room for more storage. If you do need those rearmost seats for passengers, you’ll have to flip the folded headrests up. This will preclude any rear vision, which is already severely limited due to the MKT’s tapered aft and small back window.

Pros:

• Finding POI’s was nice and simple
• Setting and customization of personal preferences
• Ability to make changes to settings via steering wheel mounted buttons

Cons:

• Lag while system processes voice command
• 8-inch touch screen not very touch sensitive
• Entering navigation destinations by voice or touch … ugh!

What do an 8” LCD touch screen on the center stack, two customizable LCD screens, media integration and connectivity (USB, RCA video), and the ability to turn the vehicle into a local area network for your passengers using a wireless USB modem all have in common? They are all components of MyLincoln Touch technology.

Based upon the new MyFord Touch technology unveiled last year, MyLincoln Touch is now available on the 2011 Lincoln MKX and will become standard equipment across the Lincoln lineup. We recently received an MKX for testing and I decided to put the MyLincoln Touch technology to the test to see if it really did enhance my driving experience. Integrated voice control of music, phone, climate, and navigation in a luxury SUV — it doesn’t get much better than this, or does it?

User Experience

Navigation functionality with the MyLincoln Touch system was a love/hate experience. I tried following the voice prompts to enter a new destination, and it couldn’t understand the street name despite several tries (and this was while the car was not running so ambient noise was minimal). I even had my neighbor say some street names, and the system found streets that were close (in spelling), but incorrect. Sometimes, I was able to successfully enter the city and street address without issue, but it was far less than the failed attempts.

Finding points of interest (POI) like Target, Starbucks or Peet’s Coffee was far easier to accomplish, enabling me to search, find, and start navigation to my destination. The processing time after speaking a command was on the long side; it’s typically a second or two, but sometimes longer (i.e., when searching for a POI). One neat feature was having abbreviated navigational instructions replicated on the right cluster screen in the instrument panel.

The entertainment, climate and phone functionality provided a much better experience than navigation. After downloading my phone book to the MKX, I could easily dial by name: “Call John Smith”. If I had several numbers for a particular contact, the system prompted me for which one (like cell or work) I wanted to dial. Changing the temperature or fan speed was very easy using a voice command (or the steering wheel mounted buttons); there’s also a touch sensitive bar on the center stack that you can slide your finger across to adjust fan speed (a similar bar exists for volume). Once in the Radio voice menu, you can say “AM 810” or “FM 101.3” to change to a specific radio station, and the same ease of selection applied to satellite radio.

The two cluster screens in the instrument panel proved to be very helpful. The right cluster screen displayed entertainment, navigation/compass, or climate info/settings, while the left cluster displayed trip information, fuel economy, vehicle settings, vehicle information, and system check info/settings. Each was controlled by a direction toggle switch with center OK button.

The benefit of this setup is that I could see the information that I wanted, or make changes to settings, without removing my hands from the steering wheel or looking at the larger 8-inch LCD on the center stack. Making inputs on the 8-inch screen unfortunately requires a firm touch. I wish it was a bit more sensitive because I often had to take my eyes off the road to make sure I was pressing the correct location (which I was), before pressing again more firmly.

Pros:

• V6 engine that performs like a V8
• All-wheel drive delivers acceleration and confidence
• Advanced technology for the latest bells and whistles

Cons:

• Restricted visibility
• Some advanced technology was awkward and/or confusing

For this review, I had the unusual pleasure of testing a 2011 Lincoln MKT AWD on a snowy weekend trip up to Tahoe. What better way to test the cruising capabilities, the all-wheel drive for stability, and hauling capacity to pack a family for a ski vacation?

Driving Impressions

The new Lincoln MKT is a luxury crossover that blends the advantages of both the more agile handling sedan with the power and interior room of a full SUV. With the stretched styling, I found myself thinking of the MKT as the next generation station wagon – and I really mean next generation. The MKT should not suffer from any of the stigmas attached to the 70’s automotive icon. It really delivers on the promise of good handling, roominess and loads of cutting edge technology that elevates to an entirely new plane of existence. And the MKT introduced me to my favorite new road trip feature- adaptive cruise control.

Driving between the San Francisco Bay Area and the Tahoe Lake recreation area is a crowded trip any time of year, any time of the day. Even though it’s potentially a four hour trip, the road congestion makes it a reliable five hours of speeding up, slowing down and changing lanes. The idea of using standard cruise control is a useless exercise in hitting the set, cancel, and resume buttons. However, with adaptive cruise control, the car automatically adjusts speed to maintain a set distance between you and the next car. You can easily cycle through to select a short, standard or long distance cushion depending on your speed and aggressiveness.

While not exclusive to the MKT or even to Lincoln, adaptive cruise control is representative of the loads of technology in this crossover to simplify every possible way of interacting with the car. For example, every SUV that I’ve tested with a 3rd row seat has created a mini-MENSA test to move the 2nd row seat out of the way for loading passengers. In the case of Kia Borrego I reviewed, I simply gave up trying to figure it out. On the MKT, this issue is solved with the push of a button that automatically folds the 2nd seat and moves it out of the way.

While all the powered movement was nice, the technology that will impress your friends is the infotainment system. I had doubts when I saw that this system was based on the new Microsoft SYNC (c) platform, given my experience with their computer operating systems and the very thick manual devoted to this subsystem. While it certainly did have its unique and sometimes awkward interface, on the whole it worked well. It felt more like I was dealing with my laptop than a car, though.

By contributing editor David Colman

Hits:

• Luxuriant and well put together
• Heated front and rear seats and steering wheel
• Panorama dual sunroof

Misses:

• Distracting Disneyland dash
• Useless up/downshift button on gear selector stick
• Needs to lose some of its 4,251 pound curb weight

If you’re looking for a mid-size crossover SUV for less than $50,000, then you’ll want to consider Lincoln’s newly empowered MKX. Last year, the 4,251 pound Lincoln depended on a modest 3.5 liter V6 to produce 265hp and 250 lb-ft of torque. This year, Lincoln has upped displacement of the V6 by 200cc. The enlarged engine now makes 305hp and 280 lb-ft of torque, a 15 percent increase that improves performance and pulling power. The 2011 MKX steps out smartly when asked to accelerate, yet despite the bonus power, the new MKX gets better gas mileage than its predecessor (19/26MPG versus 17/23MPG).

If that isn’t reason enough to trade in your old MKX, you’ll find more incentive inside the cabin, where Lincoln has revamped the accoutrement from Best Western to Westin. Chose a particularly attractive interior color like “Light Stone Premium Leather,” and pair it with a comforting exterior hue like “Bordeaux Cabernet Reserve.” This combination not only inspires tranquility, but makes you feel like you’re having a night on the town every time you climb aboard. Maybe it’s the “Tuxedo stripe and piping on the seats,” or the heated front and rear seats that come with the Premium Package, but there’s no denying that Lincoln has imbued the MKX’ interior with undeniable elegance. A particularly homey touch is the heated steering wheel, which stays hot until you turn it off, rather than having an arbitrary timer decide the interval for you. The only question left unanswered is the vintage of that Cabernet Reserve exterior paint. A 2011 Chateau Dupont perhaps?

Lincoln’s connection with Microsoft informs the layout of the MKX’ dashboard and control surfaces. Actual control buttons are few and far between. Additionally, those that do exist are tiny and hard to finger. In their absence, a large illuminated touch screen on the center stack looks (surprise!) just like the one on your Windows 7 laptop, with dozens of little pictograph and instructional tidbits scattered all over the map (literally, if you the summon the Navigation screen). This constant influx of information is hard enough to sort out on your home PC at zero miles per hour. At 60 or 70 mph, maintaining control of the big Lincoln while trying to sort through reams of non-essential visuals to perform even the simplest functions becomes an accident waiting to happen. The Microsoft “Sync” umbilical with Ford/Lincoln will inevitably lead to a nation of even more distracted drivers than already exists. The MKX desperately needs more and larger control buttons that are not tied into the exasperating computer interface.

That caveat aside, the MKX is a fun to operate. It’s sizable and $995 optional 20 inch, chromed alloys bear beefy Pirelli Scorpion off-road- capable tires that perform admirably in heavy downpours. Even though the front-wheel-drive version of the MKX lacked available all-wheel-drive, it never evinced any skittishness, even in the worst flooding conditions. This Lincoln is stable, quick and handsome. With the addition of a few more control buttons and the deletion of the overwrought laptop whiz-bang graphics, this Lincoln would fill the mid-size crossover SUV bill just fine.

2011 LINCOLN MKX FWD

• ENGINE: 3.7 liter DOHC V-6
• HORSEPOWER: 305 @ 6,500 rpm
• TORQUE: 280 lb.-ft. @ 4,000 rpm
• TRANSMISSION: Six-Speed Selectshift Automatic
• FUEL CONSUMPTION: 19 City MPG/26 Highway MPG
• PRICE AS TESTED: $49,785

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David Colman has been writing vehicle tests for 25 years. His work has been featured in AutoWeek, the San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Examiner, and Marin Independent Journal. In 1987, he helped start Excellence, The Magazine About Porsche, which he edited for many years. He has been an active participant in racing and Solo events since 1961. More car reviews written by Colman can be found at autoeditor.com

2011 Lincoln MKX Photo Gallery	2011 Lincoln MKX Specs
Official website for Lincoln luxury cars and SUVs – www.lincoln.com

Pros:

• Same price as MKZ with V6 gas engine
• SYNC® In-car Connectivity System is standard
• Better fuel economy than the Lexus HS 250h

Cons:

• Interior of base trim model not much improvement over Ford Fusion
• Utterly uninspiring econo-drone in the cockpit when accelerating hard

Gas prices have been as volatile as the speculative housing market and experts assure us both will be rebounding, though nobody knows exactly when. Investing in the market now, though it might seem counter-intuitive, could set you up for a handsome reward in the future. The same goes for buying a new fuel-efficient automobile. If you purchase a hybrid vehicle today, when demand for fuel-sippers is relatively modest, you’ll probably end up getting a better deal on the car and you’re also insulating yourself from future spikes in gasoline prices. Think of it as an automotive tax shelter, but without the sleazy real estate agents and enormous subprime mortgage scandals. For those looking to buy a luxury sedan with the exceptional fuel economy of a hybrid, the MKZ Hybrid is a logical choice.

The 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid manages to set the fuel-economy bar several notches higher, thanks to a 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine and electric motor combo. Combined, the powerplants develop 191 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 135 lb-ft of torque at 2,250 rpm, but thanks to the clever gearing of the CVT gearbox and the fact that the hybrid can cruise on all-electric power at speeds up to 47 mph, the car can deliver 41 mpg city, according to the EPA. Hop on the highway, and the Feds say that the MKZ Hybrid is good for 36 mpg.

The SmartGauge display enriches the eco-oriented driving experience, with four levels of information from the twin 4.3-inch, high-resolution LCD displays that flank the analog speedometer. Similar to the display used in the Ford Fusion Hybrid, but changed from a predominantly blue color scheme to what Lincoln officials describes as a more upscale-looking green and gold. Fuel-conscious drivers are rewarded with green leaves and blossoming white buds as long-term fuel efficiency increases.

Once you get past the SmartGauge and pay attention to the powertrain that’s being monitored so effectively, there’s even more to love. This MKZ Hybrid can cruise on electric power alone at speeds up to 47 mph and the car frequently switches to EV mode once you reach cruising speed. We loved the seamless transition between gas and electric propulsion and we also thought the MKZ felt the most like a normal car. Consider the MKZ to be our choice for driving enthusiasts and eco-minded drivers alike.

Driving Impressions
With the emphasis on fuel economy, we lowered our expectations and fully braced for a limp-noodle version of the  V6 car, but the new Atkinson-cycle sedan turns out to be anything but a slug. Acceleration is more than adequate for a four-door of this size – you’re not going to win any stoplight drag races, but you won’t be swearing at the car when merging, either. The capable 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine hops into the fray when it comes time for a quick pass or accelerating to join the murderous ranks of I-101 traffic around the San Francisco bay area. Our only complaint might be the utterly uninspiring econo-drone in the cockpit when accelerating hard – credit the CVT for much of that. At low speeds, the electric motor silently whisks us along without want for power. Even with our blatant disregard for the car’s eco gauge, we managed to attain more than 38 mpg during mixed driving.

Almost a True Luxury Car
Lincoln clearly wants to differentiate itself from the rest of the luxury pack by introducing a hybrid that’s both affordable and a segment leader in terms of fuel economy. To that end, it has succeeded, but the sedan’s cabin needs more work if the brand intends to contend with the titans of the market. A smart buyer will see right through the chromium-free, organic tanned leather and real wood trim to realize that the MKZ Hybrid is little more than a dressed up Ford Fusion Hybrid with better seats and interior pieces made from sustainable materials. Of course, something similar could be said of the Lexus HS 250h and the Toyota Prius. We just feel that the MKZ Hybrid is a better buy over other luxury hybrid sedans.

2011 Lincoln Mercury MKZ Hybrid

Price: $34,330 (note: base price is same price as V6 model)

Powertrain:
Engine: 2.5-liter DOHC I-4
Power: 156 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque: 136 lb-ft @ 2250 rpm

Electric Motor:
Type: 400v permanent magnet AC motor
Power: 106 hp @ 6500 rpm
Torque: 166 lb-ft @ 3000 rpm

Battery:
Type: 275v Nickel-Metal Hydride
Output: 35 hp
System Total Power: 191 hp
Transmission: Continuously variable automatic
Wheels, Tires: 17-inch aluminum, 225/50VR17

Measurements:
Wheelbase: 107.4″
L x W x H: 198.8″ x 72.2″ x 56.8″
Legroom F/R: 42.3″/36.7″
Headroom F/R: 38.7″/37.8″
Passenger volume: 99 cu ft
Trunk capacity: 11.8 cu ft
Curb Weight: 3720 lb
EPA Rating (city/highway): 41/36 mpg

Official website for Lincoln cars, hybrids, and SUVs – www.lincoln.com

By Alex Kramer

Pros:

• Impressive 355 hp turbocharged engine
• All-wheel drive provides wet weather confidence
• Smooth, comfortable ride
• Roomy, well-appointed interior
• Active Park Assist really works

Cons:

• Strangely designed paddle shifters
• A bit soft in the corners
• Decent fuel efficiency, but not quite eco-friendly
• Exterior design lacks flair

My pappy said, “Son, you’re gonna’ drive me to drinkin’
If you don’t stop drivin’ that Hot Rod Lincoln”

So opens Charlie Ryan’s classic song about fast cars and youthful exuberance. Recite these lyrics to any car enthusiast born after 1980, though, and you’ll probably get a puzzled look. For the generation raised on hot hatches and luxury sports sedans, Lincoln is one of the last car brands to be associated with speed or performance. And who can blame them, given the decidedly unsporty nature of most Lincolns from the past 30 years.

Someone from Ford Motor Co. apparently noticed this staid reputation and decided to inject some excitement into its luxury brand. With new exterior designs, a new naming scheme, and now turbocharged engines available in both the MKS sedan and MKT crossover, Lincoln is emerging as a credible player in the arena of high-performance luxury cars. After driving the turbocharged all-wheel drive MKS for a rainy winter week in Northern California, we were pleasantly surprised with the level of performance and value packed into this luxury sports sedan.

Performance/Handling

Although the idea of taking a sedan and dropping in a powerful motor to create a seriously fast car is hardly new, Ford has taken a decidedly modern approach to building its high performance version of the MKS. The EcoBoost™ 3.5 L V6 uses both direct-injection and twin turbochargers to produce an impressive 355 hp and 350 lb ft torque. Ford has been actively advertising this engine as being as powerful as a V8 but with the fuel efficiency of a V6, and on the first point we would definitely have to agree.

Nail the throttle and you instantly feel the prodigious torque being channeled through all four wheels, courtesy of the intelligent all-wheel drive that also comes standard when you order the turbo motor. Keep the gas pedal buried and you’ll reach 60 mph in just over 5 seconds, which should keep pace with V8 powered sedans from the likes of BMW, Audi, and Jaguar. Unfortunately, Ford’s promise of V6 fuel-efficiency is a bit of a stretch, especially if you find yourself as addicted to exercising the turbocharger as we are. Over several hundred miles of mixed driving the best we could do is a little over 19 mpg, which isn’t horrible and is probably a bit better than some V8 powered sedans, but it’s hardly eco-friendly.

The MKS features a six speed automatic transmission with manual mode and steering wheel mounted paddle shifters. Although having the choice to shift manually is helpful when driving hard, the paddle shifter design is less than brilliant. For downshifts you simply pull on either of the paddles, but up-shifts require you to push down with one of your thumbs on a tab that extends from the top of the paddle through the steering wheel, a rather impractical operation that takes some getting used to. We wish Ford would have stuck to the more common configuration where one paddle does upshifts while the other handles downshifts.

Out on the road the MKS doesn’t fully abandon its Lincoln roots, with a ride that is balanced more towards comfort than handling. Although not quite as plush as the barcalounger suspension you would find on an 80’s Mark VII, the MKS does an impressive job filtering out the bumps and potholes that are unfortunately so common on today’s roads.

Given the softer suspension tuning, you’d think the MKS would handle poorly, but this car has a few tricks up its sleeve when it comes to cornering. First, there is the all-wheel drive, which allows you to put more power down without losing traction, especially in the kind of wet, sloppy conditions that we experienced. Second, the MKS comes with a set of wide, low profile tires mounted on large 19” rims. Needless to say, these provide much more cornering grip than the skinny balloon tires you’d find on Lincolns of yore. All of this adds up to a car that handles itself quite well when the road turns twisty. Sure, you’ll never confuse an MKS for a Porsche, but comparing this Lincoln to, say, a BMW isn’t as far fetched as it used to be.

Active Technology

The MKS is available with several nifty active safety features, including adaptive cruise control and collision warning with brake support, both of which use sonar to sense surrounding cars. As it states on the Lincoln website, “When adaptive cruise control detects traffic slowing, your vehicle also slows down. When it detects traffic has cleared, your vehicle resumes the set speed. Collision warning with brake support helps in case an accident appears imminent. This function will alert you if it senses a potential rear end collision with the car in front of you. A ‘head-up’ display, which simulates brake lights, flashes on the windshield. If you don’t react, and a collision is imminent, the brakes will pre-charge and increase brake assist sensitivity to provide full responsiveness when you brake.” We inadvertently tested the collision warning when traffic suddenly slowed down on a narrow two-lane highway and let’s just say that it works, although any loose objects in the car will come flying forward, so watch where you put that 64 ounce diet soda.

Another new technology featured on the MKS Ecoboost is Active Park Assist, Ford’s answer to the never-ending challenge of parallel parking. To quote from the Lincoln website again, “Active park assist is nearly three times faster than the Lexus LS 460 L advance parking guide… and it’s simple to use. Once a parking spot is found, the driver maintains control of the gear shifting, accelerator and brake pedal. Then with a few actions on the driver’s part, the MKS parks into place.” Although this may sound overly boastful, we have to give Ford props for making a system that really does work. The trick Ford used is to rely on sonar, rather than optical cameras, to help the car steer itself into place. The best part is how quickly it executes the maneuver, which is essential for any real-world parallel parking situation.

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By Twain Mein

Pros:

• Very quite and well-damped ride
• Beautifully appointed interior
• Massive dual-panel panoramic sunroof
• Incredible THX-certified sound system
• Exterior styling

Cons:

• Visibility
• iPhone syncing
• 3^rd row leg room and overhead space
• Exterior styling (!)

Introduction

The 2010 Lincoln MKT is Ford’s up-scale version of the Ford Flex “crossover”. Crossover is taking a traditional car platform and extending it to give the space of an SUV. Many SUV’s, like the Chevy Tahoe, are built on truck chassis (“body on frame”) versus a car chassis (“unibody” construction where the body is structural). By enlarging a car unibody, crossovers promise the space of an SUV with ride and handling of a traditional car. The Lincoln is built on the same D4 platform as the Ford Flex, and it distinguishes itself with aggressive styling and luxurious amenities. The D4 platform is a “stretched” version of the D3 platform which originally underpinned the ’03 Volvo XC90 as well as the Ford Taurus. These Swedish genetics are good assets for Ford/Lincoln which provide a rigid structure and competent chassis. The version we tested had the base 3.7 liter, 270 hp Duratec engine and was optioned for a ~$49,000 price tag.

Driving impressions

There is a sweet spot niche between thirsty and ponderous SUVs and dowdy, overly-practical minivans, which has spawned the crossover segment. It seems that young families are no longer content to be “just practical” but also want styling, sportiness, and enough electronica to suit the iPhone generation. The Lincoln MKT answers this challenge with car-like handling, lots of space and utility, unique looks, a high level of luxury amenities, and gizmos aplenty. As a forty-something parent and techno-geek, I found myself looking forward to driving this serene vessel at every opportunity, so they’ve hit the mark with me.

Driving the crossover, despite its near 5,000 pound weight, was trauma-free. The engine, despite being the base model with “just” 270 horsepower, had ample torque for around town acceleration as well as highway passing power.

Build

Ford has done a great job at product quality. The paint job appeared “thick”, rich, and deep. The interior was beautifully appointed with rich perforated leather seats and elegant wood trim. The doors were solid and the power-assisted tail gate was easy to operate with the key fob remote. The chassis felt secure and well built with no rattles or extraneous vibrations. Reportedly, they took a few lessons from Ford-owned Aston Martin borrowing acoustic dampening technologies and use of aluminum parts.

Interior comfort and ergonomics

Ford touts its Microsoft-based SYNC© system which promised voice activated control of Bluetooth enabled cell phones and MP3 compatibility. I was excited to test the system with my new Apple iPhone. Unfortunately, I could not get the iPhone to synchronize via Bluetooth; iPhones are reportedly difficult to sync (pun intended), so I won’t ding Ford for that. However,some of the songs on my iPhone weren’t encoded in the proper format and the Sync system refused to play ANY of the music from iPhone. Apparently there are Microsoft/Apple compatibility issues. It’s unfortunate that these electronic gizmos didn’t work immediately and could prove to be extremely frustrating.

Additionally, the location of the USB port is awkward to reach from the driver’s seat; you have to reach down and to the back-left to plug the USB cable in. I was also disappointed that this model didn’t have a rear-seat DVD player, though this option is available. Regardless, despite great intentions, the Lincoln fell short on the gadget side; your results may vary.

On a more positive note, the sound system was simply world class. The THX II certified sound system pumps 600 watts through 14 speakers. And it just sounds phenomenal; it is arguably the best factory-supplied sound system available and edged out the previously best sounding audio system from the recently tested BMW 750li. In fact, the sound was so clean and well imaged, I wished it had more than 600 watts – it was that clean.

The interior trim was beautifully executed; seats were luxurious perforated leather and the wood inlays were tastefully done. The huge panorama sunroof was an indulgent treat and speaks to the chassis inherent stiffness. The interior was extremely hushed at speed; only at higher revs does the engine noise significantly intrude. The seat cooling fans, like the BMW 750li, were surprisingly noisy. However, they seemed to be actually quieter than the BMW, which is remarkable given that the BMW costs more than twice as much.

With regard to space, the main selling point of crossovers is interior space that allows for easy loading of infants and plenty of space for all of their gear. Against its competition, the MKT came up in the middle between it’s sibling, the Ford Flex, and the Toyota Highlander. Rear seat room is plentiful, however, the front seat backs angle back significantly which means that kids in car seats can easily scuff them with their feet. The third row had reasonable leg room but headroom was sacrificed with the sloping roof line; it’s tight for adults but plenty big enough for kids. Cargo space with the third seat up was also mid-pack; with the third seat folded down, there is a generous 40 cubic feet of storage.

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