Lincoln
SENIOR EDITOR FOR NEWS BOB GRITZINGER: Ford has done a remarkable job of creating multiple distinct personalities from the same platform--you'd never connect this to a Flex or a Taurus, but you might find commonalities with the MKS in trim and with the Taurus SHO in power. The MKT may weigh in at nearly 5,000 pounds, but it doesn't drive like a big tank. Instead, it feels almost sporty, with the powerful twin-turbo V6 providing ample launch at any speed. Heck, given the front-drive bias of the AWD, there's even enough power there to induce a little torque steer.
Yes, the styling will be polarizing, but I applaud what Lincoln is trying to do here--pick up on some of its heritage like the rear fender kick, while making a distinctive crossover that doesn't blend in with the masses.
Will it work for everybody? Hopefully not. It just needs to appeal to a certain segment of buyer that wants something new and different, and in this case, upscale. The boattail rear end is probably the oddest feature, and even it shows some daring on the part of Ford designers. It occurred to me while driving this MKT that the real target is the Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon, an equally luxurious cargo and people hauler in the same price range. With the MKT, you get a third row pair of seats not available in the CTS, but the sleeker-styled CTS wagon lugs about 900 fewer pounds.
Besides the weight penalty, MKT also falls short in a few other areas. Though the ignition is keyless, the door locks are not, so unless you punch in a door code on the keypad every time, you still have to fumble for the key fob to lock and unlock the doors. There's a lack of balance between the center console split armrest and the door armrest--the center stack is much higher, which doesn't make too much sense considering there's no extra storage built in to that tall console cover. And while the paddle shifters are fun at times, that joy is only activated once the center shifter lever is clunked into manual mode--hardly an intuitive interface when you're dialing in steering in a sharp corner and want to hang onto a gear and rpm range.
But that's not what the MKT is all about, I suppose--it's more of a luxo-barge without all the square corners of a Lincoln Navigator. That it drives with some frisky sportiness and holds its own in the handling department doesn't hurt.
ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR CHERYL L. BLAHNIK: I'm having a hard getting past the design of this crossover. I can handle the large grille, but the back end just looks way over the top for me and I just don't find it attractive.
Once I got inside, then I could handle the design. It is very much what you would expect from a Lincoln with good build quality, and it was very nice. The first word that came to mind was “comfort.” My parents were in town and so I ended up picking them up for dinner and they were shocked first by the exterior, but they weren't sold on the looks either. However, they also thought the comfort level in this was nice. The ride was so smooth, and that was a major plus for my parents who put comfort above styling.
The hardest part to digest is the $54,000 sticker price. That's a lot of dough in a highly competitive market.
EDITOR WES RAYNAL: I agree that Ford is getting a lot of mileage out of this old Volvo platform, much like the Volkswagen Group does with its small-car platform. The old S80 parts seem to ride under a ton of Ford's cars and crossovers.
This is not a bad piece. The styling is, well, let's say courageous. It's a big-ass truck, and some people I encountered over the weekend loved it; some hated it. I don't love it, I must say. But I like the EcoBoost V6, and in terms of materials and build quality, this is without a doubt one of the finest interiors in the domestic car business.
The thing is actually fairly quick. Shifts are so smooth in full automatic mode that I didn't bother with the pulling and pushing on the paddles. I vastly prefer right for up and left for down, but this is the push/pull variety. I do wish automakers would go with the up right/left down way.
The MKT isn't for blasting around mountain roads but the ride is smooth; I don't really remember any Detroit streets upsetting the ride. And boy, is this thing quiet on the highway.
2010 Lincoln MKT EcoBoost
Base Price: $49,995
As-Tested Price: $54,590
Drivetrain: 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6; AWD, six-speed automatic
Output: 355 hp @ 5,700 rpm, 350 lb-ft @ 3,500 rpm
Curb Weight: 4,924 lb
Fuel Economy (EPA/AW): 18/16.3 mpg
Options: Elite package including premium leather seats, voice-activated navigation system, power panoramic vista roof, acoustic side-door glass ($4,000); Active Park assist ($595)
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