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MM Full-Review: 2016 Lincoln MKX
By member-request, a Review of the all-new 2016 Lincoln MKX
http://www.lincoln.com/crossovers/mkx/
IN A NUTSHELL: Ford's second-generation mid-sized luxury SUV becomes a lot less of an Ford and a lot more of a Lincoln.
CLOSEST AMERICAN-MARKET COMPETITORS: Cadillac SRX, Lexus RX350, Mercedes M-Class, BMW X5, Audi Q5, Volvo XC60, Acura MDX, Infiniti QX60 (some of these competitors have third-row seats, though........and the new MKX remains at 2 rows). IMO, some top-level versions of the Jeep Grand Cherokee are also (roughly) comparable.....the new JGC is that good.
OVERVIEW:
Luxury-grade, car-based, crossover SUV's are, without question, one of the fastest.growing segments of the auto industry today......and it's not difficult to see why. With either standard or optional AWD, they combine all-weather sure-footedness and traction with a fair amount of interior room for space efficiency, a reasonably smooth and quiet ride, enough size and weight (even on the smaller ones) to fare decently in an accident, a reasonable amount of cargo-carrying capacity except with some smaller droop-roofline models, and interiors with enough plushness and trim to make one's stay in them at least reasonably pleasant. Modern vehicle stability systems (and, in Volvo's case, roll-control systems) and other electronic aids have greatly tamed their former tendency for tipsy handling and occasional rollovers.....and, in general, because of their better, car-like, road manners than traditional truck-based SUVs, they are less likely to tip and roll in the first place. Other benefits, compared to truck-based SUVs, are generally better gas mileage and a lower step up/down height due to the lack of the separate ladder-frame underneath. Conversely, however, they tend to lack the off-road capability and heavy towing capability of the truck-based models.
One of the many (and still growing in number) mid-sized luxury crossover SUVs in the market is Lincoln's MKX...the first-generation of which was essentially a rebadged and upgraded version of Ford's less-expensive Edge. Unfortunately, while not a bad vehicle by any means (I've driven LOTS worse) the first-generation MKX, by luxury SUV standards, did not particularly impress with its road manners or refinement. It was, in short, at least in my opinion, too much Ford and not enough Lincoln. It more or less rode, drove, felt like, and had the noise isolation/refinement of a Titanium-level Edge. Along with the also (IMO) rather unimpressive Lincoln MKT, MKZ, and MKS, it helps explains why Lincoln has had the trouble it has in recent years staying afloat. Ford, however, could not discontinue or sell off the nameplate, like it did with Volvo, Land Rover, Jaguar, and Mercury, simply for the obvious reason that, with Lincoln gone, there would be no other place for its upmarket-level vehicles. One way or another, Lincoln HAD to stay and survive, or else Ford would have had to do like Honda, Toyota, and Nissan did and spend the money and resources to introduce an all-new, up-market division like their Acura, Lexus, and Infiniti.
Having just barely escaped competitors GM and Chrysler's bankrupcies itself, Ford simply did not have the money and resources for that, so it had to simply focus and concentrate on better Lincolns. We saw the first of those new, better Lincolns last summer with the compact MKC SUV (a vehicle I have a high opinion of, and would consider owning one myself). Now, a year later, comes the slightly larger, mid-size second-generation MKX. Like the last MKX, the new one is (second-generation) Edge-based.......but this time, apparently, with a lot more input from Lincoln, not just an Edge with more wood-tone trim and nicer leather.
For the 2016 model year, the MKX comes in one basic trim line, with a choice of a normally-aspirated 3.7L V6 of 303 HP and 278 ft-lbs. of torque or a turbocharged 2.7L Ecoboost V6 of 335 HP and 380 ft-lbs. of torque. (the smaller MKC, IMO, should have gotten a N/A V6 as an option and didn't....one of its few faults). A choice of FWD or AWD comes with both engines (personally, I'd probably pick the N/A 3.7L with AWD), and all versions have a 6-speed Select-Shift automatic transmission, with paddle-shifts, as standard. The 2.7L Ecoboost has an compacted-graphite-iron block, which offers much of the strength and durability of a traditional iron block at a somewhat lighter weight....aluminum is not needed. The new MKX models, as I write this, are just now starting to arrive at Washington, D.C. area Lincoln dealerships (unfortunately, there aren't very many Lincoln shops compared to Ford), but public interest seems to be rather high in the first ones that have arrived.
New MKXs, in the D.C. area, are in somewhat short supply right now, though some local Lincoln shops did have at least a couple of unsold ones each in stock to chose from. For both the static-review and test-drive, I chose a nice Pearl (Platinum) White 3.7L AWD model with black leather interior. With some $12,000 worth of options, it listed for over 60K....this one was loaded (its high price may have been one reason it wasn't sold by now). It took me quite some time, after starting the engine, to get everything operating and adjusted inside before I could even place the push-button transmission in gear and go.
MODEL REVIEWED: 2016 Lincoln MKX 3.7L AWD
BASE PRICE: $47,650
OPTIONS:
White Platinum Tri-Coat Paint: $695
Cargo Accessories Package: $175
Cargo Utility Package: $365
Climate Package: $595
Technology Package: $1720
Driver Assistance Package: $1650
Luxury Package: $4400
Second-Row Inflatable Safety Belts: $250 (Here's the scoop on how those operate)
Ford's Inflatable Safety Belts - YouTube
Class II Trailer-Tow Package: $645
22-Way Power Driver's Seat (yes, you read that correctly-22-way): $1500
Enhanced Security Package: $60
DESTINATION/FREIGHT: $925 (about average for a vehicle this size)
LIST PRICE AS REVIEWED: $60,630 (Ouch)
DRIVETRAIN: AWD, transversely-mounted, normally-aspirated 3.7L V6, 303 HP @ 6500 RPM, Torque 278 Ft-lbs. @ 4000 RPM, 6-speed Select-Shift automatic with shift-paddles.
EPA MILEAGE RATING: 16 City, 24 Highway, 19 Combined
EXTERIOR COLOR: Platinum White (extra cost)
INTERIOR: Ebony (Black) Leather
PLUSSES:
Overall, an enormous improvement from its predecessor.
Smooth and refined on the road.
6-speed transmission well-designed.
Well-done paint job (though the Pearl White costs extra).
Very well-done interior trim on the dash/console and door panels.
(Mostly) good interior hardware....except for the column-stalks.
Four different interior colors available.
Excellent stereo sound with the upmarket (package) stereo.
New Lincoln-Touch system less-awkward to use than the previous one...but still complex.
Remote rear-seat-release buttons in the cargo area.
Several sound-deadening devices underhood.
MINUSES:
Still no third-row seat version (that's reserved for the Lincoln MKT and Navigator).
Spongy brake pedal....common with many SUVs.
Cheap flat-black plastic Ford-generic steering column stalks/paddles.
Electronic push-button glove box release in somewhat odd console location.
Engine START/STOP button hard to see at a glance.
A few awkward finger-slide controls/sensors on the console.
No standard body side moldings for parking lot protection.
Marginal rear headroom for some taller persons under sunroof housing.
Temporary spare tire.
Relatively spare dealer network (Lincolns sold only at some selected Ford dealerships)....but that's not the car's fault.
EXTERIOR:
The exterior of the new 2016 MKX (not that it's a bad thing by any means), is almost a carbon copy of the smaller MKC exterior, with a little added length in the middle. In fact, IMO, it's hard to tell them apart unless you are up pretty close. Either way, IMO, it's a whole lot nicer-looking than the old MKX and its garish Smiley-Tooth g rille, which, like on other older Lincolns, looked like a grinning teen-ager showing off a new set of braces. The new MKX has a much more refined and subdued-looking winged-bar grille....which seems to be the going look now for new or redesigned Lincolns (it will be interesting to see if the all-new Continental flagship gets it next year).
As for the rest of the exterior, I was generally impressed with it. The sheet metal seems reasonably solid, the paint job is slick and well-done, and the doors themselves feel solid, though, as with the MKC, they don't close with a particularly solid feel or thunk (the closing "thunk" sounds a little more solid when you are sitting inside). The exterior hardware and trim seems well-done, and everything fits together well. The ingress/egress (entry/exit) height seemed to be just about right for a person my size, though I'm admittedly taller than average (6' 2"), so shorter persons might have to stretch a little more. There are chrome moulding-strips along the doors...but they are much too low (along the bottom) for parking-lot protection from dings. Eight exterior colors are offered....although color is subjective, there were a couple of them that I considered nice choices (including the extra-cost Platinum White on my test car). It's a shame, though, that Lincoln does not offer the gorgeous purple Tahitian Pearl color on the MKX that they do on the smaller MKC. One of the salespeople (a guy who had been selling Lincolns for 35 years...I had known him long ago when he worked at a different Lincoln-Mercury store and a friend of mine bought a Town Car from him for his limo company) told me that dealerships here don't order many Tahitian Pearl MKCs because most people in the D.C. area tend to be conservative in their color-tastes. And, indeed, white, silver/gray, and black seem to be the top sellers here. Not me, though...I've always liked Look-At-Me automotive colors.
UNDERHOOD:
Open the hood, and two nice gas struts hold it up for you. On the underside of the hood is a very thickly-padded (more so than usual) insulation-pad. The relatively large, transversely-mounted 3.7L V6 fits in a little tightly, and has a very large cover, so there is little room to reach engine components. One unusual feature on the engine is that, instead of the usual black plastic engine cover, the cover was made of a very soft and thickly-padded foam material (something I have not seen before)....and was certainly not on the MKC I reviewed earlier. This was apparently done to help quiet the engine even more...a nice touch from the designers. The battery is located slightly to the right of the engine, towards the rear, and is generally uncovered except for colored sleeves fitted over the terminals. The dipsticks/filler-caps/fluid-reservoirs are accessible, but you have to hunt a little for some of them.
INTERIOR:
Inside, like with the exterior, the new MKX is done along the lines of the smaller MKC...though with more strips of polished wood trim on the condole/dash, somewhat more space overall, and superbly-done patches of what appears to be real textured metallic aluminum on the door panels...not just fake-aluminum plastic. If it IS fake aluminumized plastic (which I don't think it is), then they've done a darn good job of disguising it. The interior is available in four different leather colors, depending on the exterior color and package. And it goes without saying (but I'll say it anyway) that the interior is light-years ahead of the old MKX, which was simply a Ford Edge interior with a little nicer leather on the seats and some wood tone trim on the dash. The headliner is covered with a nice-feeling soft fabric...as are the sun-visors. The stereo sound quality is superb...the upmarket stereo on my test car, of course, was a package-option. The power front seats have adjustments 22 different ways (no wonder the seat-package alone cost $1500), and they were well-shaped to fit my torso and upper-legs, though the padding overall was just a little firmer than I would have liked.....not quite Buick-soft. The leather used on the seats seemed to be of high quality. The primary gauges were clear and easily read, though I didn't particularly care for the shape of the tachometer. The steering wheel was well-shaped and designed, though more triangular in shape than with three conventional spokes. There gas generally adequate head and legroom for most people, except marginal headroom in the rear, under the sunroof housing, for tall people. Most of the hardware and trim inside was well-attached and of good quality, especially the aforementioned aluminum-trim patches, and most of the controls were well-designed.
There were a few things inside, though, that I felt could have been better designed. Like with the MKC, Lincoln is going back to some traditional rotary-knobs on the upper-console for some stereo/climate functions, but some of the (IMO) awkward finger-slide controls/sensors are still used....IMO, they need to go. The glove box door itself is solid, but the small electronic push-button to open it is in a location on the right side of the upper-console where, until you get used to it, one would not usually think to look. The engine START/STOP button is shaped and designed in a manner that somewhat hides it on the left side of the upper-console unless you are looking right at it. And for the biggest failing inside.....the cheap, standard-Ford-parts-bin, flimsy-feeling, flat-black-plastic stalks and paddle-shifters on the column and steering wheel......they are a very sharp contrast to the otherwise superbly-done, luxury-grade interior. But, overall, a Class-A job inside, Lincoln.
CARGO COMPARTMENT/TRUNK:
Raise the rear hatch-lid (which, of course, is power-assisted), and one is treated to a relatively spacious and well-finished cargo area. The rear roofline is raked in a little (the current styling trend with many SUVs), but not enough to severely limit cargo space or the ability to carry taller items. Nice black carpeting is used on the floor and walls, and on top of that, a Subaru-style custom-fitted rubber/vinyl cargo tray to protect the carpeting from moisture and dirt. On the left side wall are two electronic buttons that release the two 60/40 split-rear seat backs (there is no third-row option) to expand the cargo area. A detachable pull-shade cargo cover assembly is included. Under the floor, there is no styrofoam cubby-compartment tray like in some vehicles, and one will find a temporary spare tire/wheel assembly.
ON THE ROAD:
This particular MKX, of course, was the cream of the crop at over 60K, and, while they didn't give me quite as long a test-drive as I would ordinarily have liked, I DID get enough of a test, with enough different speeds and road surfaces, to get a petty good idea of its road-manners....otherwise, of course, I wouldn't be writing a full-review, just a static one.
The 3.7L V6 starts up with a button on the upper-console and immediately settles down into a properly smooth/quiet luxury-vehicle idle. Its HP and torque figures, by the numbers, aren't quite that of the optional smaller turbocharged 2.7L EcoBoost V6, but, on the road, are still adequate in most normal driving for a vehicle of this size and weight, even with the AWD. The engine's refinement level, of course, stays high on the road as well as at idle, thanks in part to the engine's design and (probably) in part to the aforementioned foam-padded engine cover.
The 6-speed Select Shift automatic transmission, operated by the dash buttons, shifts smoothly and slickly, whether in automatic or manual mode (transmission smoothness was once an area where many former Lincolns notably lacked refinement compared to Cadillac or Lexus), and the gear ratios seemed pretty well-spaced for a 6-speed. Driving a Lincoln MKZ, MKX, or MKC with these push-buttons vaguely reminds me of the old Chrysler push-button Torqueflite transmissions of the 1960s and some Edsel/Mercury push-buttons in the late 1950s.....I learned to drive on the Chrysler push-buttons before also learning on a manual clutch and stick. None of those old designs, though, could equal the slickness of these new electronic buttons. Using the "S", or "Sport" function on the transmission's buttons alters the transmission settings and allows manual function.
The chassis is well-done for a vehicle of this type, although one does not expect sportiness with a luxury/family-oriented mid-size SUV. Steering response is slower than in typical sedans of this size, but not bad at all by SUV standards. Overall, on the road, the new MKX is far nicer in its general feel than the old MKX, which was basically driving a rebadged Ford Edge. Ride comfort over bumps, even with the big optional 20-inch wheels on my test car, was pretty good, though you could also sense at least some underlying firmness from the damping and large wheels. The overall ride comfort seemed a little better than with the smaller MKC, probably because of the MKX's longer wheelbase, wider track, and heavier weight. The moderate body lean with sharp steering input was about as expected in an SUV of this class. Wind noise was generally well-controlled (though not whisper-quiet like in a Lexus LS or Mercedes S-class), and road noise quite well-controlled with the particular tires on my car (I forgot to check which brand of tire they were). The suspension can be altered in the usual Normal/Comfort/Sport settings, but it requires menu-access. The only thing I didn't particularly care for in the underpinnings was the somewhat spongy brake pedal, which didn't start to grab noticeably until you had pushed it a couple of inches (that's common on many SUVs). But, on the other hand, I didn't have any noticeable problems with my big Mens' -size-15 clown-shoes catching on the rim of the brake pedal when lifting off the gas, as I do have with some vehicles.
THE VERDICT:
By now, you probably have the impression that I'm quite impressed, overall, with this new MRX, and you're right. It's no secret that Lincoln has been somewhat in the doldrums for a number of years, but last year's then-new MKC started Lincoln's slow rise back to automotive respectability, and the follow-on MKX, IMO, will only add to that recovery. Like with the MKC, Lincoln did most things right with this new MKX, especially compared to its unimpressive predecessor, though I'd still recommend some better switchgear on the steering column. And, as sales rise nationally, Lincoln is also going to have to address the relative lack of dealerships selling the marque...currently, they operate mainly out of some (selected) Ford dealerships, and share their sales/parts/service departments with them.
But there isn't much to fault with this vehicle itself. It (now) compares very well to its German, Japanese, and Swedish competition...though a new Lexus RX (possibly with a third-row seat?) and a new Cadillac SRX replacement are currently on the way, and we'll see how they compare with the new MKX. Yes, my test car was 60K (some readers will be turned off by that)...but that included some $12,000 worth of expensive options, and one does not have to spend that kind of money, as base models start as low as the 40K range. So, if you liked the style and flair of the MKC, but passed up on it because it was too small, head on down to the Lincoln shop....they've got something waiting for you.
And, as always......Happy car-shopping.
MM
By member-request, a Review of the all-new 2016 Lincoln MKX
http://www.lincoln.com/crossovers/mkx/
IN A NUTSHELL: Ford's second-generation mid-sized luxury SUV becomes a lot less of an Ford and a lot more of a Lincoln.
CLOSEST AMERICAN-MARKET COMPETITORS: Cadillac SRX, Lexus RX350, Mercedes M-Class, BMW X5, Audi Q5, Volvo XC60, Acura MDX, Infiniti QX60 (some of these competitors have third-row seats, though........and the new MKX remains at 2 rows). IMO, some top-level versions of the Jeep Grand Cherokee are also (roughly) comparable.....the new JGC is that good.
OVERVIEW:
Luxury-grade, car-based, crossover SUV's are, without question, one of the fastest.growing segments of the auto industry today......and it's not difficult to see why. With either standard or optional AWD, they combine all-weather sure-footedness and traction with a fair amount of interior room for space efficiency, a reasonably smooth and quiet ride, enough size and weight (even on the smaller ones) to fare decently in an accident, a reasonable amount of cargo-carrying capacity except with some smaller droop-roofline models, and interiors with enough plushness and trim to make one's stay in them at least reasonably pleasant. Modern vehicle stability systems (and, in Volvo's case, roll-control systems) and other electronic aids have greatly tamed their former tendency for tipsy handling and occasional rollovers.....and, in general, because of their better, car-like, road manners than traditional truck-based SUVs, they are less likely to tip and roll in the first place. Other benefits, compared to truck-based SUVs, are generally better gas mileage and a lower step up/down height due to the lack of the separate ladder-frame underneath. Conversely, however, they tend to lack the off-road capability and heavy towing capability of the truck-based models.
One of the many (and still growing in number) mid-sized luxury crossover SUVs in the market is Lincoln's MKX...the first-generation of which was essentially a rebadged and upgraded version of Ford's less-expensive Edge. Unfortunately, while not a bad vehicle by any means (I've driven LOTS worse) the first-generation MKX, by luxury SUV standards, did not particularly impress with its road manners or refinement. It was, in short, at least in my opinion, too much Ford and not enough Lincoln. It more or less rode, drove, felt like, and had the noise isolation/refinement of a Titanium-level Edge. Along with the also (IMO) rather unimpressive Lincoln MKT, MKZ, and MKS, it helps explains why Lincoln has had the trouble it has in recent years staying afloat. Ford, however, could not discontinue or sell off the nameplate, like it did with Volvo, Land Rover, Jaguar, and Mercury, simply for the obvious reason that, with Lincoln gone, there would be no other place for its upmarket-level vehicles. One way or another, Lincoln HAD to stay and survive, or else Ford would have had to do like Honda, Toyota, and Nissan did and spend the money and resources to introduce an all-new, up-market division like their Acura, Lexus, and Infiniti.
Having just barely escaped competitors GM and Chrysler's bankrupcies itself, Ford simply did not have the money and resources for that, so it had to simply focus and concentrate on better Lincolns. We saw the first of those new, better Lincolns last summer with the compact MKC SUV (a vehicle I have a high opinion of, and would consider owning one myself). Now, a year later, comes the slightly larger, mid-size second-generation MKX. Like the last MKX, the new one is (second-generation) Edge-based.......but this time, apparently, with a lot more input from Lincoln, not just an Edge with more wood-tone trim and nicer leather.
For the 2016 model year, the MKX comes in one basic trim line, with a choice of a normally-aspirated 3.7L V6 of 303 HP and 278 ft-lbs. of torque or a turbocharged 2.7L Ecoboost V6 of 335 HP and 380 ft-lbs. of torque. (the smaller MKC, IMO, should have gotten a N/A V6 as an option and didn't....one of its few faults). A choice of FWD or AWD comes with both engines (personally, I'd probably pick the N/A 3.7L with AWD), and all versions have a 6-speed Select-Shift automatic transmission, with paddle-shifts, as standard. The 2.7L Ecoboost has an compacted-graphite-iron block, which offers much of the strength and durability of a traditional iron block at a somewhat lighter weight....aluminum is not needed. The new MKX models, as I write this, are just now starting to arrive at Washington, D.C. area Lincoln dealerships (unfortunately, there aren't very many Lincoln shops compared to Ford), but public interest seems to be rather high in the first ones that have arrived.
New MKXs, in the D.C. area, are in somewhat short supply right now, though some local Lincoln shops did have at least a couple of unsold ones each in stock to chose from. For both the static-review and test-drive, I chose a nice Pearl (Platinum) White 3.7L AWD model with black leather interior. With some $12,000 worth of options, it listed for over 60K....this one was loaded (its high price may have been one reason it wasn't sold by now). It took me quite some time, after starting the engine, to get everything operating and adjusted inside before I could even place the push-button transmission in gear and go.
MODEL REVIEWED: 2016 Lincoln MKX 3.7L AWD
BASE PRICE: $47,650
OPTIONS:
White Platinum Tri-Coat Paint: $695
Cargo Accessories Package: $175
Cargo Utility Package: $365
Climate Package: $595
Technology Package: $1720
Driver Assistance Package: $1650
Luxury Package: $4400
Second-Row Inflatable Safety Belts: $250 (Here's the scoop on how those operate)
Ford's Inflatable Safety Belts - YouTube
Class II Trailer-Tow Package: $645
22-Way Power Driver's Seat (yes, you read that correctly-22-way): $1500
Enhanced Security Package: $60
DESTINATION/FREIGHT: $925 (about average for a vehicle this size)
LIST PRICE AS REVIEWED: $60,630 (Ouch)
DRIVETRAIN: AWD, transversely-mounted, normally-aspirated 3.7L V6, 303 HP @ 6500 RPM, Torque 278 Ft-lbs. @ 4000 RPM, 6-speed Select-Shift automatic with shift-paddles.
EPA MILEAGE RATING: 16 City, 24 Highway, 19 Combined
EXTERIOR COLOR: Platinum White (extra cost)
INTERIOR: Ebony (Black) Leather
PLUSSES:
Overall, an enormous improvement from its predecessor.
Smooth and refined on the road.
6-speed transmission well-designed.
Well-done paint job (though the Pearl White costs extra).
Very well-done interior trim on the dash/console and door panels.
(Mostly) good interior hardware....except for the column-stalks.
Four different interior colors available.
Excellent stereo sound with the upmarket (package) stereo.
New Lincoln-Touch system less-awkward to use than the previous one...but still complex.
Remote rear-seat-release buttons in the cargo area.
Several sound-deadening devices underhood.
MINUSES:
Still no third-row seat version (that's reserved for the Lincoln MKT and Navigator).
Spongy brake pedal....common with many SUVs.
Cheap flat-black plastic Ford-generic steering column stalks/paddles.
Electronic push-button glove box release in somewhat odd console location.
Engine START/STOP button hard to see at a glance.
A few awkward finger-slide controls/sensors on the console.
No standard body side moldings for parking lot protection.
Marginal rear headroom for some taller persons under sunroof housing.
Temporary spare tire.
Relatively spare dealer network (Lincolns sold only at some selected Ford dealerships)....but that's not the car's fault.
EXTERIOR:
The exterior of the new 2016 MKX (not that it's a bad thing by any means), is almost a carbon copy of the smaller MKC exterior, with a little added length in the middle. In fact, IMO, it's hard to tell them apart unless you are up pretty close. Either way, IMO, it's a whole lot nicer-looking than the old MKX and its garish Smiley-Tooth g rille, which, like on other older Lincolns, looked like a grinning teen-ager showing off a new set of braces. The new MKX has a much more refined and subdued-looking winged-bar grille....which seems to be the going look now for new or redesigned Lincolns (it will be interesting to see if the all-new Continental flagship gets it next year).
As for the rest of the exterior, I was generally impressed with it. The sheet metal seems reasonably solid, the paint job is slick and well-done, and the doors themselves feel solid, though, as with the MKC, they don't close with a particularly solid feel or thunk (the closing "thunk" sounds a little more solid when you are sitting inside). The exterior hardware and trim seems well-done, and everything fits together well. The ingress/egress (entry/exit) height seemed to be just about right for a person my size, though I'm admittedly taller than average (6' 2"), so shorter persons might have to stretch a little more. There are chrome moulding-strips along the doors...but they are much too low (along the bottom) for parking-lot protection from dings. Eight exterior colors are offered....although color is subjective, there were a couple of them that I considered nice choices (including the extra-cost Platinum White on my test car). It's a shame, though, that Lincoln does not offer the gorgeous purple Tahitian Pearl color on the MKX that they do on the smaller MKC. One of the salespeople (a guy who had been selling Lincolns for 35 years...I had known him long ago when he worked at a different Lincoln-Mercury store and a friend of mine bought a Town Car from him for his limo company) told me that dealerships here don't order many Tahitian Pearl MKCs because most people in the D.C. area tend to be conservative in their color-tastes. And, indeed, white, silver/gray, and black seem to be the top sellers here. Not me, though...I've always liked Look-At-Me automotive colors.
UNDERHOOD:
Open the hood, and two nice gas struts hold it up for you. On the underside of the hood is a very thickly-padded (more so than usual) insulation-pad. The relatively large, transversely-mounted 3.7L V6 fits in a little tightly, and has a very large cover, so there is little room to reach engine components. One unusual feature on the engine is that, instead of the usual black plastic engine cover, the cover was made of a very soft and thickly-padded foam material (something I have not seen before)....and was certainly not on the MKC I reviewed earlier. This was apparently done to help quiet the engine even more...a nice touch from the designers. The battery is located slightly to the right of the engine, towards the rear, and is generally uncovered except for colored sleeves fitted over the terminals. The dipsticks/filler-caps/fluid-reservoirs are accessible, but you have to hunt a little for some of them.
INTERIOR:
Inside, like with the exterior, the new MKX is done along the lines of the smaller MKC...though with more strips of polished wood trim on the condole/dash, somewhat more space overall, and superbly-done patches of what appears to be real textured metallic aluminum on the door panels...not just fake-aluminum plastic. If it IS fake aluminumized plastic (which I don't think it is), then they've done a darn good job of disguising it. The interior is available in four different leather colors, depending on the exterior color and package. And it goes without saying (but I'll say it anyway) that the interior is light-years ahead of the old MKX, which was simply a Ford Edge interior with a little nicer leather on the seats and some wood tone trim on the dash. The headliner is covered with a nice-feeling soft fabric...as are the sun-visors. The stereo sound quality is superb...the upmarket stereo on my test car, of course, was a package-option. The power front seats have adjustments 22 different ways (no wonder the seat-package alone cost $1500), and they were well-shaped to fit my torso and upper-legs, though the padding overall was just a little firmer than I would have liked.....not quite Buick-soft. The leather used on the seats seemed to be of high quality. The primary gauges were clear and easily read, though I didn't particularly care for the shape of the tachometer. The steering wheel was well-shaped and designed, though more triangular in shape than with three conventional spokes. There gas generally adequate head and legroom for most people, except marginal headroom in the rear, under the sunroof housing, for tall people. Most of the hardware and trim inside was well-attached and of good quality, especially the aforementioned aluminum-trim patches, and most of the controls were well-designed.
There were a few things inside, though, that I felt could have been better designed. Like with the MKC, Lincoln is going back to some traditional rotary-knobs on the upper-console for some stereo/climate functions, but some of the (IMO) awkward finger-slide controls/sensors are still used....IMO, they need to go. The glove box door itself is solid, but the small electronic push-button to open it is in a location on the right side of the upper-console where, until you get used to it, one would not usually think to look. The engine START/STOP button is shaped and designed in a manner that somewhat hides it on the left side of the upper-console unless you are looking right at it. And for the biggest failing inside.....the cheap, standard-Ford-parts-bin, flimsy-feeling, flat-black-plastic stalks and paddle-shifters on the column and steering wheel......they are a very sharp contrast to the otherwise superbly-done, luxury-grade interior. But, overall, a Class-A job inside, Lincoln.
CARGO COMPARTMENT/TRUNK:
Raise the rear hatch-lid (which, of course, is power-assisted), and one is treated to a relatively spacious and well-finished cargo area. The rear roofline is raked in a little (the current styling trend with many SUVs), but not enough to severely limit cargo space or the ability to carry taller items. Nice black carpeting is used on the floor and walls, and on top of that, a Subaru-style custom-fitted rubber/vinyl cargo tray to protect the carpeting from moisture and dirt. On the left side wall are two electronic buttons that release the two 60/40 split-rear seat backs (there is no third-row option) to expand the cargo area. A detachable pull-shade cargo cover assembly is included. Under the floor, there is no styrofoam cubby-compartment tray like in some vehicles, and one will find a temporary spare tire/wheel assembly.
ON THE ROAD:
This particular MKX, of course, was the cream of the crop at over 60K, and, while they didn't give me quite as long a test-drive as I would ordinarily have liked, I DID get enough of a test, with enough different speeds and road surfaces, to get a petty good idea of its road-manners....otherwise, of course, I wouldn't be writing a full-review, just a static one.
The 3.7L V6 starts up with a button on the upper-console and immediately settles down into a properly smooth/quiet luxury-vehicle idle. Its HP and torque figures, by the numbers, aren't quite that of the optional smaller turbocharged 2.7L EcoBoost V6, but, on the road, are still adequate in most normal driving for a vehicle of this size and weight, even with the AWD. The engine's refinement level, of course, stays high on the road as well as at idle, thanks in part to the engine's design and (probably) in part to the aforementioned foam-padded engine cover.
The 6-speed Select Shift automatic transmission, operated by the dash buttons, shifts smoothly and slickly, whether in automatic or manual mode (transmission smoothness was once an area where many former Lincolns notably lacked refinement compared to Cadillac or Lexus), and the gear ratios seemed pretty well-spaced for a 6-speed. Driving a Lincoln MKZ, MKX, or MKC with these push-buttons vaguely reminds me of the old Chrysler push-button Torqueflite transmissions of the 1960s and some Edsel/Mercury push-buttons in the late 1950s.....I learned to drive on the Chrysler push-buttons before also learning on a manual clutch and stick. None of those old designs, though, could equal the slickness of these new electronic buttons. Using the "S", or "Sport" function on the transmission's buttons alters the transmission settings and allows manual function.
The chassis is well-done for a vehicle of this type, although one does not expect sportiness with a luxury/family-oriented mid-size SUV. Steering response is slower than in typical sedans of this size, but not bad at all by SUV standards. Overall, on the road, the new MKX is far nicer in its general feel than the old MKX, which was basically driving a rebadged Ford Edge. Ride comfort over bumps, even with the big optional 20-inch wheels on my test car, was pretty good, though you could also sense at least some underlying firmness from the damping and large wheels. The overall ride comfort seemed a little better than with the smaller MKC, probably because of the MKX's longer wheelbase, wider track, and heavier weight. The moderate body lean with sharp steering input was about as expected in an SUV of this class. Wind noise was generally well-controlled (though not whisper-quiet like in a Lexus LS or Mercedes S-class), and road noise quite well-controlled with the particular tires on my car (I forgot to check which brand of tire they were). The suspension can be altered in the usual Normal/Comfort/Sport settings, but it requires menu-access. The only thing I didn't particularly care for in the underpinnings was the somewhat spongy brake pedal, which didn't start to grab noticeably until you had pushed it a couple of inches (that's common on many SUVs). But, on the other hand, I didn't have any noticeable problems with my big Mens' -size-15 clown-shoes catching on the rim of the brake pedal when lifting off the gas, as I do have with some vehicles.
THE VERDICT:
By now, you probably have the impression that I'm quite impressed, overall, with this new MRX, and you're right. It's no secret that Lincoln has been somewhat in the doldrums for a number of years, but last year's then-new MKC started Lincoln's slow rise back to automotive respectability, and the follow-on MKX, IMO, will only add to that recovery. Like with the MKC, Lincoln did most things right with this new MKX, especially compared to its unimpressive predecessor, though I'd still recommend some better switchgear on the steering column. And, as sales rise nationally, Lincoln is also going to have to address the relative lack of dealerships selling the marque...currently, they operate mainly out of some (selected) Ford dealerships, and share their sales/parts/service departments with them.
But there isn't much to fault with this vehicle itself. It (now) compares very well to its German, Japanese, and Swedish competition...though a new Lexus RX (possibly with a third-row seat?) and a new Cadillac SRX replacement are currently on the way, and we'll see how they compare with the new MKX. Yes, my test car was 60K (some readers will be turned off by that)...but that included some $12,000 worth of expensive options, and one does not have to spend that kind of money, as base models start as low as the 40K range. So, if you liked the style and flair of the MKC, but passed up on it because it was too small, head on down to the Lincoln shop....they've got something waiting for you.
And, as always......Happy car-shopping.
MM
