Introduction
Lincoln MKZ – 2007 Review: Lincoln’s historic Zephyr moniker blew in for 2006 and right back out again for 2007 when marketers decided to switch from memorable, iconic nameplates to forgettable alphabet soup badges like MKR, MKS, MKX, and MKZ. The only one spared was Navigator, which apparently still has brand equity in the eyes of Harvard MBAs. Based on the Ford Fusion, the Lincoln MKZ receives significant upgrades after just one year on the market, including a new 3.5-liter V6 engine and optional all-wheel drive. While Lincoln’s marketing morass is terrific fodder for poking fun at the MKZ, the truth is that there’s a decent car here. The trouble is that decent doesn’t quite cut it in a field littered with standouts.
What We Drove
Vivid Red Clearcoat Metallic paint on a Lincoln MKZ helps to hide the largeness of the taillights, but also makes the sedan look like a 55-year-old female realtor with a penchant for knock-off jewelry might drive it. Our all-wheel-drive test car’s base price of $31,765 including the $715 destination charge was inflated to a final sticker of $35,640 by a navigation system (at $2,495, local maps and a national atlas look like bargains), cooled front seats ($495), high-intensity discharge headlights ($495), an interior satin and aluminum package ($195), and Sirius satellite radio ($195). Our test car did not have a power sunroof, and neither parking sensors nor stability control are available on the MKZ.
Performance
Equipped with just what the doctor, and the public, ordered, the Lincoln MKZ has a powerful and responsive 3.5-liter V6 good for 263 horsepower under its hood. Not as refined or gutsy sounding as some competitors’ engines, Lincoln’s new V6 nevertheless produces quick acceleration. Fuel economy could be better; we averaged 19 mpg during a week of mixed driving. The new six-speed automatic transmission sends power to all four of the MKZ’s wheels, shifts smoothly and responds dutifully, but needs a manual shift mode instead of a rudimentary overdrive-off button. Also, on more than one occasion during a rolling stop in traffic the transmission kicked down harshly when getting off the brake and onto the accelerator at speeds less than 10 mph.
Handling
Few auto reviewers may admit it, but the Lincoln MKZ is equipped with a perfectly tuned suspension that deftly blends capable handling and a supple ride quality without filtering communication from the road. L.A.’s Latigo Canyon Road is not the first byway one might think of trying in the MKZ, but we thought the Lincoln managed that kinky, bumpy, pockmarked piece of pavement with grace. The brake pedal is quick to respond and easy to modulate, the Michelin 225/50R17 tires remain quiet under pressure, and the steering provides good feedback. Still, the steering isn’t particularly quick and the transmission lacks a manual shift mode, dulling the MKZ’s fun factor. Around town, this car desperately needs a tighter turning circle for greater maneuverability.
Visibility
Equipped with a tall rear deck and rakish back window, visibility to the rear isn’t terrific. Parking on city streets is particularly difficult because the car behind the Lincoln MKZ disappears from view, making the lack of a park sensing system obvious. Plus, at the bottom of the rear glass, distortions skew the driver’s world view. Large, rectangular side mirrors and a good view forward make it easy to see around corners and change lanes on the freeway. Sun glare frequently makes the lower third of the gauge cluster invisible to the driver.
Fun to Drive
Outright good times elude the Lincoln MKZ’s driver because, at the end of the day, this is a luxury sedan and not a sport sedan. However, the MKZ’s capable suspension, willing engine, substantial brakes, and good road feel give it a European dynamic heretofore lacking in many American luxury cars. With different tires, stiffer anti-roll bars, a manual shift mode for the automatic, and faster steering, the MKZ would definitely be fun to drive.
Front Comfort
Lincoln nailed front seat comfort in the MKZ. The leather upholstered chairs offer a tall seating position, supportive cushions, and a wide range of adjustment to accommodate various body types. Plus, there’s optional heating and cooling. A tilt and telescopic steering wheel, wide upper door panel sills covered in soft material, and a padded center armrest that slides forward for shorter drivers are standard. The driver and front passenger also get plenty of leg and head room. Additionally, the shape of the steering wheel spokes and center airbag pad make for a terrific hand rest during long-distance cruising. If there’s room for improvement, steering effort could be lighter at low speeds to assist parking.
Comfort
It’s too bad that Lincoln didn’t pay as much attention to detail with regard to rear passenger comfort as it did in front. Leg room is fine for this size sedan, and while the rear cushion could be taller for better thigh support, occupants won’t feel like they’re sitting on the floor. The comfort complaints arise with the details. For instance, lumpy wiring and a seat structure bar impede foot room, the rear head restraints are bumps at the top of the backrest that don’t adjust and probably provide little protection in a rear impact accident, and there’s a plastic cupholder insert in the center armrest right where the passenger’s elbow falls.
Interior Noise
Up to 65 mph, the Lincoln MKZ’s cabin is impressively quiet. Above that speed, wind noise erupts around the mirrors and windshield pillars. The Michelin Energy MXV4 tires on our test car contributed to the sense of solitude, and during an abusive mountain run they remained remarkably silent even as we dove into corners hard enough to scrub the sidewalls. Rough pavement added road and suspension noise to the ambience, but not enough to be bothersome.
Loading Cargo
Here again, when it comes to the trunk Lincoln skips the details that could make MKZ ownership more appealing, though we’ll be the first to note that the seatback releases are among the best in the business – just pull the handy lever and the seatbacks flop right down. The amount and shape of the space is not the problem. Rather, it’s the ill-fitting and cheap liner Lincoln uses to finish the luggage compartment, and the lack of a handle or grip to assist with closing the stiff, strut-supported trunk lid. The result is filthy hands if the MKZ’s decklid is dirty. You’d think designers and engineers based in rainy and snowy Michigan would have addressed this problem.
Build Quality
Before Lincoln has any chance of reviving sales in the face of luxury powerhouses from Asia and Europe, it must focus on build quality. Yes, the MKZ gets favorable ratings from Consumer Reports and J.D. Power for first-year durability, but based on sloppy execution found in our media fleet vehicle – such as a passenger airbag panel that didn’t line up with the right outboard vent panel, an ill-fitting lower dash panel on the driver’s side and inconsistent gap tolerances for the navigation radio – line workers in Mexico need to improve attention to detail. Ditto for the exterior, where gaps are wide, frequently inconsistent, and sometimes obviously misaligned.
Materials Quality
Last year, the Lincoln Zephyr (the MKZ is the same car with a different name for 2007) won an award for interior design and materials. With its clean appearance, liberal use of soft-touch surfaces, woven cloth headliner, and optional genuine aluminum trim, the Lincoln impresses. However, the dash vents look cheap, the plastic on the center console emits a whiff of cost-cutting, the carpeting is nothing special, and the liberally used sparkly silver plastic doesn’t convince observers of the MKZ’s luxury status. Add to this seat leather that is no better than acceptable, and we’d summarize by saying you get what you pay for with the Lincoln MKZ.
Styling
Lincoln’s MKZ is a handsome if rather staid design. It’s differentiated enough from the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan with which it shares a platform and architecture, but except for the chrome-dipped grille, attractive 17-inch spoked alloy wheels, and rather gaudy taillights there’s nothing here to express character. Inside, the MKZ’s identity is more apparent. Lincoln installs a retro-themed dashboard and art-deco gauge markings to give the MKZ a splash of heritage. The chrome-ringed round vents, pilfered from the Ford parts bin and looking like they belong in a $20,000 vehicle, are out of place in the MKZ. Otherwise, this cabin works.
Storage
Bring the essentials with you on a journey in the Lincoln MKZ, and you’ll be well served by the four cupholders, the good-sized glove box, the overhead sunglasses holder, and the decent front and rear door panel bins. Lincoln also offers twin seatback storage pockets and a small tray integrated into the back of the center console for people riding in the rear seat. The center console bin is on the small side, with a removable tray installed in place of the more common two-tiered storage solutions in the class. Also, there aren’t any rubber-lined trays or cubbies, felt-lined coin storage or cell phone holders, or webbed pockets on the leading edges of the front seats. Most people would appreciate such features.
Infotainment Controls
Lincoln’s touch-screen navigation system is bundled with Sirius satellite radio and a THX-certified audio system. It works well, even if some menus are crowded with information. Programming a destination is a snap, getting a map and zooming the screen is easy to do, setting radio stations is a breeze, and moving through the system’s various functions is almost as simple as a Lexus. A larger screen and function keys that are more spread out on the dashboard would be a big help, and a tuning knob is always on our list of nice-to-haves, but otherwise we have no complaints about the MKZ’s infotainment controls.
Climate Controls
Dual-zone climate controls are mounted low in the center stack where they aren’t so easy to see and reach. Good thing the symmetrical layout is simple, with large temperature buttons flanking smaller functions and the display screen. Under the main display sits a row of thin but wide buttons which control the optional heated and cooled seats and other secondary features. The Lincoln MKZ also has redundant steering wheel controls for fan speed and temperature.
Secondary Controls
Like most American cars, the Lincoln MKZ’s secondary functions make themselves plainly evident in locations where people have come to expect them. Black on gray markings create slight legibility problems, but at night everything is lit up in bright white light. We’re not fans of turn signal stalks that also operate the wipers, as in the MKZ, but inputs using the Lincoln’s setup must be deliberate, which makes accidental activation of the wipers or bright lights less of a problem.
Competitors
Given the MKZ’s mission, we’d limit the list of direct competitors to the Buick LaCrosse and Lucerne, Chrysler 300 (pictured), Jaguar X-Type, Lexus ES 350, Saab 9-3 and 9-5, Toyota Avalon, and Volvo S60. Of these, only the Chrysler, Jag, and Volvo can be equipped with AWD like the Lincoln. We think consumers may also cross-shop loaded mainstream sedans like the Honda Accord EX-L and Toyota Camry XLE as well as luxury sport sedans such as the Acura TL and BMW 328i.
Second Opinion – Keith Buglewicz
Lincoln MKZ – Buglewicz's Opinion
What a nicely done Ford. Such a high content level, a good nav system, well sorted suspension and powerful engine, and at only $28,000. What? It’s a Lincoln? And it costs $35,600? In that case, the engine drones too much, the tires and suspension make too much noise, the interior quality is decidedly un-luxurious, and the styling is commonplace. Acura’s TL or a Lexus ES 350 cost more and don’t have all-wheel drive, but I’d take either before this Lincoln. If you shop on a strictly stuff-for-the-dollar basis, the MKZ makes a certain amount of sense. But if you want to feel like you bought an actual luxury car, and not just an optioned out Ford, shop elsewhere.
Keith Buglewicz
Second Opinion – Brian Chee
Lincoln MKZ – Chee's Opinion
I really want to like the Lincoln MKZ, and I do, in some ways. It has an attractive design, save for the toothy grille, and offers a driving experience that’s good enough for most people, thanks to a polite 3.5-liter V6 engine and all-wheel-drive. That’s not all: The MKZ offers plenty of features for a mid-30s price tag. Yet, despite this, every time I think that Lincoln has a hit on its hands – whether it’s named Zephyr, Mark Z or M-K-Z – the car betrays itself with poor quality fit and finish and, ultimately, a translucent veneer of luxury over its inherent Fordness. Like I said, I really want to like the MKZ. But all it makes me want to do is drive an old Lincoln LS.
Brian Chee
Photography courtesy Ron Perry
(www.car.com)
