Pssst – I’ve got a secret for you. I have a
surefire way to impress and scare your in-laws. Both of which are rather
pleasing to me. Get your hands on a 2010 Lincoln MKT and pick them up
at the airport – as I did in April of 2010.
Now, upon first viewing they will give the odd, “what the hell is that?”
look as there aren’t too many of these things out there and it is an
overwhelming thing to behold at first. There are retro touches here and
there with a definite Bauhaus influence (1930’s sheik, retro-futuristic)
mixed in with puzzle pieces that hark back to Lincolns of old.
It’s not my cup of tea, but at least it’s unique and fresh.
Click HERE to watch a video review of the MKT.
Anyway, these in-laws I previously mentioned will definitely verbalize
an opinion (which is what they are supposed to do – – ALL the time) as
you struggle to pile in their luggage. Fortunately, there is good
storage. 18 cubic feet is available with the third row up and up to 76
cubic feet when the two back rows are folded flat. Pick up just a few
family members and watch them marvel at the power lift-gate, low cargo
floor and massive entry doors.
Once inside, they will (most likely) thrill at the abundant space for
second row passengers. The seats are comfortable and there is enough
room in the third row for a moderately sized adult. Fire up the stereo
(which can be an amazing 14 speaker THX unit) and allow them to ogle at
the super high-tech Sync system.
Now, be cool (like me) and start hitting buttons.
Allow them to witness the blind-spot monitoring system (BLIS), automatic
parking system (which is the best push-and-play auto-parking systems
available) while later, on the highway, fire up the easy to use adaptive
cruise control. In other words, lull them into a false sense of
security and serenity.
Part II: use P – O – W – E –R!
0 to 60 times are real good in this thing, about 6.2 seconds (EcoBoost
3.5 liter V6). That’s impressive, given the fact that it’s about the
same time as reading this sentence. More impressive is the passing
power. This is the rush that feels good to me and scares passengers.
Overtaking is something otherworldly as it’s point and shoot in about
5,000 lbs of mass. Like a rollercoaster that launches you MUCH faster
than you expected. That’s what the 3.5 liter, twin-turbocharged, 355hp,
350 lbs of torque EcoBoost V6 can do.
I nearly got my passengers to curl up in a fetal position and thumb suck
as we tore from 50 mph to over 100 in just a few seconds. HA! Take THAT
family! You didn’t expect this retiree machine to have any balls – did
you!?
There is a 3.7 liter option that is naturally aspirated and puts out an
acceptable 268hp and 267 lbs of torque. It’s the good old Duratec and
its fine for those who like mellow cruising. Stick with the EcoBoost if
you like the idea of having serious power whenever you need it.
Having this much power vectored through a sweet 6-speed automatic
transmission helps this massive car maintain an almost playful feel.
Ford/Lincoln added paddle shifters which have thumb shifters that peek
over the steering wheel’s center. On its own, the shifts are crisp yet
smooth. Shifting the car manually (you have to drop the gear lever to
‘M’ to use the paddle shifters) allows one to hold gears, which is
downright fun when you are bounding through the snow, with most of the
traction control turned off.
Living in Denver, Colorado we seldom get a chance to feel how good cars
are at sea level – especially luxo-barges like this MKT. Usually big
sedans, SUVs and station wagons have a rather difficult time breathing
at our altitude. NOT the EcoBoost – AND this engine comes standard with
all wheel drive!
It drove remarkably well in the wet and icy spring weather in downtown
Denver.
That AWD system does a fine job at keeping the Lincoln MKT on track and
on course. The electric power steering does not communicate and it feels
like steering imputes are more of a suggestion. Still, the grip is
excellent and body control is remarkably tight. Brakes are great for a
moving land mass like this.
So, here you have a luxurious, commodious barge that looks like it would
be at home on a 1930s railroad track. What’s not to love? There are a
few bugaboos that take some of the luster away from the MKT – namely,
the Ford Flex.
Look at this:
- A fairly loaded Lincoln MKT with EcoBoost comes in around $56,000.
-
The Ford Flex, just as loaded with the same drive-train is about $10,000
less. - The MKT’s looks are, ahem, challenging for some to appreciate.
- The Ford Flex is unique and cool looking.
- Both cars get about 16 mpg city and 23 mph highway (with the EcoBoost).
-
No matter how I slice it, I simply cannot say the Lincoln MKT is THAT
much better than the Ford Flex, especially given the price premium.
Still, the image of Lincoln is changing drastically and some folks dig
the anti-Cadillac image the new Lincoln personifies. A better way to
look at it was how a blue-hair and her pensioner husband (both used to
“Like Ike” if you need specifics) approached me as I was loading some
groceries.
“This that new Lincoln son?” the old(er) man asked.
“Yes, it’s the MKT.” I murmured.
“It’s a snazzy car” began the blue-hair “do you like it?”
I began to quickly fire up the MKT (which has a keyless system like any
proper luxury machine). She asked me again as if my hearing was as bad
as hers.
“Yes, it’s a great ride,” I said. I motioned inside for them to
peer inside as I quietly told the Sync system what to play. Simply push
a steering-wheel mounted button, wait for the prompt and say what you
want in a fairly clear tone.
A moment later – they quickly walked off (somewhat upset) as “Suck
my Kiss” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers roared through the 14-speaker
‘THX’ sound system.
I know – I’m an ass—-. At least I know what type of regular
demographic this vehicle (usually) sings to. This is a car for the
“Greatest Generation” while the Ford Flex works well for folks spanning
the age range (who have families) Believe me, had I played something
from Glenn Miller or Patsy Cline, they would have car-jacked the thing.
In the end, the question is: did Lincoln build a good wagon in the MKT?
Yes indeed.
Is it worth the extra expense?
Only if you don’t like the looks or cachet of the Ford Flex.
On our new TFLcar.com rating scale of:
– Buy it
– Lease it
– Rent it or
-Forget it
We give the Lincoln MKT a Lease It.
Automotive media, racing, vehicle evaluation, wrecking yards, and car
sales are just a part of Nathan Adlen’s vehicular past. He writes out
of high octane passion! To read more reviews by Nathan Adlen or just to
enjoy more of excellent writing please visit him on at his examiner.com
page HERE. Photos by:
N.D.
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