In my review of the Lincoln MKX, I indicated that I felt Ford would survive the auto industry shake-out. However one of their (many) priorities should be to embark on a program to better define and separate Lincolns from the rest of the Ford lineup.
The 2009 Lincoln MKS is a new “top hat” for the Blue Oval’s premier division. I say “top hat” in reference to the industry practice of putting a new body on an existing chassis. The MKS makes use of the same platform used on the Ford Taurus, Flex and Volvo S80. Every manufacturer produces cars, crossovers and trucks/SUVs this way. The key to doing it successfully is how well you alter, or differentiate the vehicles from brand to brand, including powertrains and features. In the past Ford has not done this very well.
2009 Lincoln MKS
All-new Lincoln MKS is impressive
A luxury automobile has to look the part and lead with its best feature. The MKS sets the expectation with its new double-winged grille updated from the one used on the classic 1941 Lincoln Continental. Get used to this look as you’ll be seeing it on more Lincolns. The grille sweeps up into glittery high-intensity discharge (HID) headlamps to help put a face on Lincoln’s new flagship sedan.
The MKS jettisons the traditional Lincoln “frumpiness” with a stylized hood and sharply raked windshield, gliding into a non-formal roofline. The broad-shouldered MKS also features a beltline that kicks up slightly over the rear wheels, another modern tribute to classic Lincoln design. The rear design, especially the LED tail lamps, looks familiar, reminding me of the Saturn Aura.
The MKS is powered by a new 3.7-liter V-6 engine that is a slightly enlarged version of the 265 horsepower 3.5-liter found in the MKX and MKZ. The larger engine delivers 273 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque without resorting to using premium fuel. Fuel economy slumps to 16 city mpg and 23 highway mpg with the all-wheel-drive (AWD) version I tested.
The MKS features a smooth six-speed automatic transmission with SelectShift that helps raise fuel economy to where it is and wrings out a bit more engine performance. With SelectShift you can also select gears manually via paddle shifters if you like to pretend you’re driving a manual. Ford thinks this adds some sporting character to the car, but it seems gimmicky and misplaced in a Lincoln -- ditto for the push button start feature.
A luxury sedan must also deliver a silky-smooth ride. Lincoln did the MKS a solid by giving it a new multilink rear suspension and not spinning it off to other family members. The MacPherson strut and rear-facing L-shaped lower control arm front suspension was designed to maximize suspension travel and tuned to work in harmony with the rear suspension. Together, the new front and rear suspension design can accommodate available, class-exclusive, 20-inch wheels and tires. The test car came with upgraded 19-inch wheels.
The steering is responsive, but could use a bit more road feel and the brakes performed well without any noticeable fade after some repeated, purposely hard stops. The MKS is very quiet in most situations filtering out a slightly course engine and exterior sounds.
While the MKS is based on the Taurus platform, it is 35 percent stiffer, and this helps to noticeably elevate the driving experience. The ride is pleasant and totally keeping within this car’s mission. It will not, however, challenge the Cadillac CTS, Lexus GS or any of the German competitors in this class.
In this town (where the MKS is assembled) an AWD system is a big selling point. The MKS’ system uses a sophisticated network of clutches to quickly distribute torque between front and rear wheels with the ability to temporarily direct up to 100 percent in either direction to cut wheel slippage. The test car also came with standard Advance Trac ESC with traction control, so moving through a Chicago winter should not be a big problem with this car.
Moving inside, Lincoln creates a good first impression that wanes as the miles roll by. The dash design has a slightly retro yet elegant look. Lincoln uses some rich leather and soft touch panels but surrounds these nice pieces with contrasting hard, inexpensive plastics. The instrument panel is divided into upper and lower portions by a stripe of sculpted wood highlighted by a line of chrome. The flow-through center stack is topped with an integrated information screen that also serves as the screen for the optional navigation system. Leather seats are, of course, standard and feature an exclusive Lincoln perforation pattern on the inserts. I like Lincoln's cool white lighting.
Thankfully the near-claustrophobic feeling that you get in the CTS/STS is absent in the MKS. This sedan has plenty of front and rear passenger space. Also the trunk is exceptionally large at 18.4 cubic-feet.
The MKS offers buyers some great luxury/convenience features including heated-and-cooled front seats, heated rear seats, and a capless fuel-filler system, which takes a few tries to get used to. I say that because I felt like I forgot to screw on the cap at the last stop, and now it’s missing. The Sync system for voice activated cell phones and music would be better if it allowed more function to be accessed. Plus, I was disappointed by some noticeable squeaks and speaker grille rattle when I turned up the THX II Concert Audio System. Rear obstacle sensing with screen display is a must for this class, and Lincoln goes one better by offering front-obstacle detection. Keyless entry and starting are old hat, but appreciated on cold winter days.
The test vehicle started at $39,555, and after someone finished skipping through the option patch, the total came to $47,065. The boost can be attributed chiefly to the $5,715 technology package.
A final comment is that I find the vehicle name game Lincoln plays annoying -- it reminds me of that old song “The Name Game.” There’s the MKS, MKX, MKZ not to mention the recent MKR concept and discontinued MarK LT (re-badged F-150) pickup. Come to think of it, I think the name Lincoln is mentioned in that old song, how does it go? Shirley foe furly……..
