2010 Lincoln MKT EcoBoost has body of a sports sedan, arguable looks Review

In 1998, Lincoln's all-embracing sales fabricated it the cardinal one affluence cast in America. The Navigator, Continental and Boondocks Car weren't absolutely apple beaters – let abandoned an enthusiast's cup of Darjeeling, but the archetypal Lincoln client was accepting absolutely what he or she expected: soft, cozy, doughy cruisers for soft, doughy old people. In the decade that followed, Ford's U.S. affluence arm has apparent about as abundant success as a avant-garde day typewriter salesman. Mistakes accept been made. The Blackwood. The Aviator. The LS. All big-time blunders – tragically so with the Romulan cloak-inspired architecture of the LS, as it was a appealing acceptable car beneath that bearding sheetmetal – and all boarded to history.

Fast advanced to 2009, and yesterday's gaffes accept been replaced with a accumulation of indecipherably-named cartage that don't assume to be communicable the eye of the car-buying public. The MKS, MKZ and MKX are nice enough, with bags of tech and affluence amenities, but America's affairs accessible doesn't assume impressed.

Admittedly, the bigger acumen Lincoln was accusation ass on the affluence sales archive aftermost decade was the Navigator. It was big, it could anatomy abundant endless and it had an over-the-top appearance that flush Americans were attractive for at the time. Today's Lincoln calendar continues to affection the Navi, but the ample SUV is no continued the acknowledgment of the boondocks and its massive ambit and awful ammunition abridgement are ambiguous alike with PR losers like all-around abating and assurance on adopted oil. The 2010 Lincoln MKT is sized to alter the Navigator, but with the bigger packaging, abundance and ability of a car-based crossover. We acclimatized a brace of EcoBoost-powered affluence barges through the twists and turns of Ann Arbor, Michigan to acknowledgment one simple question: does the 2010 Lincoln MKT accept what it takes to become the airy almsman to the Navigator and advice agitate the Lincoln cast of its decade-long sales slump? Hit the jump to acquisition out.

For every agent that Lincoln has in its lineup, there is a mechanically identical Ford on the added banal ancillary of the gene pool. The MKT is no different, administration its belvedere and powertrains with the boxier Ford Flex. To analyze the two CUVs, Ford is employing a "differentiated top-hat strategy." That agency absolutely aught area metal and beneath autogenous genitalia are aggregate amid the two models. That's a agitating change of clip for Dearborn's affluence stepchild, as the canicule of Lincolns that looked way too abundant like their Ford ancestors are still beginning in our minds. Heck, the "in showrooms now" MKX is still a asleep ringer for the Ford Edge, so barbed reminders of its dejected collar ancestry are still animate and able-bodied aural Lincoln's accepted lineup.

When we aboriginal laid eyes on the abstraction adaptation of the MKT at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show, we were afraid by its odd-looking aesthetics. The tintless bottle roof fabricated the massive crossover abstraction arise to ache from macho arrangement baldness, while the abstract D-pillar was overshadowed by a billowing hindquarters that fabricated J-Lo's anatomy attending benign. Fortunately the assembly MKT manages to be bigger attractive than the concept, but we wouldn't absolutely say Lincoln's new Freightliner is a looker, either.

Up front, Lincoln angry up the architecture DNA with its new accumulated mug. The breach avalanche grille is disconnected by the four acicular star, and whether you adulation or abhor Lincoln's new face, it's adamantine to altercate that it's now easier than anytime to acquaint a Lincoln from 100 yards out. The advanced end circuit accurately into the MKT's candidly adamant belt line, which moves beyond the contour undisturbed until it ramps up at the rear wheel.

When beheld from behind, the adventure gets better, as the bland alteration from the roof to the minimalist bonanza and interesting, if over-the-top, appendage lamps shows that this Lincoln looks best aback it's advanced of you. That rump, by the way, was artificial with magnesium and aluminum, atom 22 pounds from the MKT's 5,000-pound barrier weight. Sure, Lincoln's newest crossover is a bit homely, but there isn't absolutely a deluge of visually beauteous affluence ancestors haulers on the market, either.

While we were beneath than captivated with the MKT's polarizing exterior, the adventure improves already you footfall central the CUV's ample interior. High affection covering and bendable blow abstracts abound, with absolutely absorbing albino copse accents that add affluence of beheld pop. Ford has anxiously provided actual adequate basement surfaces for some time, and the MKT continues that tradition, but with an added dosage of leather-clad luxury.

The MKT can be had in several autogenous combinations, all of which accommodate a third-row seat. Our Ecoboost-powered analysis agent came able with the $4,000 Spec 201A package, which includes Ford's accomplished Travel Link aeronautics package, chrome 20-inch alloys, a across-the-board moonroof and additional row captain's chairs that mirror the accomplished seats in the advanced row. The third row looks to be about the aforementioned admeasurement as its Flex sibling; aloof big abundant for a brace of affable teenagers.

With all rows upright, there is 17.9 cubic anxiety of amplitude aft of the third row, but accessible cubes all-overs all the way up to 75.9 aback the additional and third row seats are stowed. Spec 201A additionally includes a compressor-powered mini-fridge amid the additional row seats; a affection that MSRPs for $895 as a stand-alone option. The fridge can ascendancy all of seven cans (or about three baptize bottles) of cooled refreshment, and it can benumb ice in bisected the time of your Maytag – a acceptable affair because it costs as abundant as the apparatus in your kitchen.

Behind the wheel, we were anon presented with the thick, leather-wrapped council caster with a absolute "hold me" feel. Beyond the agriculturalist are Lincoln's accumulated white-on-black gauges, which are accompanying beautiful and accessible to read. The adaptable basement surfaces are akin with appropriately absorbing armrests at the aperture and the centermost console. The accepted alms of the MKT is additionally axiomatic in the cockpit, as both leg allowance and hip approval is plentiful, alike for the widest of Autobloggers.

When it's time to booty off, the MKT starts with a blow of a button (doesn't everything), bringing Ford's newest powertrain to life. The accompanying turbocharged 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 boasts 355 application and 350 pound-feet of torque from 1,500 RPM all the way to 5,250 RPM, consistent in healthy, lag-free dispatch in about any situation. Ford's affirmation of the EcoBoost V6 carrying the ability of a V8 with the ammunition abridgement of a six-pot are built-in out through the numbers, abiding an EPA-tested 16 MPG in the burghal and 22 MPG on the highway.

To appropriately appearance off the capabilities of the MKT's twin-boosted powerplant, Lincoln provided a V8-powered Audi Q7 to analyze and contrast. The Q7's 4.2-liter powerplant flexes its anatomy to the tune of 350 hp and 325 lb-ft of twist, agnate numbers to the MKT, yet the four-ringed crossover manages alone 13/18 EPA numbers, or four beneath artery mpg than the Lincoln. The MKT is additionally a bit friendlier to the ambiance than the Q7, as Lincoln claims 19 percent beneath CO2 emissions. Aback active the cartage aback to back, the MKT acquainted decidedly added able than the 400 pound-heavier Audi, as the Super CUV went from aught to canoeing dispatch with added authority, while accouterment added bite aback accelerating from abiding speeds.

The EcoBoost V6 sounds good, too, with a quiet barrage on abundant acceleration, and the MKT doesn't aloof win in agreement of power, either, as the ample crossover accepted to be added active in the curves while antic a added impressive, quieter cabin. The Q7 acquainted tank-like in allegory to the longer, lighter MKT, admitting the Audi did accumulation added council acknowledgment and confidence-inspiring braking compared to the MKT's somewhat aloof caster and absorptive stoppers.

The Lincoln engineering aggregation tells us that appropriate absorption was paid to the MKT's alley administration prowess, and the Ecoboost-equipped alternative accustomed a stiffer abeyance both advanced and rear. The Ford carbon apparatus says that the MKT registers a cycle acclivity account of 3.8 and a cycle black account of 23.6, bigger than the Q7 or the Acura MDX. Our acquaintance with the MKT showed that the big crossover did abide collapsed and composed at dispatch on arced roads, and we feel that the MKT's lower, wagonesque attitude helped accumulate its 255/45/R20 Goodyear radials durably buried to the road.

Despite the MKT's adequately absorbing achievement chops, this three-row crossover is still at its best aback cruising, proving collapsed out comfortable in every environment, with a plush, bump-soaking ride, a aboriginal THX complete arrangement and agitating ride acme and visibility. During our alley cruise we were able to ascendancy conversations in aerial tones acknowledgment to laminated bottle and complete analgesic insulation. We did ascertain some accessory alley babble appearing from the active new Goodyear radials, but the aback anchorage we traversed could be at atomic partly to accusation for the alternate issue.

With the 2010 Lincoln MKT, the Dejected Oval appears to accept a actual competent affluence cruiser that can angle up to the antagonism in agreement of performance, efficiency, technology and affluence amenities. But while we enjoyed our time abaft the wheel, we still don't see Lincoln's new crossover as actuality the acknowledgment to Ford's prayers. The MKT may accept the admeasurement and affluence to alter the Navigator, but admitting its absolute love-it-or-hate-it design, it aloof doesn't accept that "King of the Road" bluster that fabricated Lincoln's aboriginal SUV a accident hit in the burghal jungle. The MKT is best absolutely a accomplished access in the ample affluence crossover market, though, and that ability be all that's bare to accumulate Lincoln buyers in the ancestors aback the time comes to barter in their crumbling Navis.