2017 Lincoln MKZ: First Impressions
Lincoln’s MKZ has been an underwhelming entry in the midsize luxury sedan category. It’s a bland offering that has had trouble being considered in the same breath as the BMW 3 Series or Mercedes-Benz C-Class. The automaker hopes to remedy this with the freshened 2017 Lincoln MKZ unveiled at the 2015 Los Angeles Auto Show.
More 2015 Los Angeles Auto Show Coverage
The 2017 MKZ’s styling has been updated to reflect Lincoln’s new look: A honeycombed grille, which was an idea first shown on the Continental Concept at the 2015 New York International Auto Show, replaces the old winged waterfall look. Lincoln’s idea for its lineup is “quiet luxury.” The automaker certainly has succeeded here, but one might add the word “forgettable” to the description as the new styling direction looks old and uninspired.
Inside, things are improved, especially in the Black Label model Lincoln had on display. Gone are the touch-sensitive control panels (hallelujah!), replaced by a few rows of nice buttons and well-marked knobs. Bravo, Lincoln. Now if only it could get rid of the cheap-feeling push-button shifter design and bring back a proper gear selector. Sync 3 is present in the multimedia system, and Lincoln’s highly impressive Revel audio system is optional.
There’s no additional room for passengers in the new MKZ, but the interior materials on the Black Label version are truly top-notch. High-quality perforated leather looks good where it covers the seats, dash and doors, and even the wood trim feels like quality stuff.
The problem is, the Black Label trim level tends to be expensive (the 2016 Black Label starts at north of $46,000). With the inclusion of a new Lincoln-exclusive 400-horsepower, twin-turbo V-6, however, suddenly the MKZ’s price looks a little less outrageous. We can overlook a lot with that kind of power on tap.
