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Video: 2016 Lincoln MKX Review

06:15 min
By Cars.com Editors
January 22, 2016

About the video

The all-new 2016 Lincoln MKX is a larger, more sophisticated midsize luxury crossover than the one it replaces. It has a more refined interior, additional tech features and a unique premium sound system. It competes with the Acura MDX and Lexus RX.

Transcript

(car starting) The Lincoln MKX ups its luxury game in a big way for 2016 in a bid to better compete with midsize luxury SUVs like the Lexus RX.
Now, besides the striking styling of this new car, there's a ton of technology on the inside that's a first for the MKX plus there's an all new engine, a turbocharged 2.7 liter V6. Now, with this host of improvements, can the Lincoln MKX enter the legitimate luxury segment? While the 2.7 liter is more powerful, more fun to drive, it's rated with the same 19 mile per gallon combined rating as the base 3.7 liter V6. Where it is gonna hit you is that initial upfront cost, but the 2.7 liter is $2,000. The redesigned interior host very high quality materials, especially on the door panel. Every service is soft and it's very attractive with wood and metal accents. Now, while the materials are very nice, the styling itself on the inside is fairly conservative. There's nothing outlandish or very innovative here except for the push button gear selector. Now, we've seen it in other Lincolns and the MKX has it too. There's some pros and cons. What's great is the freed up space for a nice little storage cubby with USB port on the inside. And also on three point turns, it makes it really convenient to have the drive and reversed buttons real close to the steering wheel. On the downside, it just doesn't look very nice they're very generic buttons. There's little pieces of chrome strip, but I feel this could be executed with a lot more pizazz than just these very simple buttons. The gear selector isn't the only annoying feature in this general area of the car. The model we're driving is an early production MKX and it still has the outgoing MyLincoln touch, touchscreen. Now, we've been complaining about this system for years in Ford and Lincolns it's the quadrant based. Previously, it had capacitive touch controls, great that it's gone. We've got real dial knobs buttons fantastic, but the last thing that needs to go is this kind of outdated media system and on later MKXs, it's gone. Starting in late December the production models will be coming out with SYNC 3 a much improved system with a better user interface. New technology in the MKX includes a 360 degree camera. Now, it uses the camera in the front, back and on the sides of the vehicle to create a top-down view of what's around the car for easier parking. Now, it's a feature we've seen in the luxury segment before and Lincolns isn't the best executed, the cameras aren't stitched together very well and it's also very hard to determine where the wheel is when you're parking up against the curb. So, you're still kind of inching carefully until you hit the curb. It's a feature that's much better executed in Infiniti who pioneered the system as well as BMWs. Another piece of technology that needs a little bit more refinement is the optional lane keep assist. Now, that's the feature that's gonna move the car back in its original intended lane if it starts to drift into the other lane. It's a little too jerky, it's jarring and I am not the biggest fan of how it self-corrects. The good news is the feature is adjustable in various intensities as well as you can choose a mode that puts it to alert only it won't make the correction and that's how I drove. The MKX is must have feature though the optional rebel 19-speaker stereo, it is just pure auditory bliss. If you're a sound nerd you absolutely have to listen to this stereo. It's one of my favorites. (upbeat music) It's expensive though on this reserve trim level, it's part of the $4,400 luxury package. Comfort is king for both front and rear occupants. The leather is soft and supple and there are a lot of amenities in the back seat including heated rear seats and two USB charger ports, there are heated seats up front as well as available heated steering wheel and the comfort aspect also extends to the right quality. Now, this car has an adjustable firmness suspension and various modes including normal, comfort and sport. Now, in any of those modes it's not overly sporty or overly harsh. And in the comfort modes it glides down the highway to very comfortable, very quiet car, easy to spend a lot of time in. I wish the adjustability of those driving modes, that that was easier. There's a sport button on the gear selector, but to get into the fine tuning of the suspension you have to dig into the dashboard menus, which isn't entirely convenient. Standard on the reserve trim level is the always welcome and extremely useful, hands-free lift gate. Now, with that kick it opens and you have your hands full of groceries and it reveals a very generously sized cargo area, as well as one more trick. Power folding backseat. All options tallied up our MKX reserve retail that just over $61,000 and MKX is good, but it's a bit of a stretch to ask for $60,000 a good when other big names in the segment do it just as good or better with cleaner execution. (trunk closes)

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