The Able Lincoln

New MKT offers luxury, practicality and fuel economy, with a surprising turn of speed

By Jeremy Sinek

We’ve already gotten our heads around the idea of Lincoln SUVs – heck, even a Lincoln pickup truck. So, why not a Lincoln station wagon? In the ever-evolving and fragmenting world of crossover vehicles, I propose that Lincoln’s new people-mover more closely resembles a wagon than it replicates an SUV or a minivan.
But don’t tell Lincoln you heard that from me. The “w” word is just so, well, taboo. 
Officially, the MKT is a luxury crossover vehicle. Ford builds it in Oakville, Ontario, on the same line as the Ford Flex, with which it shares its architecture. But unlike the Lincoln MKX, another Oakville-built product, which could be called a badge-engineered clone of the Ford Edge, the MKT’s look is all its own.
Is it a looker? You decide. “We know it’s a bit polarizing,” says MKT vehicle line executive, Scott Tobin, “but it makes a statement.”
A big statement. The MKT is built long (5.3 metres) and wide (1.9). But its roof looks even closer to the ground than Ford`s figure of 1,712 mm says it is, and ground clearance is more like that of a car than a truck. Hence the wagonliness.
Despite standard all-wheel drive in Canada, there is no boonie bashing in its mandate.
That said, most of its intended rivals – Acura MDX, Audi Q7, Cadillac SRX, Volvo XC90 – are all crossover SUVs. The one exception, and arguably the closest in concept to the Lincoln, is the Mercedes-Benz R-Class.
This being a full-size Lincoln, you might expect V8 power to be available, as it is in most of its peers. But Ford has a better idea. If you want a hot-rod Lincoln you can have one, but the grunt – huge heapings of it – is provided by Ford`s new fuel-saving EcoBoost V6.
Fuel-saving?
Well, it’s like this. EcoBoost is a new Ford strategy to improve fuel economy. Very simply, it involves turbocharging and direct-injecting smaller engines to equal or exceed the performance of conventional larger engines. In this case, we’re talking a V8-killing twin-turbo 3.5-litre V6 that generates 355 peak horsepower, plus great big gobs of torque – 350 lb-ft of it – right across the rev range.
Cadillac goes the same route in the 2010 SRX (see pg. 10), but the GM unit’s uplevel turbocharged V6 makes only 300 hp and 295 lb-ft. The closest any of the rivals’ V8s come to matching the EcoBoost is the Audi Q7’s 4.2-litre, rated at 350 hp and 325 lb-ft.
According to Ford, 98 percent of real-world driving is done between 800 and 3,000 rpm. The EcoBoost delivers peak torque from 1,500 rpm. The Audi’s doesn’t arrive until 3,250 rpm.
All this, and the MKT’s EcoBoost is 15 to 20 percent more economical than most V8-powered alternatives. In fact, its official fuel economy is said to be identical to that of the base MKT, which is powered by a 3.7-litre, 268-hp V6. Both engines come harnessed to a six-speed automatic transmission with quasi-manual paddle shifting.
One thing the EcoBoost V6 can’t quite duplicate is the initial launch torque of a big V8 just off idle. Nor does it sound as good (though it’s fine for a six). But the launch lag is fleeting and once full torque arrives the effect is stunning. Helping the cause: well chosen gear ratios and near-instant full-throttle kickdown.
The EcoBoost engine is also being rolled out in the MKS, Taurus and Flex. Next year, the F-150 gets it. Expect to see future four-cylinder EcoBoost engines replace V6s in midsize vehicles.
Ford’s preview drive of the MKT was staged at its Michigan proving ground, so you’d expect its dynamics to show well when thrashing around the very tracks on which it was developed. Even so, first impressions suggest the chassis engineers have struck a sweet spot between comfort and control. This ain’t your brother-in-law’s Navigator.
Equally un-SUV-like is the driver’s environment. This is a vehicle you step into, not climb onto. The driving position is every-which-way adjustable – even the pedals can be powered back and forth – but if you’re looking for a lofty throne from which to peer down on the plebes, you won’t find it here.
Including the pilot, the MKT can accommodate up to seven passengers when equipped with the standard 60/40-split middle-row bench, or six with the optional buckets, and all without crowding. There’s visibly more second-row kneeroom than you’ll find in most rivals, yet still room for most grown-ups to occupy the third row, at least over moderate distances. An optional second-row power fold-and-tumble feature makes the third row even easier to access.
Among the countless gee-whizz features, one that stands out is optional Active Park Assist, which can automatically steer you into parallel parking spots (though throttle and brake operation remain the driver’s responsibility). Another parking aid warns of approaching cross-traffic when you’re backing out of a nose-in parking spot. Those are in addition to all the other bells and whistles expected in a luxury vehicle.
Official pricing doesn’t seem to mean much in today’s economy, but for the record, Lincoln is asking $49,950 for the base MKT, or $53,350 with the EcoBoost engine. If you can live with the looks, this home-built Lincoln delivers big helpings of space, pace and luxury for the money.