When I write a vehicle review I try to get into the same head space as the target buyer so I can make my viewpoint relevant to folks who are actually researching said vehicle. I have a hard time relating to the “older” demographic sometimes, as I refuse to think of myself as a forty something. This past week however was filled with adult stuff, so it was a really good week to spend with the revamped 2010 Lincoln MKZ which is most certainly targeted at folks who are a tad more mature than I. On the fun side of things, we finished up the week at Toronto’s grand old King Edward Hotel which was the perfect setting for a shiny new Lincoln.
Cadillac and Lincoln. Two grand old prestige brands that were the car of choice for the affluent senior buyer in days gone by. Somewhere along the way though, the stately buyer’s tastes have changed and the market for floaty behemoths has shrunk. Over the past decade & a half or so, Cadillac has been repositioned into a brand that 40 somethings (not to mention rappers from da ‘hood) aspire to own. During that time, the Lincoln line seems to have missed the boat on sporty appeal. If our short time with the 2010 MKZ are any indication, perhaps that tide has turned.
Our tester was a brand spanking new 2010 MKZ with all wheel drive and both the vision & sport packages. In other words, this Platinum White junior limo had every toy available. Perhaps the most obvious was the sport appearance package which is really more of an overall sport package. That cushy, floaty old guy ride is nowhere to be found in this baby. With stiffer springs and thicker sway bars than the standard model the MKZ Sport actually corners quite flat if one happens upon a windy road, yet remains comfortable on Toronto’s horrid roads. 18″ polished aluminum rims, darkened headlights and a different grille add to the bling factor. Ford’s press release says the decklid badge sports a red Z, but our tester was just plain old chrome. Perhaps it was an early production model. Either way, it still looked pretty cool. The 263 horsepower Duratec V-6 offers more than enough oomph while the six speed autobox shifts like butta.
There was a time when the Lincoln name stands for opulence and comfort and serious efforts have been made to bring back the comfort. Brushed aluminum rather than plastic flanks real wood trim while the fanny is coddled by supple leather seats. How supple? The leather is sourced from Bridge of Weir, who mill the hides for up to 12 hours, ensuring a baby’s bum soft surface for your bum. The contrasting piping and center section adds a bit of sporting character to the interior. Back seat passengers will enjoy a nice wide berth suitable for 3 adults, though the leg room may be a tad snug for those six footers.
Buyers of cars in this class have become accustomed to the techno toys and the MKZ shines here too. The now signature Sync is a given and is coupled with voice activated navi, reverse camera and Ford’s funky ambient lighting system. The wide range of passengers I had in proved that the multi color interior lights appeal to an audience far greater than the teenage and under crowd. Everyone loves a bit of color to brighten their night! Of course a lightshow would be nothing without great sound and the THX II surround sound system fits the bill. If Sync and your iPod don’t fulfill your musical needs then you can load up to 2,400 songs into the 10 GB onboard jukebox. The MKZ boasts rain sensitive wipers that actually work and adaptive headlights that swivel when your corner to help brighten those shadows on the way home. I’m sure there are a few other toys that I didn’t manage to stumble across.
Utility isn’t necessarily something that the traditional Lincoln buyer looks at. Or is it? We have friends who drive a Cadillac CTS and complain that they can’t take both kids to the rink like they could with their old SUV. The new target buyer does need the space and that’s a good thing because the trunk is huge. While we didn’t try, I would guess that the MKZ would pass our signature 3 hockey bag test with ease. For the more traditional buyer, 4 sets of golf clubs would be a breeze for this not so traditional cruiser.
As I mentioned earlier on, I have a tough time putting myself in the shoes of an older demographic. The interesting thing here is that while I’ve always thought of Lincoln as an old man’s car I found myself more than a little bit comfortable behind the wheel. This is a car that I could actually live with and not feel like the old guy down the street with his 20 year old behemoth. Does that mean I’m getting old? I don’t think so! I think it means that the folks at Lincoln have put together a machine that will give a car like the CTS a run for its money if they target their marketing as well as they’ve targeted their audience.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
It is not clear in your report if the car you drove had the standard or the Eco-engine under the hood.
I don’t doubt the new MKZ is a better Lincoln than we’ve seen lately, but what I can’t get past is that the MKZ has the exact same drivetrain as a base model 2010 Ford Taurus. The buyer is being asked to pay extra for the style and luxury, I understand, but why did Lincoln stop there?
A simple engine modification-anything to differentiate the pedestrian Taurus to the high-end MKZ is a requirement here. Any smart car buyer will check the specs, and come away a little less impressed with the MKZ, as good a car as it may be.
Purchased a 2010 awd lincoln mkz with sports appearance package Aug. 2009. Checking specs is always a good idea and when you do that you’ll realize for the price you pay you will not easily find a comparable awd drive vehicle with all the included standard features, go ahead and compare against infinity, lexus, mazda 6 (no awd for same pricing), acura, accord etc….The new mkz offers a more compliant controlled ride, superior audio system, comparable or better interior panache, better trunk space, very high predicted reliability ratings and much more. Awd was important for me living in montreal Canada, read bad news winters, its paying dividends at this point and I’m pleased, yet to pick up a shovel. Exterior styling as far as I am concerned in significantly better than all the brands mentioned above. Do yourself a favour and test drive the competition, I did, the 2010 mkz with sports appearance pkg. and firmer suspension impressed me in every way, the brands I mentioned above are going to have to catch up…Congratulations to Ford/Lincoln for producing such relevant reliable product, highly recommended car.