Overview & Reviews

Associated more with cars driven by your grandmother or a New York chauffeur, Lincoln has struggled in recent years to earn a more prestigious image. One of the most important cars to establishing a new course is the Lincoln MKZ, the brand's representative in the ultra-competitive entry-level luxury sedan category.

The first-generation MKZ wasn't especially successful in its mission, as there was little differentiation between the MKZ and the Ford Fusion upon which it was based. However, the second-generation MKZ represents another chance. Though still mechanically based on the Fusion, there are substantially more visual and mechanical delineations between the two. Unlike before, you'd be hard-pressed to tell they're related. More importantly, though, the new Lincoln MKZ is a far more appealing luxury sedan that can legitimately be considered alongside established players.

Current Lincoln MKZ
The Lincoln MKZ is completely redesigned for 2013. It's a car that's going to be hard to miss on the road, as the exterior features a boldly styled rear end and a new look for the Lincoln corporate grille. The cabin is also now suitably upscale for this class of car and adapts Lincoln/Ford's latest electronics controls. Under the skin reside new engines and mechanical underpinnings similar to those in the equally new Ford Fusion.

As is the case with an increasing number of other vehicles in its class, the MKZ's standard engine is a turbocharged four-cylinder. It produces a very healthy 240 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque. Optional is a 3.7-liter V6 good for 300 hp and 277 lb-ft of torque. Both engines feature competitive power and fuel economy for the class. They also both come standard with a six-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive, while all-wheel drive is optional. The MKZ Hybrid gets Ford's latest gasoline-electric powertrain with 188 combined hp and fuel economy in the mid-40 range.

There is no shortage of equipment, with items like adaptive suspension, keyless ignition/entry, leather upholstery, an 11-speaker sound system and the MyLincoln Touch suite of electronics interfaces gracing the standard features list. High-tech options include a lane-keeping system, a collision warning system, rear seatbelt airbags, adaptive cruise control, an automatic parallel parking system and an enormous panoramic roof that essentially retracts its glass panel atop the rear window.

There's no question that Lincoln has packed on a lot of kit for its newest MKZ. But the end result is a little disappointing. You can still get most of those high-end features on the Fusion, for instance, and for a price that's thousands of dollars cheaper. Placed in comparison with other entry-level luxury sedans, the MKZ also suffers from its finicky MyLincoln Touch electronics interface, underwhelming interior quality and more confining seating.

Overall, the MKZ has some nice qualities, and we like the effort put forth to make it more distinctive than in years past. But shoppers in search of a top entry-level luxury sedan should also take a look at other choices such as the Acura TL, Lexus ES 350 and Volvo S60 before going with this newest Lincoln.

Used Lincoln MKZ Models
The previous Lincoln MKZ was sold from 2007-'12. (Technically, the car debuted for 2006 but was called the Zephyr for that first year.) Like the current MKZ, the first-generation MKZ was mechanically similar to the Ford Fusion of its time period, but there was substantially less differentiation between the two cars. Although the Lincoln had unique front and rear ends, in profile they appeared to be carbon copies of each other. Passenger space was no different, and both felt very similar behind the wheel.

It's important to note that the MKZ received a significant refresh for 2010. Cars produced before then can be identified by their more restrained, squared-off grille. The cabin featured a retro-inspired design consisting of an upright dash, sharp angles and a large horizontal strip of wood. Unfortunately, the quality of materials was barely better than that of the Fusion, and the various buttons and knobs were no different from those found in a Ford.

Under the hood, these MKZ models came with the same 3.0-liter V6 found in the Fusion that produced 221 hp and 205 lb-ft of torque. Front-wheel drive and a six-speed automatic transmission were standard, while all-wheel drive was an option for all but '07. That first-year MKZ was also not available with rear parking sensors or the Sync electronics interface. Stability control was also unavailable until '09, which was a glaring omission in the luxury segment.

In general we would not recommend the MKZ in these early years. We don't think the changes made for 2010 were enough to make it a compelling alternate to Audis or BMWs, even though the MKZ was indeed greatly improved.

For that 2010 update, Lincoln ditched the retro feel for a more contemporary approach. The materials were improved, the myriad buttons and knobs were now unique to Lincoln and the number of standard features increased. The exterior transformation was less significant, but it did adopt the more dramatic waterfall grille and bolder headlights inspired by other Lincoln models at the time.

Under the hood, the MKZ received a new 3.5-liter V6 that produced 263 hp and 249 lb-ft of torque. Once again, a six-speed automatic and front-wheel drive were standard, with all-wheel drive an option. This powertrain was shared with the special Fusion Sport model, but now it at least produced sufficient power for the class.

Also new was a Sport Appearance package, which despite the name actually provided a sport-tuned suspension and 18-inch alloy wheels that made the MKZ surprisingly fun to drive. The ride was a bit firm, though, so most consumers will likely prefer the more comfortable standard setup that still provides fairly nimble handling.

For 2011, the MKZ Hybrid debuted. This, not surprisingly, applied the MKZ's styling and cabin to the Ford Fusion Hybrid powertrain. A combination of a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, electric motor and battery pack produced a total of 191 hp and returned 39 mpg combined. That made it the most fuel-efficient luxury sedan of the time.

In total, a used Lincoln MKZ produced between 2010 and 2012 will get you a lot of equipment for the money and a car that's surprisingly fun to drive despite the reputation of its brand. However, most other luxury sedans are still more desirable overall, and a loaded Ford Fusion will bring with it much of the same attributes for even less money.

User Reviews:

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  2008 MKZ Fantastic - 2008 Lincoln MKZ
  By Jerry - June 29 - 7:23 pm

  Im 29, 6 tall, and I was going to buy a used Zephyr because Ive never bought a new car before. I test drove the Zephyr and it was fine, then I test drove the MKZ, and I ended up buying a new 2008 MKZ! The safety features were explained, and they are thorough down to the "air-bag curtains" that drop to shield everyone from broken glass. I have a 1 yr old son. The design may be bland, but other cars like the Lexus are too. The curves of an Acura are nice, but otherwise its bland. I actually like the design. Not elegant, but luxury and strength. The chrome is nicely placed on the side mirrors and underneath windows across the doors. I love the light leather, dark gray dash, ebony wood.

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  Best Auto Owned - 2007 Lincoln MKZ
  By Derek - June 27 - 3:50 pm

  Ive driven in a Cadillac CTS-V 07 love the ride, less room than the Lincoln MKZ. The MKZ has a nicer interior, the power is very good thou Im used to the v8 power, this car has many toys that I love, LOve the hands free phone, you can hook your cell phone to the mp3 player press the line in button and speak through the speakers of auto awesome, cool and heat seat great. Im nearly 6 and plenty of room, front and back. I just miss my Lincoln ls the v8 power, but this car has enough power that Im very happy with this car.

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  A good start - 2007 Lincoln MKZ
  By Dick - June 21 - 7:23 pm

  I am a prior Lincoln owner and a most recent Toyota Avalon owner. So far the two are about equal with the Lincoln feeling more solid. Acceleration is good, but the Avalon seemed quicker. Lincoln feels better on the long trips. Large back seat seemed wasted in the Avalon which has less trunk space. Lincoln handles better around the curves.

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  Compare one - 2007 Lincoln MKZ
  By Jerry R - May 30 - 7:36 pm

  Im really impressed with the MKZs styling and overall design. The ride is smooth but stable though acceleration isnt as strong as the Acura or Lexus I test drove.The interior is clean and well laid-out with everything within easy reach and easy to see. The THX certified stereo has nice sound. Hours of MP3s can be loaded into the 6 disk player. I have to say, for the price, I feel you cant beat the options (standard or optional) that are available. Theres lot of American cars that really do compare in quality to the Japanese. Theyll have a tough row to hoe to convince everyone to pass up the Acura or Lexus lines but I think theyre well on thier way.

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  2nd MKZ - 2010 Lincoln MKZ
  By MKZ - May 26 - 10:00 am

  This MKZ replaced my 07 MKZ at lease end. Very pleased with the 07 so I opted for another. Basically identical cars but no AWD on the 2010. Better combined MPG 24.7 with the 2010 2wd vs 22 mpg on the 07 with AWD. The 2010 dual Climate control regulation is very poor. Appears to be a factory defect that cannot be corrected. I miss the 07 analog clock. There are too many distractions on the LCD display. I do not have Nav, so the display may be better with it. The radio and temp knobs are identical and too often I hit the wrong one. The sync feature keeps dropping my bluetooth phone and requires resetting. I have owned 33 American autos and one Porsche. The 2010 MKZ gets an overall 8 rating.

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  2008 MKZ AWD - 2008 Lincoln MKZ
  By J Betten - May 21 - 4:03 am

  I drive more than 40,000 miles per year. I chose this car over all other premium sedans, which I did test drive. Im very pleased with everything about the car and feel its under-priced compared to other luxury sedans. Handling is great! Interior is very quiet. Power is good for a v6 awd Comfort and ride quality are excellent. THX Stereo is Fantastic! GPS is somewhat intuitive, but interactive system is great. The only drawback is the lack of blue tooth phone, which may come later. I coincidentally bought one of the first off the assembly line. I found that this car is the best for the money - $10000-15000 price difference to other makes.

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  Should help the Lincoln brand - 2017 Lincoln MKZ
  By Mrpushrod - May 21 - 12:13 am

  I test drove many vehicles. When it came down to it I liked the interior, ride and comfort better in the MKZ. And for $55k it is hard to find a creamy smooth 400HP engine. The other midsized luxury vehicles felt inferior. As if the Lincoln had a higher-end quality interior. Multicontour seats well thought out, leather and padded surfaces felt soft and supple. It feels like the Lincoln brand is trying harder since they have to thwart off the sport of American brand bashing that is constantly read in publications such as Consumer Reports. Furthermore, I test drove and ordered a MKZ with the Drivers Package that has dynamic torque vectoring which intelligently applies power to the rear wheels when driving aggressively. With the package on a test ride (not pushing to limits) I did not feel any torque steer or that much understeer typically associated with FWD and some AWD vehicles. And to boot in my opinion the road isolation & ride felt better in the Lincoln than a Caddy, Mercedes or BMW. Looking for true compromise, I passed on the summer only tires this time around. So if there is some impact from having AWD vs RWD it will most likely only be noticed at the track or by very aggressive drivers. That said 99.999999% of the audience buying these vehicles today are not going to the race track. They are looking for stable good grip on a variety of road conditions along with easy control and sure footed steering feel. That’s what the average Joe wants behind the wheel and Lincoln delivers. The AWD with torque vectoring does its job and keeps torque steer under control and steering feel is precise; easy to thread the car through a needle. BTW, I am not an ignorant just looking to be the expert and to hear myself speak. I know the difference between the Lincoln and a true sport sedan and opted for the Lincoln. My other vehicles are; a Corvette, Pontiac G8 GT (RWD 6 liter), F150 and Road Glide. The only cons besides the Lincoln name: scant rear head room, smaller rear seat than some, and weight distribution with AWD (not 50-50% front and rear like a RWD sedan). One more comment. Consumer Reports issue with the push button gear selector is really a joke. Anyone that is off the baby bottle will not mind the change. I actually think it makes a lot of sense to free up the console. Hope other brands do the same. A common solution amongst brands through committee would be best

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  Love it! - 2007 Lincoln MKZ
  By Chris - May 20 - 7:33 am

  I bought this car four days ago after researching it and the Zephyr for about a year. So far, I am in love. Everyone coments on how nice the car is. It really turns heads! My only complaint so far is that the trunk can be awkward to close without leaving a huge hand print on the glossy black paint.

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  New Lincoln Owner - 2008 Lincoln MKZ
  By Dave - March 24 - 6:26 am

  I just purchased this car and am very impressed with it. Ive already driven 100 miles and the gas gauge has barely moved so Im hoping for some good MPG once I refill. The THX sound system is wonderful and has so many useful features that Im still learning. I love the light colored interior and the heated and cooled seats are the best. My other car choices were a 2009 Camry SE and 2011 Hyundai Sonata. Those cars are also good but this Lincoln had more features for a lot less money. Even though its basically a Ford Fusion, I like saying I own a Lincoln. Little more prestigious.

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  Almost Perfect... - 2007 Lincoln MKZ
  By Nick - February 16 - 10:53 pm

  I did a lot of research before leasing an MKZ. In terms of style, features, and AWD, it is a great deal. This is the first American car Ive owned, and so far Im very satisfied. Obviously Lincoln still has a stodgy image to overcome, but its on well on its way with the MKZ.