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Full 2014 Lincoln MKZ Review
What's New for 2014
Fresh from last year's redesign, the 2014 Lincoln MKZ carries over unchanged.
Introduction
More than 50 years have passed since Lincoln represented the luxury motoring experience to which many Americans aspired. Time has not favored the brand, and import-brand cars are no longer the alternatives, but rather the standard bearers of luxury car ownership. Competition is especially intense in the popular entry-level luxury sedan class, where the 2014 Lincoln MKZ looks to reclaim some of that former Detroit glory.
It starts with a sleek, modern look highlighted by a split-winged grille, followed by creased sheet metal that wraps tightly around the MKZ's four doors, and finishing with a full-width LED taillight panel. The MKZ is heavily related to the Ford Fusion, but at least on the outside, there's plenty of differentiation between the two cars.
Underneath, you'll find one of three available engines: a turbocharged four-cylinder, an optional V6 (which isn't offered on the Fusion, incidentally) and a hybrid powertrain in the MKZ Hybrid. We haven't been particularly impressed with the V6's acceleration and fuel economy. The base turbo four-cylinder is a respectable performer, though, while the Hybrid delivers an estimated 38 mpg in combined driving.
The MKZ also rides like a traditional Lincoln. It's quiet and unfazed by the road's imperfections, thanks largely to a standard adaptive suspension and active noise cancelling inside the cabin. When the road turns twisty, however, the MKZ dispenses with tradition and holds the road tighter than any Lincoln in recent memory.
On the inside, however, the MKZ falls short. Mediocre cabin materials pale compared to the MKZ's premium sedan competitors, while the MKZ's distinctive exterior lines -- the roof line, particularly -- give it less interior space than even the Ford Fusion. Another problem is the MKZ's buggy and distracting touchscreen electronics interface, which controls phone, navigation and audio functions.
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