2016 Lincoln MKX Review - Rethought Luxury

“Depending on how old you are, you might be familiar with the ‘band reunion’ concept. Meaning that your favorite 20 or 30-year-old band gets together one more time to create a legendary performance. Unfortunately, these comebacks commonly fail to impress. They’re never the same, or are they?”

2016 Lincoln MKX Review – Afterthought Luxury

Think of brands like Buick, Cadillac, and of course—Lincoln. From day one, they were designed to be conservative, attract conservative customers, and remain the only conservative option in an otherwise changing world. Needless to say, no one under 60-years-old ever consider said vehicles. Then, times changed, the market changed, and Lincoln, along with everyone else found themselves needing to change, or risk dying. The Lincoln MKX is proof of that effort.

So how has that worked out? Well, for starters, Cadillac makes first-class SUVs, and even 600 horsepower sedans. Buick now makes a convertible coupe, and Lincoln is for whatever reason bringing back the massive Continental sedan. But let’s focus on this particular MKX. The Black Label model is the range-topping MKX coming in at $63,415, which is definitely worthy of “sticker shock.” This means you have to ignore a lot of other fancy and pricey competitors to zero in on this Lincoln.

The majority of the people I surveyed during my week-long test drive of the MKX found it to be not-so-good-looking. Personally, I disagree, I think it looks rather good, as it blends modern with classy. It has the right proportions, the conservative but yet techy-looking grille, and the 21-inch wheels adorn the MKX with somewhat of a sporty look. Sadly, it’s those same wheels that also take away any kind of Lincoln-esque ride comfort you may expect.

While on the road, the Lincoln feels jittery and not very sure-footed, and although at first I blamed the large wheels and thin tires, I eventually digressed from that idea and started blaming the suspension and steering setup. When I initially requested this vehicle for testing, I imagined a smooth, quiet, and extra-plush ride, and what I experienced was a harsh, bumpy, and twitchy one instead. It was during a nearly five hour drive to Detroit onboard the MKX that I felt truly disappointed by its lack of Lincoln-like qualities.

The interior is surrounded by soft leathers, natural wood grain with chrome accents throughout, and the rear offers climate vents, heated seating surfaces, a panoramic sunroof, and a massive trunk to fit whatever grandchildren throw at you.

I could go on and tell you about its many tech features like, multi-contour seats (massaging seats), smart cruise control, automatic high-beam control, a 360-degree camera, and the top-notch Revel Ultima sound system that turns the cabin into a concert hall, but without a luxurious ride-quality, these don’t matter all too much. On the other hand, if you don’t mind a jittery ride, you’ll enjoy pretending to drive a sports sedan and not a luxury SUV.

The 2.7 liter V6 EcoBoost engine featured in our test-vehicle was hands down the highlight of if all. The twin-turbo engine produces a hefty 335 horsepower, which propels the MKX in a hurry wherever you desire. The six-speed automatic transmission shifts smoothly and precisely, and helps the family SUV deliver an EPA-estimated 24 mpg on the highway and 19 mpg combined.

The Verdict

I can’t help but feel disappointed about the MKX. I really wanted to love it. I wanted to cruise in the utmost comfort and luxury without feeling a bump or road imperfection. Instead, I found myself feeling every crack on the road, and being thrusted into my headrest thanks to its abundant power. It was the biggest departure from what I expected a Lincoln to be.

Then there is the price. As a huge fan of the Ford Edge, I have a hard time understanding how this can cost $17,000 more than a fully-loaded Edge Sport. I mean, for nearly $70k, you can simply do so much better.

2016 Lincoln MKX Black Label