Road Test: 2009 Lincoln MKS FWD
In the height of Ford Motor Company’s PAG (Premium Auto Group) years, it was painfully evident that the attention being given to Lincoln was waning. Vehicles such as the Lincoln Aviator and Lincoln Blackwood were little more than slightly rebadged Ford vehicles, while the highly anticipated Lincoln LS fell well short of early anticipation. Now with PAG gone and Ford focusing bolstering its image, Lincoln will finally get a new flagship sedan to replace the aging Town Car, the 2009 Lincoln MKS. The styling, quality and technology available on the new MKS should vastly improve Lincoln’s credibility among modern luxury automakers.
The Lincoln MKS is assembled at Ford’s Chicago Assembly plant alongside the Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable, and it competes against vehicles such as the BMW 5 Series, Acura RL and Cadillac STS. Like any luxury car, pricing can jump pretty quickly with added luxury and technology options, and the MKS is no different. With a starting MSRP of $38,490, the front-wheel drive MKS we tested added some high-tech interior options as well as some styling upgrades which bumped the total price to just over $47,000. Those looking for added stability, Lincoln’s newest sedan is also available with all-wheel drive starting at $40,380.
2009 Lincoln MKS Exterior & Styling
Made popular on the 2007 MKR concept sedan, the all-new MKS finally gives Lincoln an identifiable and stylish face that will eventually spread down to other Lincoln vehicles. The highlight of the new design is the twin-port front grille that was inspired by the 1941 Lincoln Continental, which also helps to display Lincoln’s trademark logo more prominently between the split grille openings. Lincoln gave the MKS a high beltline, chrome-trimmed greenhouse and thick C-pillars to help to emphasize the car’s sleek roofline. Except for the sculpted front fenders and lower door creases, the MKS has a smooth and elegant design with an adequate amount of chrome trim to not look tacky including the Lincoln emblem on the fenders doubling as a fender vent. Adding to the car’s clean design, our test model came in a sparkly shade of Tuxedo Black accented with a stylish set of 20-inch, 11-spoke polished aluminum wheels as a $685 option. Tuxedo Black uses tiny glass beads in the paint to create a truly gorgeous shimmer in the sunlight.
The slim, horizontal headlamps and the clean, uncluttered body panels are among the design aspects sure to be used on Lincoln vehicles, but the narrow, vertical taillights seem to be in direct contrast of Lincoln’s past (Lincoln Mark VIII), present (Lincoln Navigator) and future (2010 Lincoln MKZ) designs. Compared to the Town Car it will eventually replace and other full-size luxury sedans, the new MKS looks much smaller than it actually is thanks to the short decklid and relatively short front and rear overhangs. The wheelbase of the MKS is only five inches shorter than the Town Car, but the overall length is reduced by 11 inches.
2009 Lincoln MKS Interior
Unlike some Lincoln vehicles from recent history, the cabin of the MKS is completely unique from other FoMoCo vehicles helping to further establish this new car as a Lincoln’s true flagship sedan. Inside, our test model came with stylish dark leather seats with a strip of suede in the middle and an optional ($195) bright aluminum appliqué package. All of the gauges were easy to read and the buttons perfectly situated for both driver and passenger use, but the hand-stitched leather on the upper instrument panel and the door panels really finished the car off. Small touches also add to the car’s luxurious nature such as having its rocker panels incorporated into the doors, similar to the 2009 Ford Flex, making ingress and egress easier plus helping to eliminate dirt from the car rubbing off on the occupants’ clothing.
We were pleased to see that Ford’s SYNC infotainment system is standard on all MKS models, but some of the added tech goodies really made this MKS fun to pilot. Our test car came with the optional ($2,995) Navigation Package, ($1,395) Technology Package and a captivating dual panel moon roof. The Navigation Package added a large, touch-screen navigation system with Sirius satellite radio and Travel Link, a 16-speaker THX® II Certified 5.1 surround sound audio system and a rear view backup camera. The Technology Package adds adaptive front headlights, Intelligent Access with a push button starter and rain sensing wipers. Lincoln’s radar-based Adaptive Cruise Control was a $995 option, but it didn’t operate as similar technology used on Volvo cars.
As would be expected from any full-size luxury sedan, the MKS has a spacious trunk that offers 18.7 cubic feet. Despite giving up almost a foot in length to the Town Car, the MKS only gives up 3 cubic feet of cargo space. One thing in the trunk that struck us as a little odd was the placement of the THX system subwoofer – it didn’t really infringe any valuable trunk space, but it just looked odd.
2009 Lincoln MKS Performance & Handling
Powering the 2009 MKS is the same 3.7-liter V-6 that can be found under the hood of the newest Mazda MAZDA6 and the upcoming Lincoln MKT luxury crossover. Thankfully, the engine and six-speed automatic transmission are more refined and offer smoother shift and acceleration than the MAZDA6 we tested last year, but with 273 horsepower and 270 lb-ft of torque the MKS is still a little underpowered compared to its competition. One good thing about the 2009 MKS is that it is designed to run on regular unleaded fuel (although premium bumps horsepower and torque slightly) returning EPA fuel economy estimates of 17 miles per gallon in the city and 24 mpg on the highway. Starting this summer as 2010 model, the MKS will get Ford’s exciting new 3.5-liter EcoBoost twin-turbocharged V-6 which should really help bring this Lincoln’s overall capabilities closer to rival cars from BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz.
One thing not expected to change too much for the MKS is the middle-of-the-road ride and handling. Although the MKS gets a sharp new design and a stylish interior, Lincoln didn’t want to scare away its loyal customer base. Not saying that the MKS rides like a Town Car, but nobody will ever confuse the MKS’ ride with a BMW 5 Series either. The model we tested was the front-wheel drive offering, and it exhibited much more torque steer than should be expected from a full-size luxury sedan, so we would be interested in seeing if the optional all-wheel drive model handles any better. Still, the MKS is a vast improvement over recent Lincoln vehicles and helps usher in a new era of luxury for Ford’s luxury brand.