Lincoln's new crossover utility vehicle
Most of the news coming out of Ford Motor Company's Dearborn, Michigan headquarters focuses on the troubles the blue-oval is having this year. Ford lost $1.4 billion in the first half of 2006, and a whopping $5.8 billion in the third quarter alone.
In September, Alan Mulally, a former Boeing executive, replaced Henry Ford's grandson, William Clay Ford Jr., as the company's CEO. Earlier announcements included Ford's U.S. workforce reductions by as many as 30,000 and plans to shut down sixteen plants. Ten years ago one in four new vehicles sold in the U.S. carried the blue-oval marque. Today it's around 15%.
In response, Ford is scrambling to bring new vehicles to the market and recently introduced two new crossover utility vehicles, Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX. Both vehicles bear an unreasonable amount of expectations from its parent company.
Appearance-wise the new MKX is chic if you favor a slightly overdone look given by the retro harmonica-looking chrome grille, a throwback to the '63 Lincoln continental, and massive tail lamp that traverses the entire rear of the vehicle.
MKX looks upscale and expensive compared to the more athletic lines of its sibling Ford Edge. Similarly, it has a rakish windshield, swept-forward rear roof complete with rear spoiler, clear-lens tail lamps, and rounded wheel arch openings.
MKX is offered in one model with either front-wheel-drive ($34,795) or all-wheel-drive ($35,770). Both are equipped with an all-new 3.5-liter V-6 that delivers 265 horsepower and is mated to an all-new 6-speed automatic transmission. Fuel economy is rated at 18-mpg city and 26-mpg highway.
Inside, MKX provides two-row seating for five, a third-row seating option is not available. My tester came equipped with the optional Elite Package and Ultimate Package that includes heated and cooled front sets, heated rear seats, DVD navigation system, reverse sensing system, Sirius satellite radio, 18" chrome wheels, a panoramic vista roof, an oversized power glass sunroof over front-seat occupants and a large skylight over second-row passengers. Both skylight and sun roof come with sunshades.
The front seat is comfortable, but I wished for just a bit more legroom. Two adults will fit comfortably in the back seat, three for short distances only. Rear seats recline (but don't slide fore and aft) and are split 60/40. There are grab handles to ease entry, but not for front seats. Rear seats power-fold down, but oddly not up. Like the Edge, MKX can carry longer objects like a ladder or 8-foot long lumber.
The large center console is designed to hold objects as large as a laptop and features a concealed power point and MP3-audio input jack. Small slots molded into the side of the console keep phone and MP3 cords neat and organized. The console lid has a ticket clip, two penholders and a tissue holder.
While I liked the overall shape of the dash and the functionality and ease of audio, climate and my optional navigation control, I was not happy with the navigation system itself.
Our white chocolate colored tester was trimmed with camel colored leather seats, light colored carpeting, and blond wood trim along the dash and door panels. My various passengers either loved or hated the wood trim. For reasons I can't define, I was part of the former group who liked the look.
On the road, the MKX is quiet and handles well, but feels more like a standard issue Ford than a luxury vehicle. Performance from the 265 horsepower vehicle gave me the impression that it is lighter on its feet than the two-ton plus curb weight would indicate. I gauged unofficial 0-60 mph times in the 7 to 8 second range.
Standard safety equipment includes Ford's Advanced Trac with RSC (Roll Stability Control) that automatically kicks in if the system detects you're cornering too fast and the vehicle is in danger of tipping over. Seat-mounted side air bags, Safety Canopy air curtain system, and Ford's personal Safety System come standard. Neither MKX nor Edge has been tested for crash test durability.
MKX is built at the same Oakville, Ontario assembly plant as the Ford Edge.
Overall, I think Ford/Lincoln loyalists will be more than pleased with either the Edge or MKX, but I felt both fell short of GM's new CUVs: Saturn Outlook, GMC Acadia.
Both MKX and Edge face formidable competition in this segment against the likes of the popular Nissan Murano, Toyota Highlander and Honda Pilot. To succeed it will need to pull buyers away from those brands. It remains to be seen if the lure of these new vehicles can produce the staying power Ford so desperately needs to ease its financial woes. I certainly hope so.
