Coming in with some standout options such as all-wheel drive, a hybrid model, and a load of luxury features, the MKZ stands up and demands notice from buyers of all ages who are looking for an excellent choice in a luxury sedan. The MKZ offers excellent stability through the turns and an impressively smooth ride from the well-engineered suspension. Road noises are turned away by the fully insulated cabin and electronic noise-cancelling system allowing the driver to bask in the glory of their own musical choices while handling is a breeze with the MKZ responding to even the slightest change in direction. Even with a four-cylinder engine the MKZ performed gracefully under pressure and worked well in the city and out on the highway with plenty of power to reach selected speeds and pass when called upon.
Anyone who is a fan of turbocharged engines will love the base engine in the MKZ which starts off with a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine bringing in 240 horsepower and 270 lb.-ft. of torque. Partnered with a six-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive, this set up will bring a nice fuel efficiency of 22 city/33 hwy mpg and when substituted to the all-wheel drive version the fuel economy sets at 22 city/31 hwy mpg; not a bad trade off to experience the performance of the all-wheel drive.
Next on the list is the hybrid engine for a crowd that wants both luxury and fuel economy at a maximum level for both. This 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine with a permanent magnet AC synchronous motor is partnered with a continuously variable transmission giving the driver 188 net horsepower and 129 lb.-ft. of torque.
The brilliant pairing saves a huge amount of cash at the gas pump by coming in with 45 city/45 hwy mpg.
When fuel economy is not a concern, but rather power and performance are hunted, the MKZ offers a 3.7-liter V6 engine bringing 300 horsepower and 277 lb.-ft. of torque to give the driver all the power they need. When matched up with the six-speed automatic the fuel mileage is still acceptable at 19 city/28 hwy mpg for the front-wheel drive and 18 city/26 hwy mpg for the all-wheel drive.
Even though the MKZ is one of the best entry level luxury cars, Lincoln did not do it any favors on the interior. The seats are comfortable and ergonomically sound, but that is where the niceties end. Unfortunately many of the controls can be hard to navigate and find on the touch screen requiring a copilot so the driver can focus on the road ahead. Overall, the car is a great size offering comfort to passengers, but does need a bit of rework for the control area for the driver.
For the exterior, the MKZ does a great deal better than the interior. With sharp continuous lines, excellent curves, a gorgeous grill, and a sweeping roofline, the outside is a beauty to behold on the MKZ. The car literally screams elegance and attitude at the same time offering an outstanding view from every angle and shows an excellent desire to be driven.
To add value to the luxury and the luxury to the feel, the MKZ shows up with heated front seats, leather upholstery, an adaptive suspension, full LED tail lights, an eleven-speaker audio system, MyLincoln Touch multimedia with an eight-inch display and voice recognition software, eight airbags, stability control systems, and Lincoln's SOS Post-Crash Alert System are all standard on every model of the MKZ. This long list of standard features calls out for a price that normally would reach high, especially when the car is in the luxury class, but the price will surprise any shopper for a nice luxury vehicle.
As for the optional equipment, the MKZ offers several bundled packages, but some stand-alone features to choose from are 19-inche wheels, a panoramic roof and a power rear sunshade. For both the standard and hybrid models the Preferred equipment package offers heated rear seats, a 14-speaker sound system and a power trunk lid. If the Technology package is chosen the owner will enjoy Active Park Assist, adaptive cruise control and a lane-keeping assist to help the driver maintain their position on the road.
With all the bells and whistles just offered as standard equipment the 2014 Lincoln MKZ comes in at a surprisingly reasonable starting price just under $37,000. When all the boxes are checked and loaded in the MKZ reaches up to $50,000 but for a luxury car that has a lot of power and a ton of toys, this is still a fairly acceptable price for the car offered.
Overall the MKZ is a fantastic entry-level luxury car offering engine options to choose fuel mileage or power as well as a great menu of features to add in and allow the technology, sound, and ride to become and premium luxury experience at a price that won't be hard to live with. The 2014 Lincoln MKZ mad the list of Auto Trader's top seven entry-level luxury cars for a reason and deserves a look when shopping in any class that encompasses its price range.
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