2012 Lincoln MKS – All the Right Boxes are Checked, But…

Posted by Christian Wardlaw on January 3rd, 2012

2012 Lincoln MKS

The Lincoln MKS is the flagship sedan for this luxury division of the Ford Motor Company, a big, comfortable, American car hailing from Chicago, conservatively styled and understated in its expression of luxury. It shares its component set with the Ford Taurus, and that relationship is evident even if the MKS is uniquely styled inside and out. The two cars share similar proportions, offer the same tall-in-the-saddle driving position, drive like one another, and feature much of the same technology. And for these reasons, it is difficult to understand why someone might pay thousands more for the MKS over an equivalently optioned Taurus, though I must admit that I like the Art Deco L I N C O L N badges.

How the MKS is Different From a Ford Taurus

There are a handful of features that are exclusive to the Lincoln. The MKS can be equipped with a dual-panel glass roof, whereas the Taurus cannot. Active Park Assist is also available on the Lincoln, while Ford owners are left to their own devices when it comes to parallel parking. Genuine wood cabin trim, Bridge of Weir leather upholstery and THX II Certified premium sound are also Lincoln hallmarks, though the Ford Taurus can be upgraded with massaging front seats that are conspicuously absent from the Lincoln’s equipment menu.

Lincoln also separates the MKS from the Taurus by employing a slightly different powertrain strategy. The Taurus comes standard with a 3.5-liter V6 engine while the MKS includes a more powerful 3.7-liter V6. Finally, the optional twin-turbo, 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine is available only in the Taurus SHO performance model, but is offered with a wider range of equipment packages in the Lincoln. Otherwise, choosing one model over the other is a matter of aesthetic preference and economics.

In advance of a significant refresh arriving for the both the Taurus and MKS, I decided to spend a week with the 2012 Lincoln MKS EcoBoost AWD. The car’s roomy interior and enormous trunk were perfect for a week of holiday gatherings, even if I had little use for the all-wheel-drive system – it was sunny and 80 degrees in Los Angeles on Christmas.

A Muddled Decade for Lincoln

Before I discuss what it’s like to live with the Lincoln MKS, a little historical perspective is in order. If you follow the car industry, and what’s been happening at Lincoln for the past decade, you know that Ford’s luxury marque has been struggling to find its identity.

• Lincoln starts exploring retro design themes with a series of appealing concept cars, culminating in production elements like the dual-cowl dashboard design found in the 2003 Navigator. Around the same time, Lincoln decides that Art Deco architecture will inform its future branding and styling. Subsequently, Lincoln would suffer a revolving door of chief designers each with their own ideas of what Lincolns should look like.

• Lincoln decides to switch naming conventions in 2006, moving to a lineup mostly comprised of MK-based alphabetical designations with the exceptions of the Navigator and Town Car. At first, Lincoln says the names will be pronounced “Mark Z” and “Mark X” and “Mark S.” Almost immediately, the company backtracks in favor of “M-K-Z,” etc. – except for the ill-conceived Mark LT pickup truck.

• Lincoln toys with the idea of putting egg-crate grilles on its SUVs and waterfall grilles on its cars, ultimately switching to a dual-port waterfall design on everything – except the Navigator and Town Car.

• Lincoln begins filling Mercury’s role of providing upscale versions of mainstream Ford products, virtually sealing Mercury’s fate as a doomed brand.

• Lincoln marketing takes on a dissonant “Star Wars” meets “Tron” visual theme that resonates with nobody living in the 21st Century, let alone shopping for a Lincoln. Lincoln’s advertising tagline is also briefly switched to “Reach Higher,” and a cynic might suggest that this messaging constitutes advice to skip a Lincoln rather than buy one.

• Lincoln kills the Town Car, sending limousine operators into paroxysms of grief, and today the company hopes livery operators will choose the MKT crossover SUV rather than defect to Cadillac for its handsome new XTS or Chrysler for its attractive 300.

A Little Bit of Unsolicited Advice

This series of incomplete and inconsistent design, branding, and product executions has had the effect of positioning Lincoln against mid-tier luxury brands like Acura, Buick and Chrysler instead of top-tier competitors such as Cadillac, Mercedes-Benz and Lexus. Next up: Lincolns will be wearing what I like to refer to as “The Selleck,” because it reminds me of actor Tom Selleck’s moustache. Take a look at the 2013 MKS or MKT and you’ll understand what I mean.

Whether “The Selleck” will draw new buyers to showrooms or drive them away remains to be seen. In my humble opinion, what Lincoln really needs is swift and decisive action to separate itself from Ford and stop offering rebadged mainstream cars with a handful of exclusive features if it wants to remain credible, and thus viable. At the very least, it needs to do a better job of differentiating its models through unique styling. Today, it is far too easy to see Ford Blue leaking from a Lincoln’s panel seams.

And now, back to our regularly scheduled programming…

The Lincoln MKS Sure is Comfortable

2012 Lincoln MKS EcoBoost Interior

The 2012 Lincoln MKS EcoBoost is roomy with a big trunk, as I pointed out earlier, and it is also quite comfortable. The Bridge of Weir leather is supple, the heated and ventilated seats are soft yet supportive, the steering wheel is pleasurable to grip, and the MKS features individual sliding center console armrests to optimize comfort levels for both the driver and front passenger. Rear seat passengers sit up high with a great view out and lots of support.

The Lincoln MKS is Also Attractive

2012 Lincoln MKS

I’m also a fan of the Lincoln MKS’s styling, which is better executed than the chubby Ford Taurus. Our test car had the MKS EcoBoost Appearance Package, which adds darkened headlamps, toned-down chrome, jazzy red italicized “S” lettering in the “MKS” badges, metallic dash trim, polished 20-inch wheels, and numerous other cosmetic upgrades.

Useful Technology for Everyday Living

The MKS is loaded with technology. It is extremely easy to pair an iPhone to the Sync infotainment system, the adaptive cruise control and collision warning features come in handy, and the reversing camera with cross traffic alert functionality proved useful in packed mall parking lots just before and after Christmas. I also appreciated the Blind Spot Information System when running five abreast on insanely packed Los Angeles freeways, and while cruising dark neighborhoods to enjoy holiday light displays the adaptive Intellibeam automatic high-beam headlights proved effective and responsive while helping to see around street corners. Except for the fact that we were often down the driveway and entering the street by the time the reversing camera loaded onto the Lincoln’s center screen, the MKS’s high-tech features are simple to use and operate exactly as the driver expects.

EcoBoost Engine Delivered 19.6 MPG

Driving the MKS EcoBoost is enjoyable, if not quite fun. The twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 produces plenty of power and a healthy dollop of torque across its powerband, giving the MKS the thrust of a V8 without the thirst. We averaged 19.6 mpg during a week of driving that included plenty of highway miles, putting our real-world experience just below the EPA’s 20-mpg combined estimate.

Around town and on the highway, the MKS is in its element. Under most conditions, the cabin is nicely isolated so that occupants can enjoy the THX II Certified surround sound audio system, and the car is easy to maneuver and park. Lincoln offers an Active Park Assist feature on the MKS, which steers the car into a parallel space while the driver operates the pedals, but our test car did not have this feature. This omission did not matter, as we found the MKS easy to place against the curb despite terrible rear visibility through the narrow back window.

Ride Quality/Handling Need Improvement

2012 Lincoln MKS

If we have any complaint about how the MKS drives in the city and on the highway, it pertains to ride quality. The MKS EcoBoost rides on 20-inch wheels wrapped in P245/45R20 Michelin Primacy all-season tires, and occupants definitely feel sharper impacts in this car. At times, depending on pavement surface and condition, the MKS EcoBoost jiggles and jitters in a manner entirely unbecoming of a Lincoln. This would be acceptable if the Michelins offered decent grip in turns, but they tend to scrub early and squeal easily, squelching any fun the MKS’s driver might be attempting to have on a twisty road.

Speaking of pavement striped with double-yellow lines, the MKS is competent in such an environment, but nothing more. The steering is too slow, the body motions are too exaggerated, and the tires are too limp to allow the MKS to cover ground rapidly. The transmission also lacks a Sport mode – you either keep it in “Drive” and hope for the best, or use the paddle shifters, each of which offers upshift and downshift action just in case one of your hands is not placed on the wheel.

A Good Car Lacking Compelling Value

If this review sounds lukewarm toward the Lincoln MKS, you’re reading the tone correctly. This is not a bad car by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s also not dynamically competitive at its price point. Lincoln has the infotainment and safety technology part figured out, the MKS has one of the largest trunks of any car on the road, and the seats are quite comfortable. The MKS is safe, too, reliability has been quite good, and Snowbelt dwellers certainly find the all-wheel-drive useful. As a former resident of Colorado, I can attest to the efficacy of a turbocharged engine at altitude, and I’m certain the MKS EcoBoost is a genuine muscle car in places like Denver, Cheyenne or Salt Lake City. I even like the way the Linc looks with the EcoBoost Appearance Package.

Indeed, on paper, this Lincoln appears to have all the right boxes checked. But I’ll ask the question one more time: Why pay a premium for the Lincoln MKS over a loaded Ford Taurus? Until Lincoln can come up with a more convincing argument for people to buy its products, I’m afraid it will need to settle for disappointing sales.

2012 Lincoln MKS