Based on the Ford Fusion, the MKZ gets a stout chassis and a responsive suspension as its foundation. But despite that strong start, the MKZ has been hurt by its relation to the Fusion. That's a shame, because that chassis and suspension are some of the strongest points of the MKZ. For 2017’s redesign, Lincoln has concentrated on changing the face of its entry-level midsize luxury sedan to reflect the concept for the new Continental that debuted at the 2015 New York Auto Show. This means no more split-wing grille, a design that debuted back with the 2010 MKZ. This will flow down to the rest of the Lincoln lineup and stand as the new face of the luxury brand.
In addition to the new grille, the MKZ gets some redesigned headlights with added LED accents and some new chrome up front. That’s matched by a new chrome stripe on the back bumper as well, and sharp viewers will also notice the badging has been changed to drop the "EcoBoost" it previously shared with Ford offerings. Now a subtle "2.0T" or "3.0T" will take its place.
Lincoln lists its trims as “Series,” and the MKZ has three of them—Premiere, Select, and Reserve—a trio that doesn’t immediately tell you which is the base and which is the top. A “Black Label” edition serves as a special trim at the top of the line, further configurable in three “themes” with upgraded leather and wood trim.
For the Premiere, the base price of $35,170 will get you front-wheel drive (FWD), an adaptive suspension, and adaptive xenon headlights with LED tailights, keyless entry and ignition, dual-zone auto climate control, rear parking sensors, heated mirrors, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, and the new Sync 3 infotainment system on an 8-inch touchscreen. If all-wheel drive (AWD) is your preference, the price will rise to $37,060. All MKZs at this level get the turbocharged 2.0-liter engine.
Spending $36,920 will jump you up to the Select trim ($38,810 with AWD) and add leather upholstery over the Premiere’s leatherette, add power to the steering wheel and 4-way power lumbar adjustment to the front seats, interior ambient lighting, power-folding rear-view mirrors with an auto-dimming driver’s mirror, 2 rear USB ports, and a 3-prong 110-volt outlet. At this point you have lots of options. A $1,255 Select Plus Package will get you navigation with blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alerts, while a $2,395 Technology Package will get you everything else: adaptive cruise control, pre-collision with pedestrian detection, lane-keep assist, auto-park, front sensors, and rain-sensing wipers with de-ice capability. A Climate Package seems a particularly great deal for $695, as you get heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel, auto high beams, and the auto de-icing wipers.
It’s not just packages, though. Standalone options at this level include a panoramic glass sunroof for $2,995 or a single-panel moonroof for $1,200, a $440 power trunk, a power rear sunshade for $305, and inflatable rear seatbelts for $195. And if you’d like to jump up to that monster, 400-hp V6, that’ll cost another $2,750, or $4,000 with AWD.
The Reserve trim’s $39,670 price gets you all the Select’s features, plus the features from the Select Plus Package and the power trunk, 19-inch alloys, and ventilation for the front seats. If you want to move up to V6 power, it’s still a $2,750 option, so don’t assume that just because you’ve got the top-tier trim you’ll get the top engine, and AWD will run you another $1,890. It’s the same with the Tech/Climate packages and the sunroof—you’ll still need to add them.
Special for the Reserve trim is a $4,400 Luxury package that gets you adaptive LED headlights with auto high beams and a “concert-level” 20-speaker Revel Ultima stereo. That’s a lot of money for some lights and speakers. And if you go for the 3.0 engine with AWD, there’s also a Driver’s Package that adds unique polished 19-inch alloys, a sport suspension with revised damping, torque vectoring, sport seats, painted brake calipers, and some appearance changes like a unique grille and interior accents.
Properly outfitted, you can easily push the price of your MKZ to 60 grand, and my week with a Reserve trim with the 2.0T and AWD; the Technology, Luxury & Climate packages; and the panoramic sunroof and multi-contour seats came with a drive-away price of $53,160.