2011 Lincoln MKX Overview

Lincoln MKX

The Lincoln MKX low sticker price, luxury features and good fuel economy continue to make it one of the best values in its class. That makes the Lincoln MKX one of the most affordable luxury midsize SUVs. The 2010 MKX 18/25 mpg city/highway fuel economy rating is also one of the best in its class, and its cabin comes with plenty of standard luxury features. The Lincoln MKX has a low base price, but you can still find luxury SUVs that cost less. It starts at about $1,200 less than the Lincoln MKX and matches its excellent 18/25 fuel economy rating. If you want to save even more money, the Cadillac SRX saves about $5,000 as compared to the Lincoln MKX and also matches it fuel economy.

If you like the Lincoln MKX, also consider buying its platform-mate, the Ford Edge. It comes standard with front-wheel drive and optional with all-wheel drive. If you’re interested in the 2010 MKX instead, wait until the 2011 model comes out.

The good: The 2011 Lincoln MKX comes well-equipped with a cabin technology package that includes Ford Sync voice command, the My Lincoln Touch instrumentation, Bluetooth for calling and audio streaming, and an optional THX premium audio system that takes advantage of the wide array of audio sources. Basic Sync navigation is standard, but a more robust Flash-based voice-activated navigation system with traffic is also available.

The bottom line: The 2011 Lincoln MKX is a vehicle that shows a good deal of potential as a tech car, but its My Lincoln Touch cabin tech suite feels unfinished. Lincoln's new MKX makes a great first impression. Ford's Sync voice activation and command system is as good as it's ever been; touch-sensitive dashboard buttons and sliders add a sci-fi feel; and the slick graphics of the My Lincoln Touch system (a re-skin of the My Ford Touch system) are rather impressive. My Lincoln Touch beta?

The My Lincoln Touch system is divided into two parts that interact with one another. Sync enables you to perform simple tasks with the touch of a button and the sound of your voice. Commands such as, "Call Wayne on mobile," "Play artist: The Kinks," or "Navigate, street address" work quite well. The system features five primary screens: a Home screen that is split into four quadrants for phone, navigation, climate control, and audio, and four function screens that correspond to these quadrants and are accessed by tapping colored bars in each of the screen's four corners. The My Lincoln Touch system makes two navigation options available to drivers. The first is Ford's Sync navigation, which uses a Bluetooth-paired phone's data connection to pull turn-by-turn directions from the cloud and is standard on all Sync-enabled MKX. The second is an SD card-based navigation system that stores map data locally. Rounding out the audio source list is AM/FM radio with HD Radio reception and Sirius Satellite Radio, which also provides the data for the navigation system's traffic and weather feeds.

Thanks to the great Sync integration and PBAP address book syncing via Bluetooth, the phone screen of the My Lincoln Touch system is one that you should never have to see past the setup and pairing process. Users can also set up MAP text message access for compatible handsets, opening up the Sync system's ability to read aloud incoming text messages and let you select from up to 15 prewritten texts message responses.

Styling and safety
Below the touch-screen interface are the physical controls for the audio and climate systems. These controls are unique in that there are no moving parts or knobs; every button is actually a touch-sensitive bump. In place of volume knobs or fan control dials are a pair of touch-sensitive strips that you slide your finger along to adjust audio levels or airflow volume.

“UNIQUE” STYLING
From a styling aspect, the 2007-2010 MKX was a curious blend of 1962 Continental, 1995 Town Car and modern crossover SUV, thanks to its full width front grille and LED taillight assembly that ran across the rear hatch opening.

For 2011, the Lincoln MKX adopts the current Lincoln corporate profile, with a much more aggressive nose profile that apes the MKT. For the former, there’s an 8-inch liquid crystal display which contains controls to the vehicle’s info/entertainment system and climate control, activated purely by finger touch - hence the name. As befitting a current Lincoln product, a THX sound system is included, as is the latest version of the Ford’s SYNC voice command system, activated by buttons in the steering wheel, plus a new first – High Definition radio.

The info/entertainment system is one of the least fussy we’ve encountered on a luxury branded vehicle of late, which should bode well for Lincoln’s target audience, especially considering that on many competitors, it’s getting harder and harder to perform basic vehicle functions such as changing cabin temperature or selecting music.

Thanks to a lower idle speed (600 rpm), fuel shut-off and a variable-displacement power steering pump, the engine is notably thriftier than the old 3.5 and Lincoln claims best in class fuel economy at 19 miles per gallon city/ 26 highways on front-drive models.

The result is a Lincoln MKX that is noticeably quieter and even smoother riding than before. Thanks to new tires mounted on standard 18-inch wheels, grip is noticeably better than before and even in base front-drive form, the MKX feels surprisingly neutral.