Lincoln Loaner reviews

[walkabout]

I guess I don't remember the standard seats to well. I do think the 22 way seats are somewhat overrated though.

[shoeguy]

Just brought in my X for a myriad of electronic and other issues. They gave me a 16 Flex SEL has 41000 klm on it.  Must say that this car built in the same factory is as quiet or quieter than my X and much softer riding, also has a more solid feel to it somehow. This is all about how a car is engineered and able to be put together and built , when discussing fit and finish and how it feels to drive. Wonder if the MKT is the same , or if this is the old Ford is easier to screw together than a Lincoln on the same chassis.

[Adam]

I have always liked the flex, but its interior seems a bit dated to me and some options I have come to enjoy are just not available.  I hear it's a monster when equipped with the 3.5 turbo, probably quicker than the turbo MKX.

[shoeguy]

I had a flex limited in 2009 when they first came out , was fully equipped with all the toys. Loved the car , wife hated it. Was very nice at the time , not so much now with all the dcontenting they have done. It was very quiet and smooth drive, great highway cruiser.

[walkabout]

The Flex is an innovative vehicle - there still isn't anything like it on the road.

 

I do feel like it may be a bit to large to be practical in urban areas though.  So, its a niche vehicle. 

[thisguy159]

Just got the 2017 mkz as a rental with sync 3 2.0. Regarding the car, basically the same as before with uglier front end. The big change is the new switch gear which looks good or more premium but completely shit in real life not much unlike the 2016 mkx/mkz etc with respect to quality. Now its poor quality but with Lincoln design. The new center console hvac controls are about the same as 2016 in quality but adds a little extra functionality. Really disappointing considering that interacting with those bit is constant and good tactile feel a la apple products makes such a huge difference for the cars and the parts are so simple and small. Extra 100 to the starting price and issue solved. One other thing there is a new key fob and the key can be removed with a button press as opposed to spliting the case. Good change but they made the fing fob twice as big it's huge and its stupid.

Edited November 29, 2016 by thisguy159

[walkabout]

Totally agree with you.

[akirby]

They changed the front end?

[VisionPilot]

I'm confused too.  Looking at the '17s on the Lincoln website, I can not detect any difference in the front end between the '16 MKX and the '17 MKX.  Also, looking at the gallery pics and 360 degree views, no discernible interior changes either.

[walkabout]

I'm sorry. I was agreeing about not liking some of the switch gear in the 2017 mkz. The 2017 mkx is identical in nearly every regard to the 2016. I sat in one at the autoshow. Some new colors and wider availability of adaptive steering. That's about it.

 

The mkz had some odd material choices. Lots of fake leather that looks kind of stuck on. Great car from a vehicle dynamics perspective though.

Edited November 29, 2016 by walkabout

[thisguy159]

Yeah was referring to mkz didn't specify that.

[walkabout]

I wouldn't go so far as to say "completely shit" but I got your point.  In general, Lincoln interior materials are a few notches below the competition and don't feel very premium.  In some ways, I even prefer the basic Ford layouts.

 

I still think the MKZ is competitive with more expensive vehicles in other regards (like handling and ride).  Its not a bad car, just needs a little more interior polish.

[akirby]

Only the base model gets soft touch seats which I assume is the "fake" leather?   Premiere and Reserve get bridge of weir leather.  Just like bmw and Mercedes.

[walkabout]

For me, the issue is not about the seats.  In fact, I think the leather in my MKX is on par with the BMW I recently sold.

 

I'm talking about the dash, the side panels, etc.  All over the car there is pleather and cladding with sheets of pseudo-materials.  Its not hard plastic, but its pretty unattractive stuff. 

 

I know that there aren't that many FWD upscale sedans, but most of the ones that are out there (ILX/TLX, ES350) don't have vehicle dynamics that are comparable to the MKZ.  

With better materials and some improvements in interior build quality, that vehicle could really sell.. 

[Cosmos36]

The Select Plus (101A) package which I have also gets the Bridge of Weir leather seating. When doing a Price and Build it's easy to confuse the standard (Premier trim) Soft Touch seating terminology with the Deepsoft name for Bridge of Weir leather seating in other trim levels. Also, in Lincoln brochures a reference to 'luxury' leather refers to Bridge of Weir leather.

[thisguy159]

I wouldn't go so far as to say "completely shit" but I got your point. In general, Lincoln interior materials are a few notches below the competition and don't feel very premium. In some ways, I even prefer the basic Ford layouts.

 

I still think the MKZ is competitive with more expensive vehicles in other regards (like handling and ride). Its not a bad car, just needs a little more interior polish.

I'm actually pretty happy with the interior (reserve mkx) when comparing like vehicles mdx Acadia Rx. As far as mkz nice vehicle with a cramped back seat. Edited November 29, 2016 by thisguy159

[walkabout]

I like it better than all those interiors you list, to be honest.

I don't think it compares well with German competition or ever Caddy. 

Sync 3 is way nicer than CUE or COMMAND though, so maybe that makes up for it. 

[VisionPilot]

I'm in yet another loaner while my X is getting a new steering wheel assembly to resolve my failed adaptive steering functionality.  This is a 2015 MKC, bare bones.... no lane keeping, no proximity sensors, front wheel drive, standard suspension, hard leather seats, etc.  It drives completely differently than the other MKC's I've had as loaners.... it is an extremely harsh, bumpy ride.  Really surprised they would put a Lincoln emblem on this thing.  It is relatively quiet, and fairly solid, just seems overly damped, and stiff.

[akirby]

I really wish they would stop building those stripper base models.  Just get a loaded Escape for the same cost.  In my opinion the equipment level of a base mkc or mkx should start with the base Ford Titanium equipment except for true options like the vista roof, cold weather pkg, wheels, etc that not everybody would want.

Edited January 18, 2017 by akirby

[VisionPilot]

I really wish they would stop building those stripper base models.  Just get a loaded Escape for the same cost.  In my opinion the equipment level of a base mkc or mkx should start with the base Ford Titanium equipment except for true options like the vista roof, cold weather pkg, wheels, etc that not everybody would want.

 

Totally agree !

[walkabout]

I really wish they would stop building those stripper base models.  Just get a loaded Escape for the same cost.  In my opinion the equipment level of a base mkc or mkx should start with the base Ford Titanium equipment except for true options like the vista roof, cold weather pkg, wheels, etc that not everybody would want.

Totally agree.

 

Actually, I think a larger issue in general is differentation of the lines. I say in a loaded escape last week and see much of the same switchgear that is in my loaded reserve.

[walkabout]

I'm in yet another loaner while my X is getting a new steering wheel assembly to resolve my failed adaptive steering functionality.  This is a 2015 MKC, bare bones.... no lane keeping, no proximity sensors, front wheel drive, standard suspension, hard leather seats, etc.  It drives completely differently than the other MKC's I've had as loaners.... it is an extremely harsh, bumpy ride.  Really surprised they would put a Lincoln emblem on this thing.  It is relatively quiet, and fairly solid, just seems overly damped, and stiff.

I've mostly been impressed with the mkc. Feels more like a small wagon than a crossover, which I like.

[akirby]

Switchgear doesn't bother me provided it's a good design and feel to begin with and doesn't look or feel cheap.  E.g I don't see any reason to change the headlamp dial.

[walkabout]

I don't see any reason to change the headlamp dial either. In fact, if they did, I'd be annoyed. I hate when tried and true tech gets replaced with something less efficient just to be different (like the glove box button I hate).

 

The jog switches on the steering wheel to control the little tft menus were obviously designed for lower level vehicles that don't have sync 3. All of that should be integrated into sync 3 and the dials should simply be a handy way of accessing the system. If that was designed for a Lincoln and not lifted from the parts bin, it would all work better.

 

Also, many of the dials and switches are somewhat cheap feeling from a tactile perspective. Sit in an Audi or bmw and you'll see what I mean.

 

Minor gripes, obviously.

[akirby]

The jog switches on the steering wheel to control the little tft menus were obviously designed for lower level vehicles that don't have sync 3. All of that should be integrated into sync 3 and the dials should simply be a handy way of accessing the system. If that was designed for a Lincoln and not lifted from the parts bin, it would all work better.

 

Can you expand on that?   You mean the directional pads on the steering wheel?   How could you make them better?