2008 Lincoln MKZ Review (continued)
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Walkaround

The Lincoln MKZ is styled in a conservative fashion, creating a prim, proper effect. The one exception is its wide chrome grille, which Lincoln is using across its line to instill brand identity. Lincoln's wide, split-waterfall motif first appeared on the 1938 Zephyr, so it's certainly appropriate for the MKZ, originally launched as the Lincoln Zephyr, to wear it.

The Lincoln is brightened by its jewelry: quad-beam halogen headlights (with HID units optional), bright-metal accents at the beltline and on the mirror caps, and chromed exhaust tips. Handsome 17-inch wheels contribute to MKZ's purposeful stance.

Interior Features

The Lincoln MKZ cabin is comfortable and luxurious. We found the driver's seat comfortable for two or three hours at a time. The interior is pleasant, convenient and reasonably quiet.

The cabin looks more upscale than that in the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan, which share the MKZ's underpinnings and some major mechanical components. The trim plastics look best in lighter colors. All in all, the MKZ interior doesn't come across as shameless luxury as much as comfortably well-to-do, which is pretty much the standard for this class.

The controls for heating, cooling and the stereo are all easy to find and use. Storage is adequate.

The navigation system works well. The video screen is smaller than many, but it's easy to figure out without excessive reliance on the owner's manual. And unlike some nav systems, it provided information about some obscure dirt roads in Michigan, where much of our driving took place. All automakers make choices about where to spend and where to save, and many choose not include such detail in the navigation software.

The MKZ will accommodate four six-footers in reasonable comfort. Five is a crowd unless you are toting small children. In short, it's comparable to other cars in its class.

Trunk capacity is rated at 15.8 cubic feet, which is more than many cars in this class. The trunk lid swings high for easy access, and the fold-down rear seat allows some flexibility for hauling more.

Forward and over-the-shoulder visibility is acceptable. The high rear deck limits visibility immediately behind the MKZ when backing up. The reverse-sensing system helps with this, providing an audible gauge of the distance between the MKZ and whatever is behind it.