What is it?
2010 Lincoln MKZ
What's special about it?
Along with its Ford Motor Company midsize sedan brethren, the Lincoln MKZ gets a substantial reworking for the 2010 model year.
Like the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan, the Lincoln gets a new nose. In the case of the 2010 MKZ, the new front is a variation on the split-grille/bow-wave grille first seen on the big MKS sedan. In fact, so close is the nose to that of the bigger sedan that we think the two cars will be mistaken for each other as often as the two cars' names seem to get mixed up.
The rear has also been substantially reworked to incorporate LED-loaded taillights so wide that they would meet in the center of the trunk lid were it not for the Lincoln badge. The instrument panel is also of a new design, which mimics the elegant look of the MKS. Lincoln also says it has upgraded the material in the interior, including the quality of the leather.
The 3.5-liter V6 makes the same 263 horsepower and 249 pound-feet of torque as it does in the current car, but reengineered resonators on the intake give the engine a more refined sound, according to the company. Additional changes to the throttle calibration, shift programming, spark timing and under-hood heat management are said to reduce this MKZ's 0-60 time from 7.7 to 7.1 seconds.
Lincoln will add a sport version of the MKZ for 2010. It doesn't get any more power, but it comes with a unique tune for its double-wishbone front and multilink rear suspensions, including stiffer springs and stiffer antiroll bars. The sport version wears 18-inch polished wheels — an inch taller than the wheels of the standard car. The sport also comes with a unique grille finish, darkened headlamps and an MKZ badge with a red "Z." The standard MKZ's suspension has also been modified for improved ride quality. The car is still available in front- or all-wheel-drive variants.
Predictably, the MKZ is available with all the electronic gadgets offered by the new Fusion and then some. This includes a blind-spot information system, which can track cross-traffic up to 65 feet away on either side of the vehicle. The newest version of the Sync hands-free entertainment and information system is offered, along with a new voice-activated navigation system, a rearview camera, adaptive HID headlamps and rain-sensing windshield wipers.
Inside Line says: A higher-quality interior and better performance answer two of our major complaints with the outgoing MKZ. — Daniel Pund, Senior Editor, Detroit
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