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Food For Thought: Automobile Reviews '16 Lincoln MKX


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Here's the link:

http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/driven/1508-2016-lincoln-mkx-review/

...and here's a few quotes I thought were kinda interesting in light of the discussion we're having elsewhere about luxury:

"The 2016 Lincoln MKX checks all the mid-size, two-row luxury crossover boxes and is better than the standard-bearer that launched this segment, the Lexus RX. But it’s a Lincoln, which means it will take a great deal of heavy-duty marketing to convince the average consumer that the Lincoln MKX is more than an extra trim level above the Ford Edge Titanium."

"The 2016 Lincoln MKX rides on the new Edge’s architecture but has unique sheetmetal, or what Lincoln calls the vehicle’s 'tophat.'"

"The nicely finished interior has padded surfaces covered in premium-grade stitched leather and high-quality vinyl, and you grab a handful of cush every time you open or close a door from inside... The 2016 Lincoln MKX further separates itself from the Ford with active noise cancellation, an acoustic windshield, and additional sound insulation. A big, panoramic sunroof with a power sunshade is standard on the Reserve trim level, and electronic pushbuttons arranged vertically to the right of the instrument panel control the transmission. Lincoln also adds a nifty 360-degree camera system that’s really useful."

"The MKX’s two biggest standout features, available at extra cost, are the Revel hi-fi audio systems and 22-way power adjustable, massaging front seats. Cooled and heated, these seats match anything available from Mercedes-Benz."

"[The stereo] was enough to convince us the Lincoln Revel Ultima... is a match for a Mercedes-Benz Burmeister system or Lexus Mark Levinson system.. Under that lovely spangle, the MKX’s suspension is pretty much the same as the Edge’s, save continuously controlled damping. The MKX has four trim levels: Premiere, Select, Reserve, and Black Label, the latter of which added Lexus dealer-like levels of service and gives you a choice of four paint-and-interior themes."

"The $2,000 turbocharged 2.7-liter V-6, rated at 335 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque, is a retuned version of the Edge Sport’s engine, with 20 more horsepower and 30 more lb-ft... Our weeklong first drive was in an all-wheel-drive MKX Reserve with the 2.7-liter turbocharged engine and the aforementioned Luxury Package, as well as the $595 Climate Package, with heated rear seats, heated steering wheel, and rain-sensing wipers; the $1,720 Technology Package, with active parking assist, front parking sensors, and a front video camera hidden behind the Lincoln nose badge; the $1,650 Driver Assistance Package, with a camera in the interior mirror, a lane keeping system, active cruise control, and active braking; and $250 inflatable rear seatbelts."

"Base price of the Reserve model is $48,545 and thusly optioned, the bottom line comes to $63,245. That’s a lot of scratch, though it buys you a lot. While the brand has none of the luxe cache of, say, a BMW X5 or Range Rover Evoque, it’s a name that will at least garner some recognition from your friends and co-workers. Give them rides and they’ll enjoy dynamics befitting a luxury CUV. There’s an impressive absence of road, tire, and wind noise -- until the big, 20-inch wheels and tires roll over potholes and expansion strips."

"The mid-size, two-row premium CUV is the personal luxury car of our age; it’s well-suited to comfortably upper-middle-class professional singles and empty-nest couples who stereotypically like to drive their single and empty-nest friends to dinner at pop-up restaurants."

"Like the new Edge, the 2016 Lincoln MKX is a vast improvement over its predecessor, which, like the last Edge, was heavy, clumsy, and uninspired. Perhaps Ford ought to drop the Edge, keep covering all the other CUV sub-segments, and leave this one to Lincoln. That would give this luxury brand struggling through a reinvention the exclusive model it needs."

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I'm seeing an awful lot of "Kabong is not the target market for a luxury car".   I mean almost everything you quoted above was pointing out where the MKX does better than the Ford or matches the luxury import rivals. 

 

Engine - retuned for more power and (most importantly) more torque

Suspension - same geometry but with variable dampening 

Stereo - competitive with the high end systems at Lexus and Mercedes

Seats - match anything from Benz (and I assure you, the Edge seats do not)

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Guest Wings4Life(BANNED)

3.0L is not ready yet at time of launch.

 

 

Excellent little CUV that is shared with an equally excellent Edge.

Even if there were no differences, the Lincoln styling alone elevates it for me.

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I don't mind the MKX being on the Edge platform for the same reason I don't mind the MKC being on the Escape platform.

 

In both cases, the Fords are at or among the best in their respective classes in terms of handling, drive, and ride. There is no need to reinvent that wheel. Save the money that would go into that work and invest it in other areas that will more greatly distinguish the Lincoln from the Ford.   I think Lincoln is 90% of the way there. 

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I'm seeing an awful lot of "Kabong is not the target market for a luxury car". I mean almost everything you quoted above was pointing out where the MKX does better than the Ford or matches the luxury import rivals.

Engine - retuned for more power and (most importantly) more torque

Suspension - same geometry but with variable dampening

Stereo - competitive with the high end systems at Lexus and Mercedes

Seats - match anything from Benz (and I assure you, the Edge seats do not)

And yet, the last paragraph of the writeup states that Ford should pass on a version of this, so as not to steal the Lincoln's thunder.

This would not have happened if what was under the skin was as spiffy as what's on display. And before anyone brings up the Escalade, let the record show that I regard it as a happy accident, and have called it an exception to the rule in previous posts.

Maybe this, too, will be an exception to the rule. But I'm not going to bet the farm on it.

Edited by El Kabong
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I'm seeing an awful lot of "Kabong is not the target market for a luxury car". I mean almost everything you quoted above was pointing out where the MKX does better than the Ford or matches the luxury import rivals.

Engine - retuned for more power and (most importantly) more torque

Suspension - same geometry but with variable dampening

Stereo - competitive with the high end systems at Lexus and Mercedes

Seats - match anything from Benz (and I assure you, the Edge seats do not)

And yet, the last paragraph of the writeup states that Ford should pass on a version of this, so as not to steal the Lincoln's thunder.

This would not have happened if what was under the skin was as spiffy as what's on display. And before anyone brings up the Escalade, let the record show that I regard it as a happy accident, and have called it an exception to the rule in previous posts.

Maybe this, too, will be an exception to the rule. But I'm not going to bet the farm on it.

 

 

Should that rule apply to the RX/Highlander/Venza as well? How about the QX60/Pathfinder (both of which are huge sales successes).  How about the MDX/Pilot and RDX/CRV?  Also all sales successes....  Audi Q3/VW Tiguan A3/Jetta

 

It seems like you just don't get why manufacturers make luxury versions of family brand vehicles.  Which is fine, but don't pick on just Lincoln for doing it when most of the industry does the exact same thing.  I havent' driven one yet, but on paper, it seems that Lincoln has made a decent case for why the MKX is worth more..... the challenge for Lincoln will just be convincing buyers of it.

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My issue isn't making fancy versions of ordinary stuff. Buick, also, should exist.

But it ain't luxury, in any true aspirational sense. You show me a kid who says "when I grow up I wanna drive an ACURA!" and I'll show you Ralph Wiggums, come to life.

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My issue isn't making fancy versions of ordinary stuff. Buick, also, should exist.

But it ain't luxury, in any true aspirational sense. You show me a kid who says "when I grow up I wanna drive an ACURA!" and I'll show you Ralph Wiggums, come to life.

 

 

Ah, so you're after Lincoln being able to do some sort of brand snobbery.  That's not going to come all at once.. and certainly not within this generation of vehicles. But if Lincoln keeps it consistent, they can get at least to the level of Lexus and Audi in terms of image.  I think they're 5 - 10 years away from that at least.   With BMW and Mercedes doing everything possible to close the gap from the other direction, Lincoln has pretty good chances. 

 

The next step for Lincoln is the Continental.  Then they need to hit it out of the park with the Navigator (and I think it needs an optional V8 just for bragging rights, the Ecoboost is insufficient for the ballpark they want to play in).  Get those two right, and I think Lincoln will do well. 

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My issue isn't making fancy versions of ordinary stuff. Buick, also, should exist.

But it ain't luxury, in any true aspirational sense. You show me a kid who says "when I grow up I wanna drive an ACURA!" and I'll show you Ralph Wiggums, come to life.

See this is why I said you're mixing "Luxury" and "Sport Sedan".

 

lux·u·ry
noun
noun: luxury
  1. 1.
    the state of great comfort and extravagant living.
     

Little kids don't say that about Bentleys or Rolls Royces either..

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Nope. Engineering, all the way. I'm counting the days when that bespoke platform drops for Lincoln. Then I'll know they're really cooking.

 

Luxury for me is ultimate comfort.  For a luxury car, I could care less about ultimate handling as long as it is at least competent.   Luxury to me is a modern day 76 Eldorado.... 8 liters of engine and a 5,000 rpm red line, cushy ride, and fantastic sound system. 

 

The S-Class is as close as I have found. It's like driving a cloud.

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So the chassis is the foundation upon which everything else is built.

The S-Class chassis is an ingot. The Continental is a Fusion.

That's all I'm saying, man. You need to bust yer ass to succeed in the car racket. There ain't no free lunch. When Ford gets that chassis ready, I'll be watching. And cheering.

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This is where I have a problem with Lincoln:

For me...every single car that Lincoln makes, that is based on a Ford equivalent...its because I prefer the looks of the Ford than the Lincoln...

 

Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ - I prefer the looks of the Fusion...by a landslide. Last generation included. Including the restyled 2012 Fusion over the Lincoln counterpart.

 

Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX- As much as I enjoy the 2016 MKX....the 2015 Edge for me hands down. The first generation....The Edge and the MKX were a tie for me in the looks department. Which means I loved both equally.

 

And sadly....this is where it ends for me with Lincoln...because all other Lincolns...I dont care for...

 

With that being said, I WANT the Continental to be exactly like the show car that Lincoln showed us...I dont want the production version to be less than what was shown to us...

 

Which brings me to what I value in a luxury car....well....one of the things that I value... is LOOKS...

 

A luxury car's looks has to move my emotions. It has to make me say "WOW! Would you look at that!"

It has to say that to other on lookers as well...

The looks of a luxury car has to polarize everybody...

 

Im afraid...for me at least...Lincoln does not do that...in fact...Lincoln's counterparts from the Ford showroom actually do that...which to me...does not bode well for Lincoln when a lesser Ford counterpart polarizes me and others more than the "luxury" brand's version.

 

The Continental  show car did that though...polarize me. And others too. So much so...it ruffled Bentley's feathers...at least that is my take on how Bentley reacted to Lincoln's Continental.

 

BTW...I dont think Bentley's look all that hot anyway...but that Lincoln Continental made me say...WOW! Finally!  A Lincoln that looks majestic...

 

A Bentley...any Bentley...just look like 4 wheeled blobs...

A Mulsanne....is OK lookin', but at the price Bentley is asking for a Mulsanne...Id look elsewhere had I had that kind of dough to spend on a car...

 

Which leads me to this point of view....I really dont think people like the way Bentley's look like...I just think they know how much they cost, and that is the reason why they like them...because they are insanely expensive...and its the price tag that drives the sales....

Kinda like a Michael Korrs handbag...

Women know how much they cost...so they buy them...with the huge lettering to show people that they own a Michael Korrs handbag...to show that they got money..."Hey....look at me...yeah...that is a MK handbag...yup....I paid $1000 for it...yeah...it means I got money to burn"

 

Same for a Bentley...

I got money dude...I bought myself a Bentley.

 

But do they actually lust over the looks over a Bentley...I dont think so...

Edited by oldshurst442
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Guest Wings4Life(BANNED)

This is a very stylish and rich luxury CUV from Lincoln.  Should sell slightly above current  MKX numbers, maybe to the tune of about 4K units per month. And if their average ATP's are in the $53K neighborhood, then Lincoln is doing things just fine.

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This MKX doesn't hurt Lincoln one bit. It's a profitable model, in a lucrative segment; and it can only go up from here. Margins; margins are everything.

 

Being based on an already impressive Ford counterpart should help with margins even more. When you can say without a doubt that a Lincoln can match the comfort and features of a Mercedes and Lexus, Lincoln is doing it right; atleast here.

 

I am though still underwhelmed by the MKC. MKZ remains a stunner. The Continental should build on the march forward.

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Guest Wings4Life(BANNED)

 

Even if there were no differences, the Lincoln styling alone elevates it for me.

 

I'm going to remember that you made this comment.

 

 

Why???

I like the styling a lot, is all.  What are you up to here?

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This MKX doesn't hurt Lincoln one bit. It's a profitable model, in a lucrative segment; and it can only go up from here. Margins; margins are everything.

 

Being based on an already impressive Ford counterpart should help with margins even more. When you can say without a doubt that a Lincoln can match the comfort and features of a Mercedes and Lexus, Lincoln is doing it right; atleast here.

 

I am though still underwhelmed by the MKC. MKZ remains a stunner. The Continental should build on the march forward.

Once again, I'm not commenting on the vehicle's competence as a fancy product. But calling it a luxury product strikes me as being a reach.

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Guest Wings4Life(BANNED)

Here is a positive review from CR.

But once Sync problems are gone with coming Sync3, what will CR have to complain about?

 

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With the new Edge and MKX, I'm really liking this pair......

 

The MKX looks good.....it seems to be missing something little, just  can't put my finger on it yet.

 

 

Comparing it to the T/H lux brands, it comes off less techy and more classy......

 

 

Maybe I'm in their target market now? :scared:

 

 

Still, I like.....

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It's a pretty handsome crossover, the headlights have pretty good details. The interior has satisfied the one issue I thought people would bring up - whether if there was enough cow hide and wood trim. Looks like reviews say there's plenty of it and of a luxurious quality.

 

This is a legitimate luxury product in my books. Then again, I will include the Lexus RX and Cadillac SRX or upcoming XT5 also as legitimate luxury products. The 2.7 is a good engine; and I think a Ford product sharing it helps the Edge just as much as how the powerplant is a great engine outright. That means it passes muster as an engine worthy of being in a luxury car. 

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