ArcaMax

Remember Rocky vs. Mr. T? The third "Rocky" movie - the one where Stallone had to get back in the ring against a scary opponent (Mr. T) after the humiliating loss of his title - and his self-respect? That's pretty much where Lincoln is right now. Having been bounced out of the luxury car ring like a past-it palooka, Ford's once-strong luxury division is hoping for a comeback.

Part of the rebuilding effort includes the mid-sized MKZ sedan - which appeared in late 2007 as an early '08 model and replaced the unsuccessful LS sedan.

WHAT IT IS

The MKZ is Lincoln's entry-level sedan. Unlike the rear-drive LS sedan, the MKZ is built on a front-wheel-drive layout, with AWD optional. Where the old LS tried to compete with high-performance RWD sport sedans like the BMW 3-series and Cadillac Catera, the MKZ is intended as a domestic-brand alternative to cush-oriented entry-level luxury sedans such as the Lexus ES350.

WHAT'S NEW

The '09 MKZ is almost exactly identical to the 2008 version - except for two things. The first is that electronic stability control is now standard equipment. The second is a significant uptick in the MSRP of both the base model with FWD ($31,795) and the otherwise identical model with AWD ($33,685). The '08s were $30,980 and $32,850 respectively.

The price uptick is understandable given the obnoxious depreciation of the dollar's value that has occurred over the past year; however, it eats away at one of the MKZ's biggest draws - its lowball price relative to competitors like the $34,120 Lexus ES350.

ENGINES & PERFORMANCE

Both versions of the '09 MKZ come with a 265 hp 3.5 liter V-6 and six-speed automatic transmission driving either the front wheels or all four wheels. One of the really nice perks of this engine is that it is designed to operate on regular unleaded. Many cars in this segment require premium - which can cost 20-30 cents or more per gallon than 87 octane regular.

EPA rates the MKZ at 18 city, 28 highway - just slightly worse than the ES350's 19 mpg city mileage, but also just slightly better than the ES350's 27 mpgs on the highway.

Power-wise, the MKZ's V-6 compares favorably with the ES350's 3.5 liter V-6, which at 272 hp is only slightly stronger. However, 0-60 times are about half to three quarters of a second behind the ES350, which can get there in 7.1 seconds vs. the 7.6-7.7 seconds of the MKZ.

The Lincoln isn't a dog; it's just not especially athletic. But that wasn't Lincoln's intent here - and if your main concern is smooth, effective power delivery - and the ability to burn the cheap stuff - you may like it just fine.   

RIDE & HANDLING

As noted before, the MKZ is a very different car than the old rear-wheel-drive LS. Compared with that car, its suspension is muey soft. As is its steering. Lincoln decided to quit trying to out-German the Germans (and out-Japanese the Japanese) and instead focus on what American luxury sedans have traditionally excelled at - that is, being soft, smooth and quiet. Cornering prowess is a secondary concern at best.

STYLING & UTILITY

In a segment gone swoopy and low-slung, the MKZ's boxier, more upright shape definitely stands out. There's a modernized, "wide-mouthed" version of the trademark Lincoln waterfall grille up front, crisp styling pleats pressed into the hood and trunk - and chrome accents (outside mirrors, trim rings around the fog lights) finishing it all off.

Very much in keeping with the Lincoln history of subtle elegance and good taste. Inside, it's more controversial.

The "twin breadbox" dash layout will be familiar to those who can remember the "Hawaii Five-O"-era Lincolns of the late '60s and early '70s. Light colors (creamy tans and off-whites) for the dashpad and door panels along with "satin nickel" accents and indirect puddle lighting give the cabin a soft and welcoming vibe.   

It's distinctive; it's different. Whether it's a good or bad move, however, only time and market reaction will tell. It's definitely a departure from the rounded/elliptical, hyper-aggressive sport-bike-like shapes that seem to be the "in thing" in luxury sedans lately.

Other retro touches include an analog clock in the center stack and high-visibility numerical gauge facings (with LED backlighting) instead of digital stuff, which is also different - and nice because it's so immediately self-explanatory. 

The MKZ has a very large trunk, too - 15.8 cubic feet vs. the 14.7 cubic foot trunk in the Lexus ES350.

QUALITY & SAFETY

The MKZ's interior suffers from the presence of some hard (and cheap-looking) plastic panels on the dash. Like the Lexus ES350 (which is based on the Toyota Camry) the MKZ is based on a less-expensive, less prestigious Ford cousin (the Fusion sedan). But Lexus does a better job of covering up the family relationships; the MKZ's Fusion origins are sometimes a bit too obvious for comfort.

Lincoln itself has been in the doldrums for years now. It's not that Lincolns are bad cars but rather that they don't hold their value nearly as well as other luxury cars - Lexus cars especially. But the upside to that is you should able to wrangle an MKZ for well under MSRP - a feat that's next to impossible to achieve with any Lexus.

Safety-wise, there is much to praise. In addition to its now-standard electronic stability control, both FWD and AWD versions of the '09 MKZ come standard with front seat side impact and curtain airbags for both rows. The MKZ scores highly in both government and insurance industry crash testing. 

DRIVING IMPRESSIONS

The MKZ  has good power, but isn't happy when pushed hard, especially in corners. The all-wheel-drive model has a firm grip on the pavement but the steering is pretty doughy and the suspension seems to react just slightly after you make an input, instead of delivering that immediate connectivity you find in a BMW, Lexus or Cadillac.

The six-speed automatic has also been programmed for softness rather than sport feel; for example, it won't hold lower gears when powering through turns - and there are only two selector options on the shifter console, "Drive" and "Low." There's no "sport" setting - and no tap up/tap down manual gear change function, either.

On the other hand, there are buyers out there who don't much care about high-performance handling and just want smoothness and quiet - which the MKZ absolutely delivers.

The seats (which aren't "sport buckets") are extremely comfortable as well as easy to get into and out of. There is ample headroom both front and back, even with the optional sunroof - and even for drivers/passengers as tall as 6 ft 3.

Nice touches include the hand-pull parking brake (which offers an additional level of safety in the event the regular brakes ever fail) and the Lincoln keypad entry system that lets you get into the car without a key - or if you've lost your key. 

Unlike more and more cars in this segment, the MKZ has simple push button controls for the AC and stereo system that are much less aggravating to use - and potentially expensive to fix down the road - than the "mouse" interfaces and so on you often find in competitors. You won't need a 200-page manual - or a degree in Microsoft CE - to figure out the MKZ's controls. Just get in - and drive.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Though its Fusion Connection isn't well hidden, the MKZ does have a few cards to play - chief among them being its relative affordability and available AWD.

While Lincoln has upped the MSRPs for 2009, the MKZ - especially with AWD - is still a pretty good deal compared with its most obvious direct competitor, the Lexus ES350. The $34,120 Lexus doesn't offer AWD at all - yet starts out about $435 higher than the AWD-equipped $33,685 MKZ. 

The MKZ also compares quite favorably with middle-brand, mid-priced V-6 almost-luxury sedans like the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry that don't have the prestige brand nameplate going for them - or the all-wheel-drive, either.

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www.ericpetersautos.com or EPeters952@aol.com for comments.