Lincoln MKZ History
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The Lincoln MKZ is a four-door sedan with some interesting styling cues married to the basic body and powertrain of the popular Ford Fusion. Built in Hermosillo, Mexico, the MKZ competes with the likes of the Acura TL, Buick LaCrosse, and the Lexus ES 350.
Introduced in 2006 as the Lincoln Zephyr, it replaced the rear-drive Lincoln LS sedan in the luxury brand's portfolio. The Zephyr underwent a name change in 2007 when it adopted the alphabetic MKZ name. In 2010 it received a moderate refresh, with mechanical refinements paired with a new grille and a new interior.
The initial run of Lincoln Zephyr sedans brought a more upscale look to the Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan basics, though not much difference under the skin. The Zephyr shared those cars' 3.0-liter V-6 and six-speed automatic transmission, though it didn't offer a four-cylinder version as did the less expensive kin. While about a third of its sheetmetal was shared with the other cars, the Zephyr's interior was unique and distinct, with a twin-binnacle style that brought back the themes that had distinguished Lincolns of the 1960s.
In the 2007-2009 model years, the same car became the MKZ. Lincoln had begun to adopt alphabetic names for nearly all its products, save for the Town Car and the Navigator. The intent was for the name to be pronounced "Mark Z," but Ford quickly gave up that semantic battle and let the Lincoln names flow like those from Cadillac. Some minor cosmetic tweaks accompanied an upgraded engine, now a 265-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6. The MKZ also gained an all-wheel-drive option in 2007.
In the 2010 model year, the MKZ got a much improved interior and improvements to its materials and sound quality. The dandy new interior and subtle changes elsewhere sharpened its luxury focus, but the MKZ still can't match the European sport sedans like the BMW 3-Series and Benz C-Class for crisp driving responses. It's more a luxury touring sedan along the lines of the Lexus ES 350 and Volvo S60 and Buick LaCrosse, though the Buick and Acura TL have become notably edgy. The big back-seat room is an MKZ selling point, and so is the raft of interior goodies like Ford's SYNC entertainment controller and THX surround sound.
In the 2011 model year, the Lincoln MKZ added a Hybrid model to its lineup. Mechanically similar to the 2010 North American Car of the Year, the Ford Fusion Hybrid, the Lincoln gas-electric sedan posts fuel-economy numbers as high as 41 mpg, and allows electric-only operation up to 47 mph. The new sedan has gauges that help teach efficient driving, too, using flowers as a clean-driving metaphor--and it gets standard SYNC and 10-way power front seats with heating and ventilation.
The MKZ is unchanged for the 2012 model year. A new model is expected for the 2013 model year.
