My memories of Lincoln originate from the early 1980’s when my dad went from driving Cadillac Sedan De Ville’s to driving special edition Lincoln Town Cars like the Cartier edition. They were well padded with rich velvet seats, opera windows, and drove like a couch on wheels. However, when you drove one you had a sense of power and presence.
[cars manufacturer="Ford Motor Company of Canada" website="http://www.lincolncanada.com/" model="Lincoln MKX AWD" Engine="2.7 L V6 EcoBoost" price_base="$45,890" price_tested="$67,590" ]
Lincolns have always been a benchmark of North American luxury cars, with cutting edge technology and superior fit and finish. The MKX is no exception. The edition we test drove was kitted out with leather heated and cooled front seats that were adjustable every which way. There is even a massage setting for the driver’s seat, along with an optional heated steering wheel. The heated rear seating is ample enough for three average sized adults.
Instrumentation was easy to use, and not distracting. Lincolns like Fords have the SYNC voice command system that allows you keep your eyes on the road while you dial a restaurant for a reservation. The navigation system can be operated by voice while driving, and will only operate manually when the car is stopped. The central command system has four distinct functions – entertainment, climate, phone, and navigation.
A helpful parking feature was the ability to turn on a front camera. It has a few different options, but I liked the split screen which showed me what was in front of me, and where the car was situated in the spot showing curbs, parking lines, and the proximity of other cars. It took the guesswork out of parking. Also available is park assist that parks the car. The driver determines if the car is parallel or horizontally parking. Once set into motion the car moves rapidly into the spot, and the driver is in charge of breaking.
A safety option that will likely become standard in cars over the next few years is lane assist. This feature activates on the highway, adjusting the steering should the vehicle start to drift too close to a dividing line. If you plan to change lanes and signal, the assist shuts off for the lane you are planning to enter. However, you are notified if there is another car too close to safely change lanes. Finally, there is a collision avoidance system. Thankfully, that never activated.
Using the car to do daily tasks around town was pleasurable. As long as the key is on your body or in your purse the exterior lights come on as you approach, and just pull the door handle and the car’s doors unlock. If you are coming out with your hands full, you can kick your foot forward under the rear bumper and the lift gate opens automatically, a nice feature. It will close the same way.
I liked the MKX. It was enjoyable to drive, felt solid, and was nice and quiet. Reviewing the MKX was important for our community as well. The MKX is built in Oakville, and so a large number of employees have high wage jobs with benefits because of this vehicle. Going back to my Dad for just a second, he ran a manufacturing plant in Mississauga which still is in business 50 years later. He believed you should purchase local manufactured products in order to support a strong and healthy community. I have to agree with him. So if you are in the market for a luxury SUV, test-drive the Oakville built 2016 Lincoln MKX. You might just find that a Lincoln fits you nicely.
