The 2017 Lincoln MKZ premium mid-size sedan spans a wide price range, and while Lincoln’s mid-size sedan doesn’t compete directly with the established luxury brands, it may appeal to those who are a little more value-minded—and anyone who wants a lot of features for the money. Even before you start ticking off options, the MKZ offers more features than most other vehicles in the premium class.
We rate this year’s MKZ at 8 on our feature scale. It gets one extra point each for its high level of standard equipment even in the $36,000 base model, a high degree of customization from its wide variety of trims and option packages, and the very nice materials and colors in the top-level Black Label interiors. (Read more about how we rate cars this year.)
Trim levels include the base Premiere, the mid-level Select, and the better-equipped Reserve—and then there’s the top-of-the-range Black Label. Each of the three main trims comes standard with the base 2.0-liter turbo 4-cylinder engine and front-wheel drive. The more powerful new 3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6 is an option, as is all-wheel drive with each of those engines. The MKZ Hybrid can also be ordered in each of the three trim levels, though it stays front-wheel-drive only.
The list of standard features included on any MKZ is rich. Whether you choose a conventional gasoline model or the MKZ Hybrid, it includes power windows, locks, and mirrors; leather-trimmed seats and steering wheel; wood dash trim; power heated front seats; automatic climate control; an 11-speaker audio system with a CD player and satellite radio; adaptive LED headlights and LED taillights; adaptive suspension; keyless ignition and remote start; Bluetooth; and steering-wheel multi-function controls.
That’s the spec for the base MKZ Premiere, for which Lincoln offers only a single option: aluminum trim on the door, instrument panel, and steering wheel. The MKZ Select level adds HD radio and wood steering-wheel trim, while the MKZ Reserve brings navigation with real-time traffic; blind-spot monitors; a power trunklid; and a power tilt/telescoping steering wheel.
Black Label’s themes
At the very top, the Black Label trim offers what Lincoln calls “a curated collection of interior themes and a host of exclusive membership privileges.” In the MKZ itself, that translates to different selections of higher-quality interior materials, finishes, and color palettes. Those themes are entitled Vineyard, Chalet, and Thoroughbred. Our test car’s Chalet interior, for instance, blends “Espresso and Cashmere Venetian leathers” with silverwood trim, meant to “evoke the contrasting pleasures of pulse-raising mountain slopes and the warm comfort of an après-ski lodge.” And so forth.
After those three basic levels, several option packages on the upper Select and Reserve trims let you replace what’s essentially a premium car with one that has close to the feature set of a high-end luxury model, item by item. The packages have been reshuffled since last year, and a new top-of-the-line Black Label model has been added as well.
The Technology package wraps together numerous electronic active-safety features, including adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, pre-collision assist, pedestrian detection, active parking assist, and rain-sensing wipers. The Climate package wraps together a heated steering wheel, heated rear outboard seats, rain-sensing wipers, and automatic high-beam headlights. The Select Plus package (for MKZ Select only) bundles a blind spot monitors and cross-traffic alert system with a voice-activated navigation system.
The top trim level, the MKZ Reserve, gets two additional options, one of them a Luxury package that bundles a 20-speaker Reveal Ultima premium audio system with adaptive LED headlights.
Top powertrain Driver’s package
The other is a Driver’s package (only available with the V-6 engine and all-wheel drive) that adds Dynamic Torque Vectoring, for improved cornering ability without affecting ride comfort, along with a sportier suspension tune, continuously controlled damping to fine-tune the ride-and-handling balance, and special 19-inch alloy wheels. This comes with some additional trim enhancements, too, including a different grille texture and painted brake calipers outside, with multi-contour seats and an ebony interior with white accents.
Other standalone options include, but are not limited to, a power moonroof or alternatively a huge single-pane retractable glass panoramic sunroof, and a power rear-window shade. The only options we felt were missing were the most advanced of the active-safety systems, and a head-up display, which we expected but didn’t find on our top-of-the-line Black Label test car.
Finally, all 2017 MKZ models get a Lincoln-ized version of Ford’s new Sync 3 infotainment system. Replaced the much-criticized and often loathed MyLincolnTouch, the new interface is simpler and, crucially, responds more quickly to more commands.
Prices on the 2017 Lincoln MKZ range from just over $36,000 including delivery for the base Premiere trim to the mid-$60,000s for a fully equipped MKZ Black Label with the big engine, the panoramic glass roof, and the Driver’s, Technology, and Climate packages.
