For its first several years, we saw Lincoln’s Mazda 6-based Zephyr/MKZ as little more than the cheapest way into Ford’s most prestigious American brand. With a milquetoast powertrain and a softened suspension that took much of the fun out of the innately sharp mid-size sedan platform, the MKZ also spawned the Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, and a few crossovers.
For 2010, however, extensive changes have turned the MKZ into a considerably more appealing proposition. Alterations to the styling, transmission, and especially the interior could render it—at least until the upmarket MKS gets a power injection—the most appealing car in Lincoln’s lineup.
First the obvious: the MKZ looks no less than 6000 times better than before. The deep twin-port grille, high-set headlamps, chamfered hood, and chrome detailing around the lower fascia reflect a slightly more reverent incarnation of the sexy MKR concept car than what’s found on the MKS. In back, horizontal LED taillamps emphasize the vehicle’s width and are far more distinctive than those of both the outgoing model and the MKS. A new Sport package brings darkened headlamps, grille slats, and 18-inch chrome wheels. Also, various Lincoln stars on each side shine with newfound bravado.
The MKZ’s interior is virtually unrecognizable next to last year’s model. Soft-touch materials abound, and the electroluminescent instruments use a sexy, thin font to convey their tidbits of information. New for the MKZ is Ford’s Sync system, a multimedia interface developed by Microsoft. But the best part of the interior is a tie between the much needed use ofreal materials (i.e. real wood and aluminum instead of last year’s fake crap) and the fitment of glove-soft Bridge of Wier leather on the seating surfaces.
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