2007 Lincoln MKX Preview

Lincoln has needed the 2007 MKX for a long time. Aimed right at the Lexus RX 330, this new crossover utility vehicle (CUV) debuted at the 2006 North American International Auto Show, and is based on the 2007 Ford Edge that was also unveiled in Detroit. Lincoln has needed the MKX because it’s the first fresh product the company has rolled into showrooms since it tackled the luxury sports sedan segment in 2000 with the rear-wheel-drive LS. But like the LS, the MKX is a me-too kind of vehicle – Lexus has played in this sandbox since 1999. Let’s just hope that, unlike with the LS, Lincoln doesn’t send the MKX to market and let it fend for itself for half a decade with no real investment in improvement to keep it competitive.

What it is

The 2007 Lincoln MKX is a CUV that drives like a car and, well, looks like a car. A tall car, of the station wagon variety, but a car nonetheless. To create a uniquely American offering in what has become the most popular segment in the marketplace, Lincoln has tuned the MKX for luxury. The suspension is designed to provide a soft ride, and extra sound deadening helps to ensure a quiet and serene cabin.

Why it matters

First, the 2007 Lincoln MKX introduces the luxury automaker’s new alpha naming strategy. Evidently, Lincoln thinks this move will have people recognizing the brand “Lincoln” and not individual models like “Navigator.” Second, the 2007 Lincoln MKX is the product that the company hopes will mark its turn-around point from also-ran to legitimate contender in the increasingly crowded luxury car market.

What’s under the hood

Under the 2007 Lincoln MKX’s hood purrs a 250-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 driving the front or all four wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission. Lincoln says that on the highway, the MKX should deliver fuel economy in the mid-20s, despite its large 20-inch wheels and tires.

What’s inside

Unlike badge-engineered, Ford-based Lincolns of the past, the 2007 MKX is about more than chrome and leather on the inside. This CUV is packed with comfort and convenience items, from adaptive front lighting and a panoramic Vista Roof to heated and cooled front seats and a 14-speaker THX-certified sound system with DVD navigation. Even the rear seats are heated, and riders in back can recline up to 15 degrees while they enjoy the available DVD entertainment system. The dash is trimmed in tasteful maple wood and satin nickel trim, and the square gauge surrounds also hearken back to the classic 1960s Lincoln Continental. Any CUV worth its salt is also about utility, and the 2007 Lincoln MKX comes to market with a center console that includes configurable dividers to allow it to carry items as widely varied as a laptop computer, a purse, or CDs. There’s an MP3 audio jack in there, and the MKX is loaded with no less than four power points. The second-row seats can be quickly folded using releases located in the cargo area, but maximum cargo capacity is an unimpressive 68.7 cubic feet, which lands the MKX in the small CUV category. Safety gear for the Lincoln MKX includes ABS, traction control, and Roll Stability Control. Six airbags come standard, including side-curtain airbags for both rows of seats that include the Safety Canopy feature, which allows the airbags to remain inflated for an extended period of time for added protection in a rollover accident.

What it looks like

Except for the front fenders, hood, fascias, and tailgate, the new 2007 Lincoln MKX shares its sheetmetal and glass with the Ford Edge, but the interior is, according to the automaker, unique. Unlike every other Lincoln on the road, the MKX gets an eggcrate grille reminiscent of those slab-sided 1960s sleds that wore the Continental badge. Overall, the Lincoln resembles a cleaner Lexus RX, or a less adventurous Nissan Murano.

What Lincoln says

Peter Horbury, Ford Motor Company’s executive director of North America Design, says that the “Lincoln MKX appeals to new luxury buyers who express their success through understated gestures.” “The new Lincoln MKX crossover and Zephyr sedan give Lincoln strong products in two of the hottest luxury segments in the market,” adds Darryl Hazel, vice president of Ford marketing. “We want people to know Lincoln is giving buyers fresh choices.”

What we think

Luxury buyers actually people to notice that they can afford something more expensive than a run-of-the-mill Chevy, Dodge, or Ford…at least in America. And while the company might consider the MKX a “fresh choice,” it’s little more than a gussied-up Ford Edge, which reminds us of the old days of obvious badge engineering. Nevertheless, we’d say that the 2007 MKX looks like a solid piece of work and is blessed with a design that should draw new customers to Lincoln showrooms. A test drive will help us to determine if the MKX has what it takes to go up against the Lexus and other luxury CUVs.

When you can buy it

The 2007 Lincoln MKX goes on sale in the fall of 2006. Prices have not been set for the MKX, but with Lexus as the bogey, you can bet it will undercut the RX 330 in a bid to woo new customers.

Key specifications

Engine Size and Type: 3.5-liter V6 Engine Horsepower: 250 at 6,250 rpm Engine Torque: 240 lb.-ft. at 4,500 rpm Transmission: Six-speed automatic Curb weight, lbs.: 4,220 (2WD); 4,419 (AWD) Estimated Fuel Economy (highway): mid-20s Length: 186.5 inches Width: 75.8 inches Wheelbase: 111.2 inches Height: 69.0 inches Max. Seating Capacity: Five Max. Cargo Volume: 68.7 cubic feet Max. Payload: 958 pounds Max. Towing Capacity: 3,500 pounds Competitors: Acura MDX, BMW X3, Buick Enclave, Chrysler Aspen, Chrysler Pacifica, GMC Acadia, Infiniti FX35, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Lexus RX 330, Mercedes-Benz ML350, Nissan Murano, Subaru B9 Tribeca, Volkswagen Touareg, Volvo XC90

Photos courtesy of Ford Motor Company