2013 Lincoln MKS EcoBoost review notes

WEST COAST EDITOR MARK VAUGHN: When I first saw this mid- to full-size American luxo-cruiser parked in the driveway, I said something like, “nice!” or “such refreshing styling!” or “Is this my driveway?” Its proportions were different from anything else on the road, more upright around the greenhouse with a few sort-of subtle Lincoln signature crosses thrown in here and there. The 2013 model also gets a new front end with a sleeker, swoopier grille. Inside, there were distinct touches that separated this from the competition: the padded dash and padded everything else and the cool flat controls on the center stack for the HVAC and stereo. It was also quiet inside, thanks to the Lincoln/Ford active noise control.
It drove really nicely, too, thanks to Lincoln Drive Control, which “orchestrates the performance” of the suspension. I never got a chance to make the AWD squeal on any snow or even dirt. I really should have taken it to a track to see how the system firmed up the handling when moving the shifter from “drive” to “sport.”
When I took it to my top-secret straight-line testing location, I got 5.5-, 5.4- and 5.3-second 0-to-60 runs, in that order. At that rate, in only 52 more runs I would be getting to 60 in no time at all. But that 365-hp 3.5-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 felt powerful enough for the car's 4,436-pound curb weight. Likewise, the six-speed automatic did everything it was supposed to without any problem.
Then I looked at the sticker—$58,265! I almost died right there in the driveway. That's right, the Lincoln MKS' sticker almost killed me! Granted, this one had $7,590 worth of silly options on it. I could easily have done without any of them. The $4,600 Equipment Group 202A that added blind-spot monitoring, heated steering wheel and memory adjustable pedals, among other things, seemed unnecessary. Neither would I check the options for moonroof at $1,695 and adaptive cruise control with collision warning for $1,295. But that would only lower the sticker to $49,675. What else would my 50 grand buy me in this class? Within a few thousand bucks up or down from the Lincoln are the Audi A6, BMW 528i and 535i, Infiniti G or M sedans, Jaguar XF, Lexus GS350, Mercedes-Benz E-class and Cadillac CTS.
I looked again at the trim. Those air vents looked and felt suspiciously Taurus-like. The ride wasn't quite as refined as competitors in the class. The NVH had barely audible hints of tininess. I could not, in my mind, justify a sticker approaching $60,000 for what in some ways reminded me a little too much of a more pedestrian mass-market, bland sedan. Knowing what the sticker price was had me thinking of this luxury car as a possibly tarted-up Ford Taurus, at least compared to other entries in the class. That's too bad, since I like the styling inside and out and the extraordinary roominess in the passenger compartment—along with the voluminous trunk, which is big enough for four or five people to bivouac or live in should the need arise.
The entry-level MKS with front wheel-drive and a normally aspirated 3.7-liter 304-hp V6 starts at about $16,000 less than this as-tested model, and includes all the exterior and interior styling that comes on the more feature-laden model.
2013 Lincoln MKS EcoBoost
Base Price: $50,675
As-Tested Price: $58,265
Drivetrain: 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6; AWD, six-speed automatic
Output: 365 hp @ 5,500 rpm, 350 lb-ft @ 1,500-5,000 rpm
Curb Weight: 4,436 lb
Fuel Economy (EPA): 20 mpg
Options: Premium package including blind-spot monitoring system, HD AM/FM/single CD player, heated steering wheel, memory adjustable foot pedals, power rear sunshade, rearview camera, THX-II cert audio, navigation system, Elite package, multicontour seats, active park assist, heated rear seats, lane-keeping system, premium wood package ($4,600); dual-panel moonroof ($1,695); adaptive cruise control with collision warning ($1,295)