The very phase “Luxury SUV” seems to suggest a large, sprawling vehicle. However, the age of small crossovers and green-conscious, economical cars, with small footprints are here.
It seems many auto makers today are making a genuine and well intentioned effort to combine the pleasurable qualities of comfortable and even luxurious vehicles with the moral and practical advantages that come from consciously created vehicles that are not as “greedy” on a number of levels.
With that as a background, Lincoln is introducing the MKC compact crossover. This vehicle takes the Ford Escape as its foundation, and adds to it a whole new level of style, comfort, and engineering.
We sat down with the kind folks at Reedman Lincoln in Langhorne to get the inside scoop on this new model. They noted that Lincoln fans will likely be excited to finally have an option of a vehicle with good gas mileage, along with traditional Lincoln luxury. Outside, the vehicle looks athletic, stylish, smooth, and yet also muscular and spunky. Its glass roof, which runs with little interruption into the ample windshield, gives it a bright, warm, panoramic feel. The interior is roomy and modern, with reasonable storage.
There are 2 different engine options here, with the common denominator that they are all EcoBoost four-cylinder engines that have both direct injection and turbo charging. The first choice is the 2.0 liter engine that produces 240 horsepower and 270 foot-pounds of torque. The upgraded option is a 2.3 liter that churns our 275 horsepower and 300 foot pounds of torque.
It’s not yet known what the associated transmission will be, but it will have Lincoln’s signature push button gear shifter. The all wheel drive versions will include an adaptive suspension system called Continuously Controlled Damping.
Here’s a genuinely artistic gimmick that comes with this SUV: An approach detection system senses when you are nearing the vehicle, turns the car’s lights on, and projects a luminous Lincoln “welcome mat” onto the pavement. Isn’t that charming? Overall this representative of the new crossover SUV era from Lincoln looks like a winner.
