The Lincoln MKS is basically a fancy version of a Ford Taurus SHO, and like the SHO it’s due for a replacement any day now. What do you need to know before you buy a Lincoln MKS? Don’t worry, we’ll tell you everything right here in our Buyer’s Guide.
Lincolns used to make the finest cars on the American market. If you had a Lincoln, you had “made it.” But Lincoln lost its way, of late, and the MKS isn’t the car to get them back on track.
When we drove the EcoBoost MKS in 2010, we thought it was a decent car. The EcoBoost engine is a monster, though it could use a bit more refinement to get its handling dialed in. Ben Wojdyla says best in his review:
We really wanted this car to be an 550i fighter, but it isn’t. It’s a very big car with a very bad-ass engine which doesn’t quite tackle corners with the aplomb we’d like. Don’t get us wrong here, it does everything very well. The powertrain is perfect for the segment — fast when you want it fast, quiet when you want it to be quiet and loud when you want it to be loud. It tackles corners respectably and the brakes do their thing, but it doesn’t feel right.
So, Lincoln’s flagship sedan was okay back then. But now it’s five years later, the MKS is in its last year of production and Lincoln is teasing us with this beautiful Continental concept car. We’re excited.
What’s New About The 2015 Lincoln MKS
The first generation Lincoln MKS has been out for a long time. We mean a very long time. In fact, the 2016 model year, the last year for the MKS, will mark eight years for this full-size four-door luxury sedan. That’s quite a run. That first 2009 model showed the world its new D3 platform (shared with the Taurus) and offered a 275 horse 3.7-liter V6 mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.
In 2010, Lincoln dropped a strong 355 horsepower 3.5-liter turbocharged EcoBoost V6 into their flagship sedan, giving it the grunt it deserved. A few new features like rain-sensing wipers, adaptive headlamps and paddle shifters also made their debut for 2010.
Then a couple years went by and Ford kinda just kept the MKS the same. But 2013 brought some newness to the MKS: fresh exterior and interior styling, more power to both the 3.5-liter turbo and 3.7-liter V6 and more standard and optional features.
Lincoln made only minor changes in 2014 and 2015.
Which One We’d Buy
Lincoln is coming out with a new flagship any day now. They’ve already shown us their Continental Concept car, and boy is that a true beauty. If it were us, and we couldn’t get a screaming deal on an EcoBoost MKS, we’d wait it out to see what Ford can do with their next Lincoln flagship.
Important Facts At A Glance:
MSRP: $38,850 - $45,840 Top Speed: 155 MPH (est. 3.5L)
Acceleration: ~5.5s to 60 [S Q4]
MPG: 19 city/ 28 hwy / 22 combined [3.7L FWD]
Engines: 3.7L V6, 3.5L turbo V6
Max Horsepower/Torque: 365 hp/350 lb-ft [3.5L turbo]
Curb Weight: ~4,204-4,436 pounds IIHS Rating: Not Fully Tested
Transmissions: 6-speed automatic
Drivetrain Layout: Front engine, FWD/AWD
Photo credit: Lincoln