2013 Lincoln MKZ 2.0H Hybrid

2013 Lincoln MKZ 2.0H Hybrid 2013 Lincoln MKZ 2.0H Hybrid
Instrumented Test From the September 2013 Issue of Car and Driver TESTED

Despite its name change to the Lincoln Motor Company, every Lincoln remains based on the products of the, ahem, Ford Motor Company. And without any platforms of its own, Lincoln continues to produce vehicles that invite comparison with their Ford counterparts.

It is both a blessing and a curse that the Fords are good. This leads to a good Lincoln, but the pricier product should not only be different but also better. Which leads us to question whether the Lincoln MKZ  hybrid should command a $5695 premium over a comparable Ford Fusion hybrid.

The powertrain differences in the Lincoln amount to a shorter final-drive ratio. Other than that, the hybrid powertrains are identical, from the 141-hp Atkinson-cycle 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and 118-hp electric motor combo to the planetary CVT and 1.4-kWh lithium-ion battery pack. Also identical: the wheelbase, brakes, and suspension layout. The MKZ does get its own chassis tuning and eschews the Fusion’s low-rolling-resistance tires for ostensibly grippier stock. But the Lincoln posted 0.83 g on the skidpad to the Ford’s 0.85. On the plus side, the MKZ hybrid’s 170-foot stop from 70 mph is seven feet shorter than the Fusion hybrid could manage.

The Lincoln uses shocks that adjust automatically, a feature unavailable on the Fusion. All three settings (comfort, normal, and sport) provide good ride quality, even on our test car’s 245/45 all-season rubber and 18-inch wheels. Light effort and accurate steering are bright spots, but the handling is deliberate rather than playful.

An easy touch on the throttle from a stop keeps the MKZ in electric-only mode up to 62 mph. This sort of acceleration will cause everyone behind you to brandish their middle fingers, but it’s necessary to get near the 45-mpg-city and 45-highway figures on the window sticker. We achieved 32 mpg, the same as in the hybrid Fusion.

Drive more aggressively, and the MKZ hybrid defies your bold advances by posting a zero-to-60 time of 9.4 seconds, 0.3 second slower than the Fusion. Part of the problem is that the MKZ is an overfed 3843 pounds; in addition, there’s just 188 horsepower moving the bulk.

Interior design diverges from the Fusion’s, but material quality and build quality aren’t commensurate with the upcharge. Things are better outside. From the A-pillar back, the Lincoln looks expensive. Borrowing the C-pillar design from a Rolls-Royce Phantom will do that. The narrow taillights are an original touch, though, and handsome. In front, the winged grille looks bold, but the nose is high and stubby, a reminder of the transverse engine and front-drive layout.

Equipped similarly to our $42,415 MKZ test car, a Fusion Titanium hybrid costs $36,720. Our Lincoln version did come with a few MKZ-exclusive options, such as rear-seatbelt airbags, cooled seats, a wood-trimmed steering wheel, and adjustable LED mood lighting in the doors. But aside from a few minor features, it’s the Ford experience in a different, but not necessarily better, wrapper. This isn’t a strategy that works. Just ask Mercury.