Used 2015 Lincoln MKT

Let’s skip the exterior styling of the 2015 Lincoln MKT for a moment, and instead look inside. There, you’ll find this big luxury crossover SUV offers a comfortable, quiet and luxurious interior. With three rows of seats, the MKT can seat up to seven passengers in surprising comfort. There are two excellent V6 engines, including a powerful twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V6, and available all-wheel drive. With all the modern safety features and high-end tech a modern luxury vehicle demands, the MKT holds its own against sharply styled rivals like the Audi Q7, Infiniti QX60 and Buick Enclave. Which brings us back to the exterior. If the bulbous shape, huge grille and asymmetrical window line work for you, then the Lincoln MKT deserves a look.

With the 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V6, the 2015 Lincoln MKT may surprise you with its get-up-and-go. Once at speed, the big 3-row SUV cruises quietly at a relaxed pace, especially when equipped with the available adaptive cruise control. In fact, "relaxed" describes a great deal about the MKT’s driving style. With all-wheel drive and Lincoln Drive Control – both standard on EcoBoost models – you have sure-footed grip regardless of the road conditions, coupled with Sport, Comfort and Normal throttle modes. The 6-speed automatic transmission seamlessly ticks through gears, and manual control is at your fingertips thanks to standard paddle shifters. On the downside, there’s no getting around the MKT’s bulk, and that size becomes especially apparent in tight garages or parking spaces. The rearview camera and parking sensors help, but an around-view camera, such as the one on the Infiniti QX60, would be even better.

The 2015 Lincoln MKT offers a spacious interior befitting a luxury SUV. There’s tons of room for front- and middle-row passengers, and even for smaller adults in the third row. Order a 6-passenger MKT, and the 2nd-row bench seat gets replaced with two comfortable captain’s chairs, which can be heated and cooled, and even outfitted with a refrigerator between them. The comfortable driver and passenger seats afford a commanding view, and the touch-screen infotainment system controls navigation, climate and audio functions. The generous cargo space is easily expanded by folding the power 3rd-row seats and 2nd-row seatbacks.

Considering the big, bulky shape, you’d never believe the Lincoln MKT shares its basic structure with the sleek-but-boxy Ford Flex. This Lincoln SUV is certainly eye-catching, although whether the aesthetics are pleasing or punishing to the eyes is very much a matter of opinion. The massive grille splits into two wings, with the wingtips blending into the headlights. Along the side, the window line kinks up at the rear, then droops down again. Then there’s the hunched-over rear hatch, bisected by the long, wide taillight display. We do like the panoramic sunroof, and the power hatch is also convenient.

ECOBOOST V6 ENGINE
The 365-horsepower twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V6 available for the Lincoln MKT is as close to a make-everything-better magic wand as we’ve ever seen. For less than $2,000 – including all-wheel drive – and with barely any fuel economy penalty, it’s nearly impossible to argue against getting it.

INNOVATIVE INTERIOR
We’re not kidding about the Lincoln MKT interior being a step up from its exterior styling. There’s an available refrigerator you can put between the 2nd-row seats, the 3rd-row seats can flip and face backward when the liftgate is raised, and overall, the MKT’s interior successfully combines posh and practical.

The 2015 Lincoln MKT comes standard with leather upholstery on the first and second rows, 3-zone climate control, heated and cooled driver and front-passenger seats, heated 2nd-row seats, a rearview camera, and a power tailgate. The power tilt and telescoping wheel combines with power adjustable pedals to let drivers find a comfortable driving position. The standard audio system is a 10-speaker AM/FM/CD/aux system controlled via the touch-based Sync system and 8-inch screen. If you go for the EcoBoost engine, you get more standard equipment as well, including standard all-wheel drive, and the Lincoln Drive Control adjustable dynamics system.

If the standard allotment of luxury stuff isn’t enough, there’s plenty more where that came from. There’s a heated steering wheel, a navigation system, THX II audio, a dual-screen DVD rear-seat entertainment system, 2nd-row bucket seats, and power-folding 3rd-row. Neat tech features include Active Park Assist, which performs the bulk of parallel parking for the driver. Other tech options include adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, a blind-spot monitoring system, and inflatable seat belts in the second row.

You have a choice of two engines for the 2015 MKT SUV. Standard is a naturally aspirated 3.7-liter V6, powering either the front or all four wheels. With a little more than 300 horsepower, the standard V6 offers decent acceleration and passing power, even if it’s not particularly exciting. If you’re looking for more, then check out the twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6. With 365 horsepower, 350 lb-ft of torque, and standard all-wheel drive, this is the engine to get if you think luxury equals power. Both engines come with a 6-speed automatic transmission with manual-shift mode. Both engines can run on 87-octane gasoline, though Lincoln recommends 91 octane for best performance with the EcoBoost model. EcoBoost versions can be equipped to tow up to 4,500 pounds.

3.7-liter V6
303 horsepower @ 6,500 rpm
278 lb-ft of torque @ 4,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 17/25 mpg

3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6
365 horsepower @ 5,700 rpm
350 lb-ft of torque @ 1,500-5,250 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 16/23 mpg