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Black Label MKZ gets a Black Eye from C/D


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http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2015-lincoln-mkz-hybrid-review

 

That was an ugly review of a pretty car. While I imagine the usual suspects will soon be sputtering that C/D is somehow less than legit, guilty of writing for some degree of entertainment (as opposed to be dry enough to be a saltine with pages?), has a "bias against Lincoln", etc....as I personally found the MKZ interior to be underwhelming when I checked one out previously, and as the car has not managed to differentiate itself enough from its Fusion roots...it's hardly an unfair review.

For those still muttering "bias against Lincoln", they weren't too kind to the ES range, either...hybrid or otherwise, and have lambasted BMW in recent years. So, I don't see many specific anti-Lincoln tendencies among their scribes.

Apparently, the Black Label touches are nice, but can't overcome some non-luxury-worthy gaps and other details in the interior.

This soldier in Lincoln's fight to change its perception issues did a decent (if thoroughly delayed) job initially...but there's nothing special enough about it to progress much in its very heady price market. I hope there is considerable improvement from the ground up in the upcoming MCE.

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I'll agree (especially since the MKC and MKX have debuted with nicer interiors) that the MKZ's interior needs an upgrade. I'm sure that'll be upgraded in the refresh.

 

The push button gears are not as terrible as they make them out to be.

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I like the MKZ but for $55K there are a lot of other automotive choices I like better and therein lies the problem.

 

And why did they put the Fusion Speedometer Instrument Cluster in the MKZ? That makes no sense to me since what they had previously was much nicer.

Edited by Dave-S
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I like the MKZ but for $55K there are a lot of other automotive choices I like better and therein lies the problem.

 

And why did they put the Fusion Speedometer Instrument Cluster in the MKZ? That makes no sense to me since what they had previously was much nicer.

 

I think the Hybrid gets that cluster, while the gas models get the other, nicer looking cluster.

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Wonder how better a v6 car would have fared. I agree the hybrids can be buzzy and lack luster in performance. However, owning a MMH, it's intended to be driven as a hybrid. Running it hard will just piss it off and make a lot of noise for no reason. Similar to the rice car exhaust the kids put on their cars. All show no go. How quickly we forget the first gen MKZ. That car I could not like no matter how much I wanted to. From the Granada style dash to the funky deck lid.

 

This MKZ still needs something extra, but after sitting in a ES hybrid, I don't think it's that far off. Plus, the gas and hybrid are the same starting price. I do think Lincoln should offer specific powertrains on gas models and also add a Plug in version.

Edited by fordtech1
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Wonder how better a v6 car would have fared. I agree the hybrids can be buzzy and lack luster in performance. However, owning a MMH, it's intended to be driven as a hybrid. Running it hard will just piss it off and make a lot of noise for no reason. Similar to the rice car exhaust the kids put on their cars. All show no go. How quickly we forget the first gen MKZ. That car I could not like no matter how much I wanted to. From the Granada style dash to the funky deck lid.

 

This MKZ still needs something extra, but after sitting in a ES hybrid, I don't think it's that far off. Plus, the gas and hybrid are the same starting price. I do think Lincoln should offer specific powertrains on gas models and also add a Plug in version.

I think the Lincoln specific powertrains are coming, starting when the 3L EB debuts in the Continental next year.

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This would be concerning, if C&D were at all influential on people who buy cars, as opposed to people who talk about stuff on the internet.

 

So RJ are you stating that there opinion is not valid or no one cares? I understand your logic to a degree but who would you say influences car purchases today? The market is so fragmented and to be honest I am not sure what the consumer is using for purchase decisions today-but I would rather have positive reviews versus negative reviews.

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before delving into the (f)article...

...I do think Lincoln should offer specific powertrains on gas models and also add a Plug in version.

I used to rant for adding an MKZ-ENergi

but now I believe ordinary-hybrids are past their BestBy Date, at least for Lux Brands

so I'd rather it just replace the Z-Hybrid

 

(would also prefer the

- engine &or

- batteries

were upgraded from the Fusion/C-Max-Energi)

Edited by 2b2
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Reviews - good or bad - mean nothing as far as sales go. They're just entertainment.

 

They're right about the interior needing an upgrade and we know Lincoln is going to do that like they did with MKC and MKX.

 

But to say it offers nothing over the Fusion, then list all the things that are Lincoln exclusive is silly.

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Thats essentially what my comment was years ago when it debuted, I remember saying this was a $43-45K car (loaded of course). For $55K there's many other choices... More "sporty" choices, more "luxurious" choices, more "cache" choices, etc. and this isn't special in anyway to substantiate that price.

 

As for Black Label, other than materials, I'm not seeing IT do anything different than my dealership isn't already doing with me. And good luck finding a replacement on some of those trimmings in the future when something scratches/tear/sags.

 

I did get a laugh when an elderly couple was placed in a loaner MKZ with the push-button tranny... They had to explain to them how to operate it. I just kept overhearing their apprehension towards the technology. I wouldnt want to sit with them thru a Sync instructional video.

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I did get a laugh when an elderly couple was placed in a loaner MKZ with the push-button tranny... They had to explain to them how to operate it. I just kept overhearing their apprehension towards the technology. I wouldnt want to sit with them thru a Sync instructional video.

 

When my daughter totaled her 2012 Focus and we were looking for a replacement my salesman told me to look at the used one over there. It was a 2012 with 100 miles on it. They couldn't figure out MFT so they traded it in after one week.

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But to say it offers nothing over the Fusion, then list all the things that are Lincoln exclusive is silly.

 

MKZ's "Black Label" package does indeed offer a bunch of frills exclusive to the Lincoln brand.

 

Beyond that, most of the differences between Fusion Hybrid and MKZ Hybrid favor the Fusion: not only does Fusion Titanium Hybrid cost considerably less than an equivalent MKZ Hybrid, it offers better fuel economy, better performance, more interior volume, and a more logical control layout, plus a plug-in version.

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Thats essentially what my comment was years ago when it debuted, I remember saying this was a $43-45K car (loaded of course). For $55K there's many other choices... More "sporty" choices, more "luxurious" choices, more "cache" choices, etc. and this isn't special in anyway to substantiate that price.

 

Its not really an issue IMO...since you can get the car fairly well loaded for the price you listed above. The 55K price is a bit of an eye opener, but at the same time its not like you can't touch the car without paying that. Its a trim level for someone who really likes the car and doesn't mind spending the $$ to have something different then everyone else.

 

Not to mention, if someone is paying that much for a car, they'll wind up leasing it and replacing it a few years down the road with the lastest and greatest.

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So RJ are you stating that there opinion is not valid or no one cares? I understand your logic to a degree but who would you say influences car purchases today? The market is so fragmented and to be honest I am not sure what the consumer is using for purchase decisions today-but I would rather have positive reviews versus negative reviews.

 

No one cares. I couldn't begin to tell you what the leading influence on car purchases are--except I can tell you that it's not print media. When MT savages the Ford Explorer within months of its launch and by the end of the year it's either the best selling full size CUV or #2 on the market, that's your indication of the staggering irrelevance of these outlets.

 

And you know what? It would be fine if these magazines accepted their irrelevance and foisted off safely entertaining pabulum (think People magazine) in exchange for manufacturer junkets, but that's not what goes on here. What you've got are these high-and-mighty proclamations and scientistic evaluations written by sloppy "journalists" who want us to be ticked off when manufacturers cut off access because they're trying to pass off hatchet jobs as "journalism"-----or because they put their cozy relationship with manufacturers at risk by actually practicing journalism.

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This would be concerning, if C&D were at all influential on people who buy cars, as opposed to people who talk about stuff on the internet.

 

Nothing to see here.

 

Dismissive as usual.

 

 

 

So RJ are you stating that there opinion is not valid or no one cares? I understand your logic to a degree but who would you say influences car purchases today? The market is so fragmented and to be honest I am not sure what the consumer is using for purchase decisions today-but I would rather have positive reviews versus negative reviews.

 

Good point, better your words than mine.

 

 

By all means ignore the multi-contour seats, adaptive LED headlamps, retractable roof, THX audio, etc.

 

Those are important to a lot of buyers.

 

Ford is obviously looking to maximize profits on fewer units.

 

If Ford continues to think of Lincoln and the Premium segment simply in terms of how much stuff the vehicle has, they will continue to under perform.

 

 

MKZ's "Black Label" package does indeed offer a bunch of frills exclusive to the Lincoln brand.

 

Beyond that, most of the differences between Fusion Hybrid and MKZ Hybrid favor the Fusion: not only does Fusion Titanium Hybrid cost considerably less than an equivalent MKZ Hybrid, it offers better fuel economy, better performance, more interior volume, and a more logical control layout, plus a plug-in version.

 

IMO ford made a mistake by designing one hybrid system, it in many ways boxed them into a one size fits all strategy and as a result it is neither effcenct in it "flagship hybrid" nor potent in its "premium hybrid"

 

188hp is too little in the MKZ and too much in the C-max.

Edited by Biker16
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I suspect the 2.0 doesn't have enough power for the heavily loaded MKZ. Perhaps a 2.5L would work better. Performance hybrids with more powerful engines that emphasize performance over fuel economy have not traditionally fared very well.

 

They sold 10K hybrids out of 34K total for 2014. Given that no additional development was required to offer that drivetrain option I'd say that's a pretty positive number considering the other shortcomings of the car in general.

 

There is plenty of room for improvement but that doesn't make the current one bad.

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I know I'll take a lot of flak for this, but a lot of C/D's criticism isn't all that off the mark. (Haha mark see what i did there?) A fifty thousand dollar car shouldn't have a wimpy 188 hp and deliver underwhelming fuel economy. I can also see the merit in a lot of other criticism in the car as well. I'm sure the push button gear select would take getting used to, the roof will block vision out the back of the car.

 

Everyone here admits that the MKZ was a transitional car for Lincoln and they will continue to improve. C/D did praise a lot of things like the car's style and it's not like they hate ford like MT as there is a glowing review of the Transit up now too.

 

Maybe we all need to chill and see that everyone has a right to their opinion.

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And as I said, they have a right to their opinion. They do flog a car as they drive it. It is a magazine with a sporty bias! To their standards, it doesn't measure up. They weren't hatcheting the car unfairly as they did mention they liked a lot of things with it.

 

It does sell well enough, so it does work with its intended audience. But we wouldn't read consumer reports to test the sport car performance, so don't expect CD to drive the car nicely to get maximum economy.

 

I was pointing out that they weren't killing it like MT just because it's a Ford.

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