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MKZ Hybrid vs Toyota, Lexus, Hyundai etc.


alan_hayes

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Can anyone tell me why the Lincoln MKZ does not have a "smart" key like their competitors? I also have a 2005 Toyota Prius that has a smart key. I traded my 2007 Toyota Camry that had a smart key and when I was looking at the Lincolns, I also checked out Lexus and Hyundai and they ALL have smart keys!!!

 

On a lessor of importance matter (but still annoying) is the fact that my MKZ has an old fashioned hood stay rather than hydraulic shocks to hold open the hood! Once again, all the competition has hydraulic stays!

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Can anyone tell me why the Lincoln MKZ does not have a "smart" key like their competitors?

 

Because, unfortunately, the capital wasn't available to redesign the steering column for the 2010 midcycle enhancement to accommodate the intelligent entry system found on other Fords and Lincolns. This will surely be remedied with the next-gen MKZ, which hits the streets next year.

 

On a lessor of importance matter (but still annoying) is the fact that my MKZ has an old fashioned hood stay rather than hydraulic shocks to hold open the hood! Once again, all the competition has hydraulic stays!

 

You must understand that the 2006 Zephyr was a rushed add-on to the Fusion/Milan program, conceived only after the next-gen LS was killed off due to a shaky (to put it nicely) business case.

 

Some on here will say that the hood struts are "unnecessary", as most luxury owners don't open their hood often, if at all. I'll agree with you, though, they're a glaring omission here.

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The competition might have hydraulic trusts to keep their hoods open, but check out their trunk and see if they also have them their or they use the cheaper goosenecks. Then ask yourself, which will you open more, the front or the rear. Usually what one won't give you in the front, they will give you in the back and vice versa.

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The competition might have hydraulic trusts to keep their hoods open, but check out their trunk and see if they also have them their or they use the cheaper goosenecks. Then ask yourself, which will you open more, the front or the rear. Usually what one won't give you in the front, they will give you in the back and vice versa.

 

On the other hand, gooseneck trunk hinges do have a benefit: they allow for generally a larger trunk opening and for the trunk to pop open further.

 

I agree though that it's not a huge deal. More of an "oh, that's kind of cool" thing when the salesperson pops the hood for the "and here are your clearly marked fluids" demonstration.

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I've been dissapointed when some of the trunk openings of some of these new vehicles that are being styled like coupes. You have trunk lid-decks that are about what a foot long? So you have a truck bump you in the rear and if the bumpers don't do their work, the rear glass is shot. Then you try to get a good size box in there (like the MKS), and you can't. The MKS trunk as big as it might be is the most useless in function to get things in, uurrrgggg

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Says who?

 

If you have struts, there has to be something inside the trunk for the struts to be mounted on, reducing the width of the opening. Compare:

 

-vert-hyundai-sonata-trunk.jpg

 

hyundai-sonata-limited-araba-2011-bagaj_3.jpg

 

 

As to the other advantage, at least in my experience, cars with goosenecks have their trunks pop open wider at the push of the release button. I imagine it's simpler to do with a spring on that design than struts, which would need more force to get up.

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OTOH, goose neck hinges create difficult to account for clearance issues when loading a trunk.

 

Right, it's a trade-off, to be sure. My point is that there's more than just cheaper vs. better.

 

And the covered-hinges method isn't a terrible solution to the clearance issue, though it's not exactly slick looking.

 

hyundai_09azeralimited_trunk_Large.jpg

 

(I've been using Hyundais as photo examples, by the way, just because I keep happening to find the best photos for their trunks, not to make a point about one automaker vs. another.)

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On a lessor of importance matter (but still annoying) is the fact that my MKZ has an old fashioned hood stay rather than hydraulic shocks to hold open the hood! Once again, all the competition has hydraulic stays!

 

I haven't had a prop rod fail on any of my cars yet. That can't be said for gas struts. After several years they eventually fail and need replacing. Of course, if a person only keeps a car for a few years, then they don't have that problem.

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