Lincoln MKZ
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The Lincoln MKZ, is a four-door, five-passenger
mid-size Mid-size—also known as intermediate—is a vehicle size class which originated in the United States and is used for cars larger than compact cars and smaller than full-size cars. "Large family car" is a UK term and a part of the D-segment in t ...
luxury sedan manufactured by
Ford Ford commonly refers to: * Ford Motor Company, an automobile manufacturer founded by Henry Ford * Ford (crossing), a shallow crossing on a river Ford may also refer to: Ford Motor Company * Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company * Ford F ...
and marketed as the Zephyr ( MY 2006) and as the MKZ (MY 2007–2020) by Ford's
Lincoln Lincoln most commonly refers to: * Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865), the sixteenth president of the United States * Lincoln, England, cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England * Lincoln, Nebraska, the capital of Nebraska, U.S. * Lincol ...
brand across two generations in both gasoline and hybrid gas/electric models. The MKZ was manufactured at Ford's
Hermosillo Stamping & Assembly Hermosillo Stamping and Assembly is a Ford Motor Company-owned automobile assembly facility located in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. The facility currently assembles Ford Bronco Sport and Ford Maverick (2022) models for the North American market. T ...
plant in Mexico. Production ended in 2020 to make way for new Ford vehicles.


First generation (2006–2012)

The 2006 Lincoln Zephyr was initially unveiled in
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form at the 2004 New York International Auto Show, previewing a new entry-level luxury sedan. The front featured Lincoln's signature waterfall grille and jeweled quad projector beam headlights ( HID headlights were available). Chrome trim extends along the Zephyr's beltline while the car's rear fascia features
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taillights and dual chrome exhaust tips. All Zephyrs featured low-profile tires on 17x7.5-inch wheels with painted aluminum versions standard and chrome versions optional. Lincoln officially revived the Zephyr name in the fall of 2005; the vehicles were based on the CD3 platform, which was derived from the
Mazda 6 , commonly referred to as simply Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Fuchū, Hiroshima, Japan. In 2015, Mazda produced 1.5 million vehicles for global sales, the majority of which (nearly one mi ...
. Lincoln had previously used the Zephyr name in the late 1930s for the smaller
Lincoln-Zephyr The Lincoln-Zephyr is a line of luxury cars that was produced by the Lincoln division of Ford from 1936 until 1942. Bridging the gap between the Ford V8 DeLuxe and the Lincoln Model K (in both size and price), it expanded Lincoln to a seco ...
line of mid-size vehicles. The "
Zephyr In European tradition, a zephyr is a light wind or a west wind, named after Zephyrus, the Greek god or personification of the west wind. Zephyr may also refer to: Arts and media Fiction Fiction media * ''Zephyr'' (film), a 2010 Turkish ...
" name had also previously been used by Mercury during the late 1970s and early 1980s, for several vehicles built on the Fox Platform. The Zephyr's sole powertrain was a 3.0 L
DOHC An overhead camshaft (OHC) engine is a piston engine where the camshaft is located in the cylinder head above the combustion chamber. This contrasts with earlier overhead valve engines (OHV), where the camshaft is located below the combustion c ...
Duratec Duratec is a brand name of the Ford Motor Company used for the company's range of gasoline-powered four-cylinder, five-cylinder and six-cylinder passenger car engines. The original 1993 Duratec V6 engine was designed by Ford and Porsche. Ford ...
V6 mated to an
Aisin is a Japanese corporation that develops and produces components and systems for the automotive industry. Aisin is a Fortune Global 500 company, ranked 359 rankings. Aisin is a member of the Toyota Group of companies. Aisin was founded in 1965 ...
6-speed
automatic transmission An automatic transmission (sometimes abbreviated to auto or AT) is a multi-speed transmission used in internal combustion engine-based motor vehicles that does not require any input from the driver to change forward gears under normal driving c ...
; identical to the V6 powertrain that was optional in the Fusion and Milan. The interior is largely unique to the Lincoln, along with different equipment packaging. The 2006 Zephyr started at a base
MSRP The list price, also known as the manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP), or the recommended retail price (RRP), or the suggested retail price (SRP) of a product is the price at which its manufacturer notionally recommends that a retailer ...
of $28,995
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, ranging up to $35,340
USD The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...
when fully optioned. Though slightly smaller and
front-wheel drive Front-wheel drive (FWD) is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only. Most modern front-wheel drive vehicles feature a transverse engine, rather than the conventional longit ...
, the Zephyr was marketed as a replacement for Lincoln's previous entry level mid-size, the
rear-wheel drive Rear-wheel drive (RWD) is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, in which the engine drives the rear wheels only. Until the late 20th century, rear-wheel drive was the most common configuration for cars. Most rear-wheel ...
Lincoln LS The Lincoln LS is a four-door, five-passenger luxury sedan manufactured and marketed by Ford's Lincoln division over a single generation from 1999–2006. Introduced in June 1999 for model-year 2000, the LS featured rear-wheel drive and near ...
. To facilitate a smooth transition, the Zephyr and LS were sold parallel to each other during the 2006 model year, the first model year of the Zephyr and the last for the LS. For 2007 the model was renamed MKZ, and took over the LS' market with sales beginning in September 2006. Lincoln's decision to resurrect the Zephyr name refers to the very early days of Lincoln before World War II. At that time, the only Lincoln manufactured was the
Lincoln K-series The Lincoln K series (also called the Lincoln Model K, in line with Ford nomenclature) is a luxury vehicle that was produced by the Lincoln Motor Company. The second motor line produced by the company, the Model K was developed from the Model L ...
which was a full-size sedan, and Lincoln, under the direction of
Edsel Ford Edsel Bryant Ford (November 6, 1893 – May 26, 1943) was an American business executive and philanthropist who was the son of pioneering industrialist Henry Ford and his wife, Clara Jane Bryant Ford. He was the president of Ford Motor Company f ...
, Henry Ford's only son, hoped to introduce a smaller product to compete with the
Packard One-Twenty The Packard Twelfth Series One-Twenty is an automobile produced by the Packard Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan, from 1935 to 1937 and from 1939 through the 1941 model years. The One-Twenty model designation was derived from the wheelbase, a ...
, and the LaSalle, a smaller sibling offered at Cadillac dealerships. The Zephyr featured a revised interior from the Fusion and Milan. The design featured shapes with real
ebony Ebony is a dense black/brown hardwood, coming from several species in the genus ''Diospyros'', which also contains the persimmons. Unlike most woods, ebony is dense enough to sink in water. It is finely textured and has a mirror finish when pol ...
or
maple ''Acer'' () is a genus of trees and shrubs commonly known as maples. The genus is placed in the family Sapindaceae.Stevens, P. F. (2001 onwards). Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. Version 9, June 2008 nd more or less continuously updated since http ...
wood inserts (depending on desired trim) in metallic frames. These surfaces were contrasted with chrome-bezeled gauges, circular, chrome-finished vents and a metallic center stack where the radio and climate controls are housed. The Zephyr's steering wheel was leather-wrapped with real wood grips and satin-nickel audio, climate, and cruise control buttons. White LED backlighting was used for the Zephyr's controls and instrumentation. Leather seating surfaces were standard in all models. Some of these standard features in the Zephyr included:
cruise control Cruise control (also known as speed control, cruise command, autocruise, or tempomat) is a system that automatically controls the speed of a motor vehicle. The system is a servomechanism that takes over the throttle of the car to maintain a s ...
, automatic headlights, fog lights, power door locks, "global" power windows (all windows can lower simultaneously at the push of a button), power adjustable and heated mirrors with puddle lamps, remote keyless entry, a tilt and telescoping steering wheel with redundant audio and climate controls, dual-zone automatic climate control, a universal garage door opener, 10-way power driver and front passenger seats, rear-seat reading lamps, and a six-speaker audio system with an AM/FM stereo radio and a six-disc, MP3-compatible CD changer. Optional in the Zephyr was a power moonroof, a DVD-based satellite navigation system, HID headlights, heated and cooled front seats, and an industry-first
THX THX Ltd. is an American company that develops the eponymous high fidelity audio/visual reproduction standards for movie theaters, screening rooms, home theaters, computer speakers, gaming consoles, car audio systems, and video games. Founded ...
II-Certified audio system with a six-disc, MP3-compatible CD changer and ten speakers. Safety features included standard dual front-side airbags, front seat-deployed side airbags, and curtain airbags that extend from the front to rear seats. Mechanically the Zephyr was closely related to the Fusion and Milan. As mentioned, all three cars were based on Ford's CD3 platform, which was in turn derived from the
Mazda 6 , commonly referred to as simply Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Fuchū, Hiroshima, Japan. In 2015, Mazda produced 1.5 million vehicles for global sales, the majority of which (nearly one mi ...
. Like these cars the Zephyr is natively
front-wheel drive Front-wheel drive (FWD) is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only. Most modern front-wheel drive vehicles feature a transverse engine, rather than the conventional longit ...
(FWD). The Zephyr uses a coil-over damper, short- and long-arm ( SLA) front suspension with double-ball-joint control arms while the rear suspension is an independent multi-link design with lower control arms and a stabilizer bar. Spring rates, bushings, and dampers have been specially tuned for the Zephyr to provide excellent ride comfort without compromising handling. All Zephyrs feature standard four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes with
traction control A traction control system (TCS), also known as ASR (from german: Antriebsschlupfregelung, lit=drive slippage regulation), is typically (but not necessarily) a secondary function of the electronic stability control (ESC) on production motor vehicle ...
. The sole engine offered in the Zephyr was an all-aluminum 3.0 L
DOHC An overhead camshaft (OHC) engine is a piston engine where the camshaft is located in the cylinder head above the combustion chamber. This contrasts with earlier overhead valve engines (OHV), where the camshaft is located below the combustion c ...
Duratec Duratec is a brand name of the Ford Motor Company used for the company's range of gasoline-powered four-cylinder, five-cylinder and six-cylinder passenger car engines. The original 1993 Duratec V6 engine was designed by Ford and Porsche. Ford ...
V6 producing 221 hp (165 kW) at 6250 rpm and 205 lb·ft (278 N·m) of torque at 4800 rpm. This engine was mated to an
Aisin is a Japanese corporation that develops and produces components and systems for the automotive industry. Aisin is a Fortune Global 500 company, ranked 359 rankings. Aisin is a member of the Toyota Group of companies. Aisin was founded in 1965 ...
6-speed
automatic transmission An automatic transmission (sometimes abbreviated to auto or AT) is a multi-speed transmission used in internal combustion engine-based motor vehicles that does not require any input from the driver to change forward gears under normal driving c ...
and had a final drive ratio of 3.46:1. This powertrain was identical to the V6 powertrain available in the Fusion and Milan from 2006 to 2009. With this powertrain the Zephyr could accelerate from zero to in 7.5 seconds. The FWD Zephyr came with a fuel tank and is rated to deliver in city driving and on the highway based on the revised 2008
EPA The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent executive agency of the United States federal government tasked with environmental protection matters. President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA on July 9, 1970; it be ...
fuel efficiency Fuel efficiency is a form of thermal efficiency, meaning the ratio of effort to result of a process that converts chemical potential energy contained in a carrier (fuel) into kinetic energy or work. Overall fuel efficiency may vary per device, wh ...
measurement standards. File:06ZephyrExt.jpg, 2006 Lincoln Zephyr File:06ZephyrInt.jpg, Front interior area of a 2006 Lincoln Zephyr


2007 revision

For 2007, the Zephyr was refreshed and renamed MKZ to follow a new
nomenclature Nomenclature (, ) is a system of names or terms, or the rules for forming these terms in a particular field of arts or sciences. The principles of naming vary from the relatively informal naming conventions, conventions of everyday speech to the i ...
developed by Lincoln that mimics the
alphanumeric Alphanumericals or alphanumeric characters are a combination of alphabetical and numerical characters. More specifically, they are the collection of Latin letters and Arabic digits. An alphanumeric code is an identifier made of alphanumeric c ...
naming schemes used by other luxury automakers like Mercedes-Benz. Management at Lincoln originally announced the MKZ with a "
mark Mark may refer to: Currency * Bosnia and Herzegovina convertible mark, the currency of Bosnia and Herzegovina * East German mark, the currency of the German Democratic Republic * Estonian mark, the currency of Estonia between 1918 and 1927 * F ...
-zee" pronunciation during the 2006 auto show circuit, but eventually changed it to the phonetic "em-kay-zee" due to confusion observed among focus groups and dealership personnel. The 2007 MKZ was first shown at the
Chicago Auto Show The Chicago Auto Show is held annually in February at Chicago's McCormick Place convention center. It is the largest auto show in North America. History Samuel Miles, formerly a promoter of bicycle shows, produced the first "official" Chic ...
in February 2006. In addition to its new name, the MKZ gained a number of changes over its predecessor. The standard and optional versions of the MKZ's 17 x 7.5-inch wheels were restyled. An intelligent all-wheel-drive system was now available, seamlessly distributing power to each wheel for optimum traction. Powering the MKZ, and taking a large step toward further differentiating the car from the Fusion and Milan, was Ford's new, all-aluminum 3.5-L
DOHC An overhead camshaft (OHC) engine is a piston engine where the camshaft is located in the cylinder head above the combustion chamber. This contrasts with earlier overhead valve engines (OHV), where the camshaft is located below the combustion c ...
Duratec 35 The Cyclone engine, also branded Duratec, is Ford Motor Company's latest DOHC family of gasoline V6 engines introduced in 2006. The Cyclone succeeds Ford's previous V6 engine families, including the Canadian built Ford Essex engine introduced in 1 ...
V6. The engine was tuned to produce 265 hp (196 kW) at 6250 rpm and 249 lb·ft (337 N·m) of torque at 4500 rpm. Significantly, the new engine needed only 87-octane regular-grade gasoline to achieve its output. Also, in spite of the MKZ's power advantage over the 3.0-L DOHC V6-equipped Zephyr, the fuel economy of the MKZ rivals that of the Zephyr at in city driving and on the highway in front-wheel-drive models. A road test by ''
Motor Trend ''MotorTrend'' is an American automobile magazine. It first appeared in September 1949, and designated the first Car of the Year, also in 1949. Petersen Publishing Company in Los Angeles published ''MotorTrend'' until 1998, when it was sold to ...
'' found that an MKZ equipped with all-wheel-drive could accelerate from zero to in 6.8 seconds and complete a quarter mile in 15.2 seconds at due to the more powerful engine and extra traction. One of the few other changes applied to the 2007 MKZ was a revision to the available
THX THX Ltd. is an American company that develops the eponymous high fidelity audio/visual reproduction standards for movie theaters, screening rooms, home theaters, computer speakers, gaming consoles, car audio systems, and video games. Founded ...
II-certified audio system to increase speakers to 14 and its peak output to 600
watt The watt (symbol: W) is the unit of power or radiant flux in the International System of Units (SI), equal to 1 joule per second or 1 kg⋅m2⋅s−3. It is used to quantify the rate of energy transfer. The watt is named after James Wa ...
s. Beyond the MKZ's changes, the car remained positioned as an entry-level luxury sedan with base models still starting at just under
US$ The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...
30,000 and fully optioned models remaining below $40,000. For 2008, the MKZ received new standard features as a part of Lincoln's continued effort to refine the car.
Sirius satellite radio Sirius Satellite Radio was a satellite radio (SDARS) and online radio service operating in North America, owned by Sirius XM Holdings. Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Tennessee, Memphis, Sirius ...
, perforated leather seats, a reverse sensing system, a tire pressure-monitoring system, and Lincoln SYNC (late availability) were all newly standard. For 2009, Ford's 'AdvanceTrac'
stability control Electronic stability control (ESC), also referred to as electronic stability program (ESP) or dynamic stability control (DSC), is a computerized technology that improves a car handling, vehicle's stability by detecting and reducing loss of Tract ...
system became standard, while a special edition "Midnight Black" package was available, featuring black leather seating surfaces and panels contrasted with
maple ''Acer'' () is a genus of trees and shrubs commonly known as maples. The genus is placed in the family Sapindaceae.Stevens, P. F. (2001 onwards). Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. Version 9, June 2008 nd more or less continuously updated since http ...
wood and satin nickel inserts.


2010 facelift

The 2010 MKZ was unveiled at the 2008 Los Angeles International Auto Show, revealing an extensive update with a revised interior and exterior in addition to new features. The MKZ's exterior featured revised front and rear fascias. The MKZ's headlights were new, while its fascia and split-wing grille closely resembled that of the
Lincoln MKR The Lincoln MKR concept car was a premium 4-door fastback sedan design, as introduced during the 2007 North American International Auto Show by Lincoln. Its chassis was based on the Ford D2C platform as used in the Ford Mustang. The MKR sig ...
concept. In the rear, the taillights have been revised to be longer and thinner, similar to the original Zephyr concept. The MKZ's standard and optional 17-inch wheels were restyled and featured an 18-inch wheel option. Inside, the MKZ's interior was revised, using real wood accents and metal surfaces.
Bridge of Weir Bridge of Weir is a village within the Renfrewshire council area and wider historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. Lying within the Gryffe Valley, Bridge of Weir owes its name to the historic crossing point th ...
leather seating surfaces were standard. Other features new for 2010 included a reverse camera system,
Sirius Sirius is the list of brightest stars, brightest star in the night sky. Its name is derived from the Ancient Greek language, Greek word , or , meaning 'glowing' or 'scorching'. The star is designated α Canis Majoris, Latinisation ...
Travel Link, a DVD-based satellite navigation system updated to accept voice commands, rain-sensing windshield wipers, a cabin air filter, and adaptive HID headlights. Mechanically, the MKZ featured suspension revised to improve ride quality and handling and a new 'SelectShift' six-speed
automatic transmission An automatic transmission (sometimes abbreviated to auto or AT) is a multi-speed transmission used in internal combustion engine-based motor vehicles that does not require any input from the driver to change forward gears under normal driving c ...
. The 2010 MKZ was released during the spring of 2009.


MKZ Hybrid (2011)

The 2011 MKZ Hybrid was unveiled at the 2010 New York International Auto Show, and sales began in September 2010. It is the first Lincoln
hybrid electric vehicle A hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) is a type of hybrid vehicle that combines a conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) system with an electric propulsion system ( hybrid vehicle drivetrain). The presence of the electric powertrain is intende ...
and the first Lincoln model with a four-cylinder engine; it delivers an
EPA The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent executive agency of the United States federal government tasked with environmental protection matters. President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA on July 9, 1970; it be ...
city rating of and a highway rating of , which made it the most
fuel-efficient Fuel efficiency is a form of thermal efficiency, meaning the ratio of effort to result of a process that converts chemical potential energy contained in a carrier ( fuel) into kinetic energy or work. Overall fuel efficiency may vary per device, ...
luxury sedan A luxury car is a car that provides increased levels of comfort, equipment, amenities, quality, performance, and associated status compared to moderately priced cars. The term is subjective and reflects both the qualities of the car and the ...
in the U.S. until the release of the 2011 Lexus CT 200h in March 2011. The Lincoln MKZ Hybrid carries over the
hybrid powertrain Hybrid vehicle drivetrains transmit power to the driving wheels for hybrid vehicles. A hybrid vehicle has multiple forms of motive power. Hybrids come in many configurations. For example, a hybrid may receive its energy by burning gasoline, but s ...
from the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan hybrids, including the 2.5-L
Duratec Duratec is a brand name of the Ford Motor Company used for the company's range of gasoline-powered four-cylinder, five-cylinder and six-cylinder passenger car engines. The original 1993 Duratec V6 engine was designed by Ford and Porsche. Ford ...
I4 with the electric motor producing a total of . The Lincoln MKZ Hybrid has an EV mode that allows the car to travel short distances on electricity alone, at speeds up to . The MKZ Hybrid offers an improvement of Ford's Smart Gauge with EcoGuide, first introduced in the 2010 Fusion Hybrid. The MKZ Smart Gauge version offered a new "Flower" design compared to the "Leaf" design of the Fusion. In essence, the car rewards the driver with flower blossoms for economical driving/driving habits. The Lincoln MKZ Hybrid is marketed by Ford as a competitor to the Lexus HS 250h and
Lexus ES The is a series of mid-size executive cars marketed since 1989 by Lexus, the luxury division of Toyota, across multiple generations, each offering V6 engines and a front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout. The first five generations of the ES use ...
Hybrid. As of July 2011, the MKZ Hybrid was the only hybrid in the market with the same price as its conventional gasoline-engine version. Ford reported that until June 2011, about 20% of 2011 MKZ sales have been hybrids, and the market share is even higher in markets where hybrids in general sell well, such as the Los Angeles region, where sales of the hybrid model represent 44%, and the San Francisco area, with a market share of 66%. The MKZ Hybrid base price is , and with popular options including a
sunroof A sunroof is a movable panel that opens to uncover a window in an automobile roof, allowing light and fresh air to enter the passenger compartment. Sunroofs can be manually operated or motor driven, and are available in many shapes, sizes and styl ...
,
navigation system A navigation system is a computing system that aids in navigation. Navigation systems may be entirely on board the vehicle or vessel that the system is controlling (for example, on the ship's bridge) or located elsewhere, making use of radio or othe ...
, blind spot monitors, a
THX THX Ltd. is an American company that develops the eponymous high fidelity audio/visual reproduction standards for movie theaters, screening rooms, home theaters, computer speakers, gaming consoles, car audio systems, and video games. Founded ...
surround-sound stereo, and a
backup camera A backup camera (also called a reversing camera or rear-view camera) is a special type of video camera that is produced specifically for the purpose of being attached to the rear of a vehicle to aid in backing up and to alleviate the rear blind s ...
, the price rises to . A complete redesign of the Ford Fusion line-up was scheduled for the 2013
model year The model year (sometimes abbreviated "MY") is a method of describing the version of a product which has been produced over multiple years. The model year may or may not be the same as the calendar year in which the product was manufactured. ...
. Both the Lincoln MKZ and the Fusion Hybrid are expected to use a new compact
lithium-ion battery A lithium-ion or Li-ion battery is a type of rechargeable battery which uses the reversible reduction of lithium ions to store energy. It is the predominant battery type used in portable consumer electronics and electric vehicles. It also se ...
pack and an updated powertrain that is expected to deliver a higher fuel economy up to 48 mpgUS (4.9 to 5.0 L/100 km; 56 to 58 mpgimp) highway. The next-generation Lincoln MKZ Hybrid was expected to be launched by mid-2012. The 2013 MKZ
concept car A concept car (also known as a concept vehicle, show vehicle or prototype) is a car made to showcase new styling and/or new technology. They are often exhibited at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or ...
was unveiled at the 2012 North American International Auto Show. The MKZ Hybrid was one of the five finalists for the 2011
Green Car of the Year The Green Car of the Year is a ''Car of the Year'' award from the ''Green Car Journal''. The winner is selected by an 11-member panel comprising automotive and environmental experts. Invited jurors have included Mario Andretti; Carroll Shelby, Ja ...
awarded by the ''
Green Car Journal ''Green Car Journal'' a monthly publication created in 1992, now published as an annual, focuses on green vehicles and environmentally friendly energy and technologies. The founder and editor is Ron Cogan. Co-founder and executive publisher thro ...
'' in November 2010, which was won by the
Chevrolet Volt The Chevrolet Volt is a plug-in hybrid manufactured by General Motors, also marketed in rebadged variants as the Holden Volt in Australia and New Zealand and the Buick Velite 5 in China, and with a different fascia as the Vauxhall Ampera in th ...
. In its 2011
Hybrid Scorecard The Hybrid Scorecard was created by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) to give consumers a comprehensive comparison of hybrid electric vehicles available in the U.S. market. The UCS Hybrid Scorecard ratings take into considerations fuel econo ...
, the
Union of Concerned Scientists The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) is a nonprofit science advocacy organization based in the United States. The UCS membership includes many private citizens in addition to professional scientists. Anne Kapuscinski, Professor of Environmenta ...
(UCS) ranked the MKZ Hybrid, together with the Lexus CT200h, as the top luxury hybrid models in the scorecard's environmental improvement category, an achievement the UCS attributed to their relatively small gasoline engines. Nevertheless, the Lincoln MKZ Hybrid ranked higher than the Lexus on all factors: consumer value, hybrid technology, fuel efficiency, and pollution reduction. Also, the UCS praised the MKZ Hybrid, together with the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, because both hybrids were available with few or no forced features that inflated the cost without adding to fuel savings or reducing emissions. The UCS's Hybrid Scorecard ratings for the MKZ Hybrid are higher than the nonluxury
Toyota Prius The is a car built by Toyota which has a Hybrid vehicle drivetrain, hybrid drivetrain, combining an internal combustion engine with an electric motor. Initially offered as a four-door Sedan (automobile), sedan, it has been produced only as ...
for environmental performance, and hybrid value; both are rated the same for forced features; and the Prius scores higher in fuel economy.


Second generation (2013–2020)

Ford redesigned the Lincoln MKZ for the 2013 model year, sharing the company's CD4 platform with
Fusion Fusion, or synthesis, is the process of combining two or more distinct entities into a new whole. Fusion may also refer to: Science and technology Physics *Nuclear fusion, multiple atomic nuclei combining to form one or more different atomic nucl ...
and
Mondeo The Ford Mondeo is a large family car manufactured by Ford since 1993. The first Ford model declared as a "world car", the Mondeo was intended to consolidate several Ford model lines worldwide (the European Sierra, the Telstar in Asia and Austr ...
. The concept model debuted at the 2012 North American International Auto Show. The production version of the second-generation MKZ was unveiled at the 2012 New York Auto Show. It followed the general concept idea released in the model displayed at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show. The MKZ was originally set to be released in November 2012, but this was set back to January after Fusion production was delayed, which is produced at the same plant. Its release date was again pushed back after Ford looked to iron out any possible quality issues. Some MKZs were even shipped from the Mexican facility to Ford's Flat Rock plant to be reassured and inspected that they were ready to be sent to dealerships. This was an unprecedented move for such a big product launch, but Ford felt it would be profitable in the long run. Cars finally started to reach dealerships in sufficient quantities by mid-March 2013. Ford offered the 2013 MKZ with three powertrains: a 240-horsepower EcoBoost 2-liter four-cylinder (FWD or AWD), a 300-horsepower 3.7-liter V6 (FWD or AWD), and a hybrid system based on the 2-liter power plant. The hybrid, like the previous-generation MKZ Hybrid, was available for the same price as the non-hybrid model. Given the model's significant redesign for 2013, changes to the 2014 MKZ were primarily limited to color choices. For 2015, automatic headlights, rear parking sensors and rear view camera became standard.


EPA ratings

The
US Environmental Protection Agency The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent executive agency of the United States federal government tasked with environmental protection matters. President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA on July 9, 1970; it be ...
(EPA) rated the 2013 MKZ Hybrid at with the same rating for combined/city/highway cycles. The 2013 model year 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder FWD automatic MKZ rating is combined, in the city, and on the highway. These ratings allowed the 2013 MKZ Hybrid to become the most fuel-efficient luxury vehicle in the U.S. and improve the fuel economy of the Lexus ES 300h hybrid by 5 mpg-US on the combined cycle. Despite sharing the same powertrain, the 2013 MKZ Hybrid rated 2 mpg-US combined less than its sibling, the second-generation
Ford Fusion Hybrid The Ford Fusion Hybrid is a hybrid electric vehicle, gasoline-electric hybrid powered version of the mid-size car, mid-sized Ford Fusion (Americas), Ford Fusion sedan (automobile), sedan manufactured and marketed by Ford Motor Company, Ford, now i ...
at . The 2017 MKZ Hybrid's EPA rating is in the city, and on the highway.


2017 facelift

The MKZ received a facelift for the 2017 model year. Revealed on November 18, 2015, at the
LA Auto Show The Los Angeles Auto Show is an annual auto show held at the Los Angeles Convention Center in early December. The LA Auto Show is an OICA sanctioned international exhibition. It is open to the public for ten days each year, filling of exhibit s ...
, the MKZ is the first to adopt Lincoln's new design language previewed earlier on the
Lincoln Continental The Lincoln Continental is a series of mid-sized and full-sized luxury cars produced by Lincoln, a division of the American automaker Ford Motor Company. The model line was introduced following the construction of a personal vehicle for Edse ...
concept car, featuring redesigned front grille and headlights. The 3.7 L V6 will be dropped in favor of an all-new 3.0 L twin-turbo V6 engine unique to Lincoln, producing between 350 and 400 horsepower depending on the drive-train. Trim levels include the standard model, plus Premiere, Select, Reserve and top level Black Label, which is three special appearance packages, a tradition started with the Designer Editions in 1976. The MKZ offers the "Vineyard" (unique to the MKZ), "Chalet", and "Thoroughbred" theme appearance packages. In continuing with Lincoln tradition,
Bridge of Weir Bridge of Weir is a village within the Renfrewshire council area and wider historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. Lying within the Gryffe Valley, Bridge of Weir owes its name to the historic crossing point th ...
"Deepsoft" leather is used for the Select and Reserve trim packages. The transmission is no longer activated with a center console installed transmission selector; the computer controlled transmission uses buttons installed to the left of the MyLincoln Touch infotainment touch screen labeled "P, R, N, D, S", a revival of an approach used in the 1950s by the Chrysler push button PowerFlite and the Packard Touchbutton Ultramatic. The "S" transmission selection represents "Sport" mode, where the Continuously Controlled Damping suspension, electric power steering and transmission shift points take on a different posture. The MKZ received no more major changes, with the new model years bringing new colors and a gradual diminishing of the lineup. For 2020, the car's final year on the market, only the Base and Reserve trims remained, with either Hybrid, Turbo, or V6 powertrains.


Sales


See also

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Lincoln-Zephyr The Lincoln-Zephyr is a line of luxury cars that was produced by the Lincoln division of Ford from 1936 until 1942. Bridging the gap between the Ford V8 DeLuxe and the Lincoln Model K (in both size and price), it expanded Lincoln to a seco ...
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Mercury Zephyr The Ford Fairmont is a model line of compact cars that was manufactured by Ford from the 1978 to 1983 model years. The successor of the Ford Maverick, the Fairmont marked the third generation of compact sedans sold by Ford in North America and ...


References


External links


Official Lincoln MKZ Page
{{Authority control All-wheel-drive vehicles Ford CD3 platform Front-wheel-drive vehicles
MKZ MKZ or mkz may refer to: * Lincoln MKZ, mid-size luxury car from the Lincoln Motor Company * Makasae language, a Papuan language (ISO 639-3) * Malacca International Airport in Malaysia (IATA code) * MKZ Medienkulturzentrum Dresden e. V. (Center fo ...
2010s cars Cars introduced in 2005 Hybrid electric cars Ford CD4 platform