2010 Lincoln MKT Test Drive and Review

along that have proven to be hits for the brand, like the original After meeting success with that model though, development stagnated and the car was left to wither in the marketplace.
Now comes a new period for Lincoln as it refocuses its direction. The MKT is an example of that new era for Lincoln, but is it everything a Lincoln should be? Let’s find out!
As Executive Design Director for Ford’s American brands, Peter Horbury created Lincoln’s new design language and was responsible for the originalconcepts. He also oversaw the adaptation of it to production vehicles like the MKS, updated He has now returned to Volvo as Vice President of Design.Whilst some judgements can certainly be made by viewing pictures, many times the case has proven to be different when viewed in real life. This design has proved to generate a wide range of reactions in the automotive world and blogosphere.Successful designs in the past have often caused that sort of a reaction. Take for instance, the BMW styling theme introduced by Chris Bangle. While I have never been a fan of that theme, BMW has gone on to become more successful than ever with the vehicles resulting from it.
 Classic American chrome accents play a big part on the exterior and interior alike on the 2010 LincolnThe huge waterfall grille dominates the front end, with a chrome border line that extends from underneath the base of the grille to beneath the front headlights. Luxury is about detail, and here the excels.
Other than the vertical grille, horizontal lines dominate – small chrome strips on the door handles, above the rocker panels, and engrained into therear taillighta horizontal piece itself Horizontal taillights are making a comeback at Lincoln, featuring prominently on theupdatedIt makes for a distinctive light graphic, especially at night. As a design cue, no-one canmistake that.
Something particularly striking about is the use of classic Lincoln cues in the crossover’s styling.The 1940 Lincoln Zephyr serves as inspiration for the winged Lincoln grille, and “birds beak” crease on thehood. The overall look is bold, exuding luxury and class a Lincoln and proud of it!

In personand I stress, in the right color the car takes on a different, far more dynamic personality than inpress photography. It retains much of the look that Concept displayed. For instance, from the side you can see the chrome-bordered expanse of glass that appears uninterrupted. On the inside however, thethird row has a separate window. The C-pillar has been blacked out and a black cover put into place to create an uninterrupted flow. It’s a nice design touch.
There are other things that aren’t immediately apparent from images – for instance the extension of the door rocker panels to the bottom of the vehicle, keeping the insides of the door clean.
In the beginning, I could be counted among those who felt the productiondidn’t live up the thepromise of the concept. After spending time with it and seeing it in person, that impression changed. I look forward to checking out variety of colors once it hits dealerships over the next few months.No-one is denying the is a polarizing design though – Lincoln intended the crossover to make a bold statement about the brand, which it has done. That said, nearly all feedback I have received has been good – particularly that from discerning crowds. I was consistently stopped by people asking when the Lincolnwould be on sale. Driving through the streets of downtown San Francisco resulted in head turns, bothfrom passersby and drivers of would-be rivals Audi, Mercedes, Acura and the like.

Spaceships don’t have keys. Cue the Shiny Toy Guns rendition of the classic David Bowie track Major Tom. Stepping intoreveals an entirely new interior approach for Lincoln, one that started with the sedan. Back in 2006 the Fusion-based Zephyr debuted. Since then, a lot has changed for Lincoln. The brand introduced a newnaming convention as well as a dramatic change in design direction never more evident than in the  interior.
The Zephyr’s interior was in the style of Art Deco with rigid, rectangular shapes and an upright center stack. Vestiges of this design period for Lincoln can be seen currently on the Lincoln NavigatorI quite liked the themehas broader appeal.

The overall design of the interior design is flowing, with the upper dash curving into the center stack that gets smaller heading into the cup holder area.

Whilst this was a preproduction tester, quality and attention to detail were top notch. The dash and door panels are covered with high-quality leather and panel gaps are tight. As I said before, luxury is in the details and small touches can be found everywhere; chrome-ringed speaker surrounds, control knobs and seat belt loops along with dual center console latches for driver and passenger.
The second row is dominated by the flow-through center console, a piece that extends from the center stack of the vehicle to a bit behind the bucket seats. From above, the view is particularly striking. The rear is as sumptuous a place as the front, with the seats heated or cooled to your liking. Simply put. the experience is as luxurious as they come.
If there is a complaint back here, it would have to be space. Unfortunately the dramatic rear roofline renders the third row seating pretty much a kid-only zone. However, the same can be
most similar vehicles on the market, albeit for different reasons like legroom At first the second row appears small due to the unique design and black color. That is not the case though, as space in all directions is generous.

At night the interior comes alive, with ambient lighting illuminating the front cup holders, footwells and the front and rear door panels. A button on the dash can cycle through the various colors or turn off the ambient lighting entirely if you so desire. Pictures of the night lighting can be found in our CarThrottle gallery of the