Why did Lincoln’s first three-row crossover get such a bum rap? It had all the latest tech, a high-quality interior and an available twin-turbocharged V6 engine, all wrapped in… Ah, there’s the problem.
There have been uglier cars but, unfortunately for Lincoln, they weren’t in the three-row luxury crossover segment. Lincoln did the equivalent of putting on coral lipstick and aqua eye shadow and showing up to an elegant cocktail party. It had the refined bearing necessary to rub elbows with such company, even if its roots were blue-collar Ford, but its garish appearance did it no favors. MKT sales were always disappointingly low and now it’s finally been retired.
In telling you arguably the key reason the MKT failed in the first two paragraphs, it seems like there’s little left to say. It wasn’t helped either by a third row considerably more cramped than the related Ford Flex, plus a lack of continual updates. Let’s look, however, at what made the MKT an otherwise eminently capable crossover.
Where the MKT impressed was in its interior quality, as well as dynamics that were praised by critics. The MKT, like the Flex, used the D4 platform derived from Ford’s D3 platform, in turn an evolution of Volvo’s P2 architecture that dated back to the first-generation Volvo S80. Though the dynamics of the D3-based Lincoln MKS sedan were never particularly well-regarded, that car was up against a raft of sharp, athletic German sedans. The MKT may have added an extra 500 pounds in curb weight but the stakes were lower in the full-size crossover segment where even its German rivals couldn’t hide their bulk. Critics praised the MKT for feeling poised, comfortable and controlled.
Ford’s new EcoBoost 3.5 earned plaudits. The MKT, when equipped, was faster than some V8-powered rivals – it hit 60mph in around 6 seconds – yet provided superior fuel economy (16/22 mpg, later downrated to 15/21 mpg). It was even more fuel efficient than some naturally-aspirated V6 rivals, quite good for a turbo V6 that produced 355 hp and 350 ft-lbs albeit one shared with top-spec examples of the Flex. The standard Duratec 3.7 was exclusive to the MKT, however, and produced 268 hp and 267 ft-lbs. Both engines were mated to a six-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters, while all MKTs used electric power steering.
The EcoBoost was available exclusively with all-wheel-drive but the 3.7 offered a choice of front- or all-wheel-drive. Though the EcoBoost models didn’t add any more features over the standard 3.7, the extra $5000 was arguably still worth the outlay as the more powerful engine drank no more fuel than the AWD 3.7 and only an extra mile per gallon in the city and on the highway vis-à-vis the FWD 3.7.
Inside, there was plenty of Ford switchgear but the overall design was completely different from the Flex. With plenty of soft-touch plastics and stitching details, the MKT was considerably more elegant than the lesser Ford. Standard was a second-row, three-seat bench but a pair of power folding and tumbling bucket seats were optional. Like many rivals’ second-row seats, these were heated but, more unusually, they were also cooled. When second-row buckets were selected, the center console stretched all the way back to the second row. This extended console could also be equipped with a refrigerated compartment which, again, was a feature available on the Flex.
The MKT offered an impressive array of options, from an automated parking system to adaptive cruise control. More impressive were the standard features, which included a panoramic glass roof, 10-speaker THX-II-certified surround sound system, 12-way heated and cooled front seats, tri-zone automatic climate control, heated second-row seats, a power liftgate, and power-adjustable pedals. On many German rivals, a lot of these were bundled into expensive option packages. Lincoln was making the value play at the time, offering plenty of standard equipment at a price that undercut similarly sized and powered import rivals.
Right out of the gate, the MKT and its Ford Flex cousin ended up selling less than Ford had anticipated. Lincoln’s hopes were dimmed of taking a sizeable share of the full-size luxury crossover market but it had a second opportunity: the livery market.
Lincoln had dominated the town car market with, ahem, the Town Car. The discontinuation of the Panther platform in 2011 left Ford without a vehicle in the livery car segment and dubious offerings in the police and taxi markets. Lincoln first tipped their hand in 2010, revealing the MKT would serve as the Town Car’s replacement and then debuting the MKT Town Car at the 2011 International Limousine, Charter and Tour Show. Though a markedly different shape to the outgoing Town Car sedan, the MKT arguably made more sense as a livery car than the MKS, that sedan – like its Ford Taurus platform-mate – being somewhat deficient in packaging with an interior that was smaller than its huge exterior dimensions would suggest.
MKT Town Cars ditched the third row of the regular MKT. This allowed Lincoln to push the reclining second row bench 1.5 inches back. Also available was a rear seat amenities package which included a switch to allow rear-seat passengers to move the front passenger seat, as well as other niceties like a USB charging port and illuminated second-row vanity mirrors.
In addition to the Town Car, Lincoln also made stretch limousine and hearse versions of the MKT available. The limo used heavier duty suspension components and brakes, came only in all-wheel-drive, and could be stretched an additional 10 feet.
Though sales were underwhelming, the MKT and Flex were both treated to refreshes for 2013. The MKT was released simultaneously with the refreshed MKS full-size sedan and both had similarly wide, vertically-ribbed grilles. Inside, the center stack now used touch-capacitive controls, something which immediately drew the ire of critics and wasn’t universally appreciated by buyers. It’s telling that Lincoln, like Cadillac, started to move away from the new-fangled controls after just a few years.
The MKT also gained a new powertrain for 2013, albeit only in Town Car livery models and only with front-wheel-drive. A 2.0 turbocharged four-cylinder producing 235 hp and 260 lb-ft, the new special order engine provided livery buyers with superior fuel economy – 20/28 mpg (23 combined), compared to 17/24/19 mpg for the FWD 3.7. For 2013, the EcoBoost 3.5 also gained another 10 horses.
The 2013 refresh cleaned up the front-end and classed up the interior but it failed to turn around the MKT’s sagging sales. After this point, Ford stopped investing in it. Thereafter, the only changes were detail ones – Ford’s new Sync 3 system for 2016, a new, MKC-style horizontally-ribbed grille for 2017, the adoption of Premiere and Reserve trim names for 2018, and the axing of the front-wheel-drive, 3.7 variant for 2019. With the introduction of the three-row Aviator, the MKT has ended production. One wonders where Lincoln will direct livery buyers now.
The MKT had perhaps one other flaw, and it was more so a positive attribute of the Flex. Though the MKT was differentiated from the Flex with radically different interior and exteriorstyling, a bigger base engine and the 2013 addition of Lincoln Drive Control, the Flex could still be equipped with all the luxury mod-cons available in the MKT. That included multiple sunroofs, in-console refrigerators, ventilated front seats, and the like. As plenty of Californians will tell you, the Flex was also much more desirable than the MKT, even if its interior was more low-rent.
With the MKS and MKT, Ford finally invested in giving Lincolns radically different interior and exterior styling. While the MKS had built-in appeal being another large, comfort-oriented sedan with a Lincoln badge, the MKT was new territory for the brand. To lure buyers away from import luxury brands, Lincoln really had to nail the MKT. It managed to be well-built, nicely-appointed, loaded with all the features expected of a car in its class, relatively fuel-efficient, powerful (with the EcoBoost) and dynamically competent.
But that wrapper…
Photographed in Midtown Manhattan in September 2018.
Related Reading:
Future Classic: 2009-16 Lincoln MKS – Bull In A Fine China Shop
Curbside Classsic: 2007-12 Mazda CX-7 – How Hard Can It Be To Make A Crossover (Part 1)
Great article as usual Will! As you suggest early into it, styling is predominately to blame for the MKT’s failure, but perhaps the way you put it is even being too polite. With the MKT, I feel like there was always one huge elephant in the room: it looked like a hearse.
Even in its initial, more civilian form, the MKT was marred by its somewhat neoclassical styling and unflattering proportions, which it inherited from the Flex. This hearse quality was only exaggerated once Lincoln started selling the MKT Town Car, most of which were black, as well as the car’s sinister 2013 facelift.
The MKT may have offered a lot for the money, but to conquer luxury car buyers from other brands, style cannot be overlooked as first impressions are everything.
Yes, it is a successful hearse, along with other livery usage.
When Ford interviews potential candidates from other states, the limousine they order is almost always a Lincoln MKT, in the most recent ten years.
Other than that, MKT almost misses all the targets
” With the MKT, I feel like there was always one huge elephant in the room”…the car itself! Har-de-har…
And in fact, the most recent funeral of a close relative I attended used a modified MKT as the hearse.
The MKT concept car had a better resolution with the roofline. It was dramatically different on the production version.
https://cdn.motor1.com/images/mgl/jB03l/s3/lincoln-mkt-concept.jpg
1st impression – An update of the late 40s/early 50s elephant Packard.
2nd impression – 1st impression too charitable. The Lincoln is uglier.
These are a rare sight in this part of the world, but given their sales they are rare in most places.
That said, I did see a warehouse full of these at the CC Nashville meet up. That Saturday morning greeted me with some unpleasantries (meaning the CC Detroit meet up wasn’t the first one where I’d been sick) so after walking next door for aspirin and some Pepto-Bismol, I walked some more to get the bad karma out of my system. Near our hotel was the home base for a livery service and there were a good twenty of these parked inside, with several more outside, all having been stretched.
Frankly, the bulk of these I’ve seen have been stretched. A regular version might be a great used car buy.
” A regular version might be a great used car buy.”
I had the same thought. I have not researched their reliability, and all of the electronic gadgetry would scare me, but this could be a great bang-for-the-buck purchase.
For what I see within 150 miles of me, I can think of worse deals. A 2019 with 11,000 miles for $38k? Yep. And a person could talk them down from there I’d imagine.
https://www.carsforsale.com/Search?SearchTypeID=2&Make=Lincoln&Model=MKT&ZipCode=65109&Radius=150&Conditions=&PageNumber=1&OrderBy=Relevance&OrderDirection=Desc
Yes, Jason! Here in Las Vegas, I would venture that 100% of the MkT I see are either stretched or the “Town Car” version, all in livery service. Upon the death of the REAL Town Car, FoMoCo pushed the MkT as their livery vehicle.
I don’t believe I’ve ever seen the civilian version.
Interesting, I don’t think I’ve seen more than one or two stretched versions, but I do see standard length Town Car versions heading to and from the airport fairly frequently but the Suburban now has most of the Town Car market in my area.
Another deadly sin about these: the name. Lincoln got all tied up with three letter acronym names that stood for nothing, and meant nothing. You had to have a program, and too many people just didn’t bother.
And that roofline.
William,
Could you please provide a link to Part 1, as I’ve missed it.
Thanks.
Now that you mentioned it, I seem to have missed it too.
Added in the “Related Reading” section at the end of the text.
Ever the outlier, I liked these from day 1. Except for the front, I have not cared for any iteration of the front end. But I found the general shape to be attractive. But then I thought the minivan was going to be a niche vehicle.
These are rarely seen, one of those things that makes me notice whenever I do see one. In fact I had forgotten that they were still being made. And am surprised at how long they were in showrooms (or probably still are, given their slow sales rate).
These were the ugly ducklings of Ford’s corporate lineup for quite some time. I actually managed to sell a leftover 2012 to an older woman who’s daughter essentially gifted it to her. It was a fully loaded EcoBoost model and they got it at a significant discount.
I have driven one and they were great to drive and had a nice interior. My only negative interior impression was due to the one I was in smelling like Cheetos but that had to do with the Stoner Son of the woman who owned the thing. Outside ugly.
I would have loved these more if Ford had found ways to make incremental improvements in the drivetrain to get a little better fuel economy. An honest 25 mpg on the highway would have made these a compelling buy.
I think the ugliness is over-rated. It’s not any worse than a lot of similar vehicles. Though the 3/4 front view picture of the white 2013 refresh version does scream “Pontiac Vibe” to me. As in most other parts of the country, not common here in California and then almost always in livery use. Black livery cars are rarities here, and many are still Town Cars of the pre-MKT variety. Others that I see are Prius V and Avalon Toyotas, Navigator, Expedition and Escalade, and Tesla Model S.
I dont think it’s ugly at all!! still see them daily here in ny.
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Prior to reading this, I’d never given much thought to the MKT at all — their status as black airport liveries means that they’re both ubiquitous and invisible. But aside from the oddly sticking-out nose, I haven’t found them particularly unappealing from an appearance standpoint.
I’d love to know just what proportion of MKTs have been sold to fleets.
While the exterior is a challenge to look at, my guess is that the rock-bottom residuals made these a hard sell as a new car, especially as a lease. Of course, that’s what makes the MKT a good used car value, too. Still, I just can’t get past profile.
Don’t care for the beak in the front nor the long expanse of the rear taillight and reflector assembly. Frankly I wonder what stylists are thinking at times? Do they ever use focus groups to find out whether consumers go ahhhh or yuckkk?
Diaper butt styling language. These looked like an awkward hearse conversion of a MKS, just poorly thought out, strangely proportioned and just plain dumpy. I hate crossovers, but these were undoubtedly worse than average.
I actually like the styling of the MKT since it is different from what else is out there. Thank you for the writeup. Shame that Lincoln called this the MKT instead of an actual name.
I bought an Ecoboost MKT last year and tuned it with a Livernois package. Thing is true sleeper and has been very reliable so far. Bought certified pre-owned at a Lincoln dealer for $23k with 66k miles (now has 81k). It has a great ride and comfortable to drive. Maintenance has only been wearable parts and since it’s a Ford, not too expensive (esp. when compared to my ’03 Audi RS6… that will bankrupt you). I considered the type of folks that would initially purchase a Lincoln and figured it was a safe bet to pick up a used one. The MKT isn’t easy on the eyes, but I really do enjoy it.
A lot of hearse purists hate MKT hearses. You might even say they wouldn’t be caught dead in one. Personally, I find most MKT hearses to be better proportioned than many modern car based hearse conversions. The reason being that just about all coachbuilders have abandoned the concept of “commercial glass” — i.e. a taller greenhouse that was used to give car-based hearses good proportions. I think it’s nearly impossible to design commercial glass that works with today’s angled A-pillars and jellybean shapes. Instead, they just slice off the roof of an XTS or Chrysler 300 and weld on a bulbous cap that looks like a huge tumor growing on the back of a sedan. The MKT is tall enough that the mods necessary to make a hearse don’t clash so much with the basic shape of the vehicle.