Find the best price deals on a 2012 Lincoln MKX SUV.
Unlike the Chevy/GMC relationship, the Ford/Lincoln one often results in very different results, even when sharing the same platform. the Lincoln MKX has been around since the 2007 model year, and is still in its first generation. It is a midsize luxury crossover SUV, and did undergo a facelift for the 2011 model year. Changes are minor for this year.
The Lincoln MKX shares its platform with the very popular Ford Edge. Usually, this results in the models being so similar that a simple nameplate change would easily fool a buyer into thinking one was the other. The MKX, though, is a different vehicle because of its luxury status. Basically, the exterior design is different, and the cabin is definitely a luxury cabin, both in appearance and ride quality.
The 2012 Lincoln MKX comes in one well-adorned trim. It has a 3.7 liter, V6 engine that produces 305 horsepower and 280 foot-pounds of torque. It has 18-inch alloy wheels, P245/60R18 all season tires, front-wheel drive, and a 6-speed shiftable automatic transmission. It is rated at 19 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway. It can tow up to 3500 pounds.
The Lincoln MKX comes with a leather-covered, tilt-telescope steering wheel that contains the audio and cruise controls, heated front bucket seats with 8-way adjustment, height adjustment, and lumbar support, split-folding, reclining rear seats, leather upholstery, keyless entry, power windows, power mirrors, power locks, 12-volt outlets in the front, rear, and cargo areas, power steering, and a universal remote for security systems and garage door openers.
It also has 2-zone climate control divided between driver and front passenger, alloy trim on the console, dash, and doors, leather and chrome trim on the shift knob, 2 memorized driver settings, a trip computer, a chrome grille, a rear spoiler, a rear defogger, a rear wiper, privacy glass, a rear power liftgate door, automatic headlights, and foglights.
The audio system has 10 speakers, a video monitor, audio and video input, AM/FM/satellite radio, a CD/MP3 changer, an audio jack, a USB/iPod input, a memory card slot, 6 months of included Sirius satellite radio, and Bluetooth. The entertainment is interfaced by MyLincoln Touch and Sync, which is a second generation version of the Ford Sync system.
There are a lot of extra safety features on the 2012 Lincoln MKX. It starts with the five modern standards: ABS, stability control, traction control, side front airbags, and side curtain airbags. The MKX also has brake hill holder, rear parking sensors, the MyKey system that allows owners to program a second key with limitations on speed and audio system volume for younger drivers, and a post-collision safety system.
Conclusions and driver feedback:
First of all, the interior is gorgeous. It is a luxury interior, and differentiates itself from the Edge with its design and materials. The materials are all high-quality and soft-touch. The trim and leather make for a very prosperous environment. The dash is modern, with a lot of controls and gadgets. Some are confused by the amount of controls and buttons, but quickly adapt.
The MKX seats five, and there is a lot of room in all of the seats. The combined head and legroom in the front seat is 80.7 inches, while the back seat gives you 78.9 inches of total stretch. There are 32.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the seats. If you fold the rear seat down, you get a total of 68.6 cubic feet.
The MKX, being a luxury SUV, doesn’t really give sporty performance. The steering is easy and accurate, and the suspension is tweaked for passenger comfort. That produces a bit of body roll while turning. The ride quality is great. As long as you don’t opt for the sport package, the ride is comparable to a typical US luxury car. The cabin is very quiet, with almost no road, engine, or wind noise.
The MKX is heavy, though, and it does steer and react like a big vehicle. All in all, it is a great vehicle to drive in a straight line. It is very comfortable for virtually any driving situation from commuting to long trips, and it is a very reliable vehicle that gets you from point A to point B with a minimum amount of drama.
The verdict: highly recommended.
Options and miscellaneous caveats:
The first option is all-wheel drive, which drops mileage down to 17 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the highway. Modern AWD is especially safe for driving in inclement conditions, and acts as an extra version of stability control.
There are a lot of exterior options, starting with 20-inch chrome aluminum wheels. You can also get a panoramic vista roof, side rails, and various grades of paint. A very nice safety option is adaptive cruise control. ACC adapts your cruising speed to allow for cars in front of you. If someone passes you and slows down once they get in your lane, ACC will slow your vehicle to their speed and maintain a safe distance. Collision warning is self-explanatory. It warns the driver when the MKX is about to run into something.
To make de facto higher trim levels, you can add packages. The Premium package will give you adaptive xenon headlights, heated second-row seats, upgraded leather upholstery, a heated power steering wheel, a rear-view camera, and 18-inch polished alloy wheels.
The Elite package gives you all of the above, plus the blind-spot warning system, the panoramic sunroof, 20-inch chrome wheels, and a 14-speaker surround sound system. The Elite package comes with a HD-based navigation system, HD radio, 10 GB of music storage, and realtime weather and traffic from Sirius.
There is a Limited Edition Elite that adds even more highly upgraded bronze leather upholstery, 20-inch polished alloy wheels, textured trim, and monogrammed floor mats.
If you get either package with the 20-inch wheels, it will degrade the ride quality to a point where it is no longer a luxury ride. It will be close, but not quite the Lincoln ride most repeat customers expect.
If you can handle the technology and the controls, this is a very fine SUV.
Related posts:
- 2011 Lincoln Town Car Signature Limited – Cheapest Prices, Specifications & Review
- 2011 Lincoln MKX Base Review & Cheapest Prices
- Cheapest Price Deals 2011 Lincoln Navigator Review & Ratings
- 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid Review & Cheapest Price Deals
- Cheapest Prices on 2012 Ford Edge SUV’s and Review
