Platform sharing is not what it used to be. This practice, long widely used by domestic automakers who produced cars under different brand labels, is now a more sophisticated activity, and its that sophistication that allows Lincoln to take the bones of a Ford Edge and turn it into its MKX, the upscale vehicle you see here.
That's significant, because it takes a lot of work to compete in a mid-size crossover category against vehicles like the BMW M5 and Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class.
And there are more parallels between the MKX and those German models than you'd guess at first glance: this Lincoln comes with a lot of high-tech kit and can be optioned with a turbocharged engine, a trick that the German auto industry helped propagate.
For 2018, the MKX is unchanged, so the star of the powertrain show remains a 2.7L turbo V6 with 335 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque, figures that look good next to those for six-cylinder versions of the BMW X5 and Audi Q7. The MKX's standard power source is a 3.7L V6 that makes 303 hp and 278 lb-ft. Both engines come standard with AWD and a six-speed automatic transmission.
Lincoln makes the MKX in a pair of trim levels called Select and Reserve. Standard features include remote engine start, dual-zone automatic air conditioning, passive keyless entry, a part-digital gauge cluster with a customizable display, hands-free power tailgate, ambient lighting, power-folding side mirrors, HID headlights and LED taillights, SYNC 3 infotainment, power-adjustable steering column, 10-speaker stereo, Bridge of Weir leather seating, 18-inch wheels and a drive mode selector.
Reserve trim adds 20-inch wheels, adaptive headlights, ventilated front seats, panoramic sunroof, blind spot information sensors, navigation, heated rear seats, automatic high beams and a heated steering wheel.
Acura's MDX and the Infiniti QX60 are both a little bigger and boast three rows of seating, which Lincoln doesn't offer until you move up to the ungainly looking MKT. This is a nice vehicle to drive, particularly with the turbo engine, and has a nicely finished interior. The only piece of the puzzle we don't like is Lincoln's weird push-button gear selector.
While the 2.7L engine is the stronger of the two, its fuel consumption estimates are lower, at 14.1/9.8 L/100 km (city/highway); the 3.7L engine's ratings are 14.3/10.3.
This vehicle has not yet been reviewed
