Test Drive: 2013 Lincoln MKS

2013 Lincoln MKS. Click image to enlarge

Whichever engine you choose, the MKS gets a six-speed Selectshift automatic transmission, and for Canadian customers all-wheel drive is now standard (previously the base engine could be had with either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, as is still the case in the U.S.).

The suspension has benefitted from new adaptive, continuously controlled dampers, which help improve both ride and handling, and the brakes get big new vented discs up front, larger discs in the back, and bigger brake pads all around. On the road the suspension still seems tuned towards the soft side of the spectrum, at least in normal mode, though I found it perfectly competent. Pop the gear lever into sport mode and that all changes as the computers firm up the suspension, quicken the steering and raise the transmission shift points for a more engaged driving experience. There’s also a comfort mode available through the Drive Control menu, though I found it takes a while to master all of the menu systems in the big Lincoln – indeed, after a week I felt like I was just scratching the surface of what’s available through the various interfaces.

Inside, the Lincoln MKS is every bit as luxurious as one might hope, and my test car’s mocha-and-black interior colour scheme gave it a warm, clubby interior ambience. Lincoln uses Bridge of Weir leather for the upholstery in the MKS, which has a soft natural beauty thanks to its organic tanning process. It’s the same material found in many luxury aircraft and private yachts, and is also one of the most environmentally friendly leathers available on the market.

2013 Lincoln MKS. Click image to enlarge

The front seats are endlessly adjustable and very comfortable, and the outside rear seats are likewise accommodating, although the middle rear seat falls short, getting poor reviews from my passengers for backrest comfort (the backrest incorporates a fold-down armrest when the middle seating position isn’t in use). It’s perhaps a minor quibble, as most MKS owners won’t likely have three occupants in the back very often, but in a car this big I’d expect true comfort for five.

Up front, Lincoln has redesigned the dash for 2013, with sweeping lines replacing straight ones, and added a new steering wheel. Visually it’s a big improvement, aided by the fact that Lincoln has upgraded some of the materials and tightened up the fit and finish, too. To help clean up the centre stack, the traditional knobs for audio volume and climate control fan speed have been replaced by finger-swipe pads that echo Lincoln’s waterfall grille shape, but these controls, while slick in theory, didn’t seem to work that well in practice. No matter how anybody swiped at them, the controls didn’t seem to produce the desired adjustment. I just used the steering wheel controls and MyLincoln touchscreen instead.

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