Here is a review written by a poster over at the Blue Oval forum, on the MKZ 3.5 AWD variant. As usual Ford has not delivered a well tweaked 3.5 engine.
This year the car gets a new name and a new engine. The new name, MKZ, is clearly a bad idea. When Lincoln is offering an MKZ, an MKX, an MKS, and so forth, you can count on consumers being just as confused as they were when Chrysler offered half-dozen different LeBarons. I know my cars, and I'm already saying MKX when I mean MKZ, and vice-versa. (I'll probably even do it while writing this review.)
Going into this test drive, I had more hope for the engine. The Zephyr made do with the latest (and perhaps last variation) of the 3.0 V6 introduced with the 1996 Taurus. The 3.0 was not competitive in terms of power or of refinement. The MKZ's all-new 3.5-liter V6 kicks out 263 horsepower using regular unleaded, so the specs look good. In addition, all-wheel-drive is now an option. Sadly, stability control is still not available, a major omission in this segment.
To find out how much difference the 3.5 and AWD make, I took a new MKZ for a spin.
Despite producing nearly as much power as the premium-requiring 272-horsepower 3.5-liter in the new Lexus ES 350, the new 3.5 in the MKZ does not feel nearly as strong.
Part of the problem might be that I sampled the 200-pound-heavier AWD version. But the Lexus ES 350 splits the difference between the 3,469-pound FWD MKZ and the 3,672-pound AWD MKZ, so this isn't much of an explanation. The real culprits are a overly stiff throttle (which suggests that you shouldn't push it too far), the throttle map, and I suspect the shape of the torque curve. Pushed near the redline the MKZ's 3.5 wakes up. Acceleration is especially energetic at highway speeds. But in the midrange it doesn't feel nearly as energetic as it should. In the Lexus, a bit of gas shoots the car effortlessly forward. In the Lincoln, you never feel the same solid, reassuring push in the lower back.
I've noticed a similar shortcoming in the 2.3-liter four used in many Fords and Mazdas, and in the old 3.0 as employed in the Mazda6 and Zephyr, for that matter. Ford has some learning to do on the subject of a pleasurable torque curve and the associated throttle mapping.
The 3.5 is about average in terms of refinement compared to other recently introduced V6s. It produces a conventional low, not overly loud roar when prodded. In comparison, Toyota/Lexus' 3.5 feels silky and sounds like money.
EPA ratings are 19/27 with FWD, 18/26 with AWD. These numbers are about average for this sort of engine in this sort of car. Direct injection would help: the Lexus ES 350 rates 21/30.
The six-speed automatic transmission is overly eager to upshift, and requires a fairly large prod at the gas to downshift, further emphasizing the engine's subpar midrange. No mechanism is provided to manually shift it; the only choices are D and L, not good considering there are six ratios to work with.
The all-wheel-drive system, on the other hand, worked surprisingly well. I found I could go full throttle at will. No matter how much the front wheels were turned, I never felt a tug at the steering wheel or heard a throttle-induced squeal from the tires.
A Lincoln should not only look different than a Mercury or Mazda. It should also drive differently. This has largely been achieved. Last year, even before leaving the dealership parking lot I could readily tell that the Zephyr had a significantly plusher, more insulated feel than the Milan or Mazda6. The Lincoln weighs about 200 pounds more than the Milan, and additional sound deadening material likely accounts for much of this difference.
Lincoln claims to have tightened up the suspension a bit this year, and even last year its behavior was far removed from the land yachts of yore. Still, once underway the Lincoln continues to have a softer, looser character than the Milan. Steering feel suffers a bit from the MKZ's additional dampening, but isn't entirely absent.
The chassis is still biased towards understeer, but the all-wheel-drive system helps get the most out of what it has to offer. This midsize Lincoln is not intended to be a driver's car, and isn't one. But the MKZ will take whatever you decide to dish out with aplomb, maintaining excellent composure up to its moderate limits. As you approach said limits, the outside front Michelin will begin to squeal. Back off the throttle just a touch, and the tire shuts up and the car keeps going. Even without stability control, the MKZ's handling is both very accessible and very safe. I'd still like to see stability control, as this highly recommended safety feature is standard on most competitors.
Ride quality is better than in the Milan, and much better than in the Mazda, but isn't quite to Lexus levels. Noise levels compare similarly. In this area the MKZ is about 85 percent of the way to where it needs to be.
Overall, the MKZ achieves a very reasonable compromise between a traditional Lincoln and a contemporary luxury-sports sedan. A Lexus ES, for example, has lighter steering, leans more, and loses its composure more readily (if much much readily than it did before the 2007 redesign), while an Acura TL or especially an Infiniti G35 is tighter and sportier.
The MKZ is clearly more Lincoln than Mazda, if anything too much so. Previous Lincoln owners seeking a more efficient, more maneuverable car will find much to like. And those who prioritize luxury and ride quality might find the midsize Lincoln an afforable alternative to a Lexus ES. But enthusiasts will likely find the instrument panel too traditional (though the darker interior helps a lot) and the chassis a bit over-insulated. Luckily for Lincoln, most buyers in this segment likely fall into the Lexus rather than the Acura camp.
The new engine is definitely an improvement, but it's at best average among today's generally excelent 3.5-liter sixes. The all-wheel-drive proved a more impressive addition.
I'm still not quite to four stars for the MKZ. A few tweaks to the engine and/or throttle calibration ought to do the trick, though. A better-shaped and -positioned rear seat cushion would also be a good idea.
http://www.epinions.com/content_262697553540
