Preview: 2015 Lincoln MKC

2015 Lincoln MKC. Click image to enlarge

Preview and photos by Dan Heyman

New York City, NY – A week before it’s revealed to the public at the 2013 Los Angeles Auto Show, Lincoln invited members of the press to the Big Apple for a preview of the upcoming 2015 Lincoln MKC crossover.

It’s the second vehicle (after the 2014 MKZ) to be designed in-house by Lincoln’s all-new design studio, which was a move by parent company Ford to reestablish the relevance of the Lincoln brand.

Good timing too, as the compact crossover segment is the second-fastest growing luxury segment in North America, according to the Lincoln brass on-hand. The fastest-growing luxury niche? Well, it just so happens that is the mid-size luxury segment, MKZ territory.

I was impressed by the MKC Concept when I saw it at last year’s North American International Auto Show in Detroit, MI, but I knew then that a lot of the really space-agey stuff would get axed, namely the out-there seats with their wild headrest supports, full-length sunroof and centre console that stretched all the way to the back seats on the concept.

Turns out I was right – those features are gone, along with the concept’s striking 20-inch rims – 19s are as big as they get for production. However, the production MKC remains a good-looking crossover, if a little derivative in the styling department. It reminds me of an Audi Q5, one of a handful of cars (along with the BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class, Lexus RX and Acura RDX) Lincoln has in its sights. Really, though, derivative styling happens all over the car landscape these days so I’ll forgive Lincoln here as they seem to have borrowed all the right derivatives, resulting in a sharp-looking car.

2015 Lincoln MKC. Click image to enlarge

The trademark split-wing grille first seen on the MKZ is present here, flanked on either side by nice, somewhat aggressive headlamp lenses with LED DRLs as standard.

Even from the front three-quarter angle, it’s actually the rear that draws your eye as the aggressively raked rear hatch makes for an impressive, almost sports-hatchback stance. This defining feature is made possible by an all-new hydroforming process used to shape the panels.

2015 Lincoln MKC. Click image to enlarge

Performed by Amino here in Canada, the hydroforming process allows panels to be shaped in different ways, according to Lisa Drake, Lincoln’s chief engineer.

“You can’t make (certain panels) with a traditional stamping process,” she said. “It also provides less stress and thinning of the sheet metal.”

Inside, you’re met with a cabin that is airy and futuristic thanks to details like a button-activated six-speed automatic transmission similar to that found in the MKZ, sharp lighting, two TFT screens – one atop the centre stack, one nestled between the gauges – and an upswept dash that recalls the grille up front. For the traditionalists, a smattering of open-pore wood trims the dash and door panels.

What the MKZ does have that the MKC doesn’t, however, is an all-touch centre console. With the MKC, it is replaced by a more traditional setup with buttons and knobs for your audio, infotainment and climate control needs. It’s a good thing, too, because I found the MKZ’s setup frustrating to use and overly plasticky in appearance. The MKC’s console treatment is how it should be. Oh, and to complement the dual TFT screens, there’s also a head-up display reflected off the windshield for your trip computer and other needs.

2015 Lincoln MKC. Click image to enlarge

Also new on the infotainment front is the removal of the subwoofer from the trunk, with bass now being channeled through the doors thanks to some new technology developed in partnership with THX, helping the MKC maintain the Lincoln standard of earning THX certification on their cars.

The gauge cluster-mounted TFT screen also provides access to the Lincoln Drive Control system, which allows you to select different damper settings – Sport, Comfort, and Normal – and in the MKC, adds a shift-control element as well; when in Sport mode, the transmission will downshift more aggressively to allow easier access to the power.

2015 Lincoln MKC. Click image to enlarge

Two four-cylinder engines will be offered; the familiar 2.0L turbo EcoBoost providing 240 hp and 270 lb-ft of torque and an all-new 2.3L unit that provides a strong 275 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque (equaling the output of the X3 xDrive35i), thanks to the addition of a twin-scroll turbocharger.

Drake explains that twin-scroll technology makes use of two different-sized exhaust inlets (as opposed to a single inlet on other turbo motors) to better recirculate exhaust gases back into the cylinder; at lower revs, gases pass through the smaller, more pressurized inlet while at higher revs, the larger inlet is used to allow more gases through. A different automatic transmission – still a six-speed, but with a different torque converter and final drive ratio – is paired with the stronger engine.

2015 Lincoln MKC. Click image to enlarge

It speaks to the performance aspirations of the MKC, as does the development of special Michelin tires specifically for the model.

“The tires have a little more rolling resistance, but stiffer sidewalls and better grip,” said Drake. They are also only available on all-wheel-drive models, which is fine for Canadians as those are the only ones we’re going to get, while a FWD version is available in the US.

While it’s nice to hear we’re getting more performance-oriented tires to complement the AWD’s torque-vectoring system, the styling of the wheels left a lot to be desired, especially considering how aggressive the rest of the car looks. There will be more wheel choices once Lincoln launches the MKC next spring, but you’d think they would have chosen a more stylish set than these, which appear to be taken directly from an Audi Q5.

No trim levels have been announced or detailed yet, but prices for the 2014 MKC will start at $39,940 in Canada, with standard features like AWD, Lincoln Drive Control, THX sound, 18-inch wheels, leather seating and sunroof.

These are some uncharted waters for Lincoln, but if you know one thing, you know that Canadians love their crossovers and love their AWD (they also really love their Escapes, on which the MKC is based) and if what various dealers at the event were saying is any indication, Lincoln could do quite well with the MKC.