It’s been a tough time for the 2015 Lincoln MKC. Actually, it’s been tough for any vehicle this winter, what with the almost continuous “Extreme Cold” warnings from Environment Canada and the unrelenting ice and snow challenging many Canadian drivers this year.

On the plus side, the Lincoln has not failed to start, and after a sympathetic 30-second warm-up, trudges off into the almost Arctic conditions without complaint. The six-speed automatic transmission shifts readily, there’s no unexpected noise from the engine, the steering doesn’t feel appreciably heavier than it does in warmer temperatures and the all-wheel-drive system pulls it through deep snow and slush without issue. It’s a trooper! You can rely on it.

Where I am finding some inadequacy is in the ancillaries. Even after warming up, for instance, the defrost system struggles to keep the windshield and front windows clear of fog or frost. Yes, I’ve had to scrape the side windows and sometimes the inside of the windshield on occasion as the defrost system, even set to maximum, has been left wanting in competition with the extreme cold outside the glass. We’re talking in the minus 25 to minus 30 range; very cold, but not unusual in my part of the world (Ottawa).

Similarly, the heated seats take forever to warm, and when they do, even set on “high,” they don’t do much beyond soften the leather upholstery. That could be due to my posterior, come to think of it.

Other winter foibles I’ve noticed are that the “hands-free” foot-operated liftgate soon stops working as debris builds up under the car, leaving you standing on one foot behind it, laden with groceries, waving the other foot under the bumper like an idiot as the liftgate seems to willfully ignore you.

Likewise the lens for the rear-view camera is quickly covered in spray from the messy winter roads. When it’s clean, it’s great, but it’s located just above the licence plate with no protection from the elements. Recently I drove the new Mercedes-Benz GLA and its rear camera is located in the same place, but it features a little motor that pivots the camera in order to protect it when not in use. The image inside the vehicle, therefore, is always bright and clear. Lincoln should feature such technology.

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Similarly, the headlights get dirty but the Lincoln lacks the washers found on many of its competitors, and the adaptive feature that can be so helpful (headlights pivot sideways as you corner). I’ve also noticed that the Blind Spot Information System is regularly disabled by road debris covering the sensors and the radar-based Collision Warning front accident avoidance system routinely chimes that it’s radar is blocked and it’s not working. I get various other beeps and chimes while driving, but by the time I check the instruments to see what the problem is, the text explaining them has disappeared. It’s kind of a needy vehicle, when it comes to these technologies.

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