With its big, brash, signature Lincoln grill prominently displayed on the elongated front fascia, a set of highly polished 20” rims, and a body that wont quit, the unique design of the Lincoln MKX can never be ignored.  Sharing the same platform as the Ford Edge, MKX is available in two trim levels: FWD at $39,765 and AWD at $41,615.
Each shares the same engine: A class leading a 3.7liter 305 horsepower V6 engine, accompanied by a smooth shifting six speed automatic transmission.

The result, a very smooth and powerful performance with a class leading fuel economy rating of 19 miles per gallon in the city and 26 on the highway, versus the competition: Infinity FX with a 305 hp engine, delivering 16 city/23 highway; Lexus RX350 with a 275 hp engine, delivering 18 city/25 highway and the 265 hp Cadillac SRX at 18 city/25 highway.  A thoughtful interior designer conveniently positioned everything between at a glance and an arm’s reach away. For example, the side mirror adjustment is positioned just above the power window controls–the front two of which are automatic on the down and up.

Driving directions to the address or point of interest you just spoke into the voice activated navigation system–they too appear on the dash, just to the right of the speedometer to help keep your eyes facing forward and rarely off to the side. MyLincoln Touch also allows you to control the entertainment system with specific details as finite as the genre of music to be heard. Between MyLincoln Touch and Sync, you have the ability to adjust the climate control and nearly every function on your phone via Bluetooth.

You can even call a picture from your phone to appear on the monitor. Extra cool points for the “My Temp” button that stores into memory the precise interior temperature of you desire. The heated seats are also cooled with a fan you can faintly hear blowing. Unlike many cooled or ventilated seat, this one you can definitely feel the cool air on your warm bottom. How refreshing! MKX offers both a dial pad on the door to lock and unlock, as well as the additional benefit of a sensored door that recognizes the proximity of your Lincoln MyKey. Through MyKey, speed limits can be set up to 80 miles per hour, audio volume to 45 percent of maximum and the fuel light appears at 75 miles to empty versus the norm of 50, all of which is designed to keep you bad ass kids from wrecking your whip! 

You’ll love the radar-based sensors in the rear quarter panels that scan blind spots. When oncoming traffic is detected BLIS (Blind Spot Information System) sends an LED lit alert to the side view mirror to confirm that a vehicle is on the approach. Cross-traffic alert uses the same sensors to detect moving objects within a 45-foot range from either side of the vehicle when the vehicle is in reverse. With the ability to detect obstructions as far as 15 yards away, an audible warning and a visual display in the corresponding mirror is sent to alert the driver. My only challenge with the MKX, which I also experienced in the Explorer and MKS, was the phone connection. There were times when I could not get the car to recognize that my phone was NOT in use. Throughout that time, the entire entertainment system seemed to freeze with nothing—music, phone, or anything at all to be heard.

Finally, I just disconnected my phone from the Bluetooth connection with one of those “what the hell” kind of looks on my face. As in most cases concerning technology, it very well could be chalked up to user error in terms of my unfamiliarity with the Ford’s Sony based entertainment systems.  In addition to the $39,415 base price of the 2011 MKX FWD, premium option packages are $2,500 and $7,500.

The test vehicle included $7,500 Premium Elite Package with the following options…

-Ambient lighting-Illuminated front door scuff plates
-Adaptive HID headlamps-Premium leather-trimmed seats with Tuxedo stripe and piping-Heated rear outboard seats-Rear view camera-Rain sensing wipers-Heated steering wheel 
-Power tilt and telescoping steering wheel with memory
-Voice Activated Navigation system with integrated SIRIUS Travel Link
-BLIS (Blind Spot Information System) with Cross Traffic Alert
-THXII Certified Audio System and HD radio with iTunes tagging
-Panoramic Vista Roof™ with dual power sunshades 
-20″ chrome clad aluminum wheels 

Of all the luxury crossovers out there, this one is definitely on my hot list!