[ddsski]

Well the MKC is gone but I want to make some comments on what was, to me, a very nice machine.
I bought imy 2015 Reserve 3/17 with only 17000 miles last year. This was my first American make car since my 1999 SVT Cobra (great powertrain connected to an obsolete frame).
I have no complaints about my MKC as they did a fabulous job that could have been refined in the upcoming mid life revision (but they failed). Bridge of Weir leather was EXCELLENT. Extraordinary ride and handling was great up to 8/10ths. Very comfortable, good controls, excellent motor!
Really the only weakness was the transmission which was lethargic (very smooth to a fault). It robbed performance and mileage. The revision should have used that beautiful ZF 8 speed and it would have allowed the motor to be properly tuned for the 305-325HP potential. Offer a 10-20% firmer sport suspension and you would have a serious player for those that cared to have an American alternative to Macan and now Stelvio. Why Ford did so little is beyond me. I traded it in not because I disliked the vehicle, but because I was a former Alfa 164L owner and one drive in a new Stelvio BLEW ME AWAY!!! They have reset the bar for small/mid SUV/CUV's that handle like sports sedans!! I don't need to hear people discuss reliability as my 1993 164L was perfect for 9 years. Some cars just need that little extra love to perform best. Go drive one. Visconti Verde is a drop dead gorgeous color. BTW with only 300 miles on odometer, I di my 375 mile trip at 75-80mph and got 30mpg from a 280 horse 2.0l that knockes out 0-60 in 5.2 seconds!! Amazing what things like a carbon fiber driveshaft can do for weight loss!!!!

 

[midnite cruiser]

Thanks for circling back for the post audit.
I agree with most of your assessment. I am thinking seriously about just putting Escape springs under the MKC - the sibling handles more crisply than the Linc.
Also it is clear you are an enthusiast, as I am, but there is a need to recognize the business aspect of all this. Market position, consistency is a big deal of course to develop brand loyalty. Lincoln is casting about on this. What is pretty clear is they are not shooting at Porsche, Alfa, et. al., but want to represent style and luxury value-maybe quieter and softer " old school" luxury than trying to make a sport sedan out of a tall CUV. (where ARE the sedans? or the luxury wagons, 'estates'?) . That said, I agree the trans now measures near-incompetent in this market.

 

[Husker]

I certainly agree that the trans desperately needs to be upgraded. As for sedans, I am still kicking myself for not knowing that the '17 MKZ had a new 3.0 twin turbo V6, that in AWD has 400 HP and 400 LB FT torque. I drove the FWD 350HP version as a loaner and it was a great driving car. Had I known that, I would be driving one of those right now. I traded from a Mustang GT for something more practical, and the MKZ would have been a great alternative.

 

[ddsski]

Make sure the spring rates are not just the same but the MKC is 200-300 lbs heavier. Short of hailing and traveling fully loaded just running the suspension in sport mode did wonders when carrying some heavy stuff. REALLY GREAT LOOKING CAR. , but to stay ahead you have to advance. Not why I sold car at all BTW.

My Stelvio is truly an amazing SUV. It has that ZF 8 speed which allows it (realize same weight as MKC, same HP as MKC) to perform rapid shifts in dynamic manual, yet be like butter in routine driving. Same tranny is in our RRS. Velvet.

 

[midnite cruiser]

Check on that ZF 8 speed. Wife's new Volvo V70 wagon has it mated to a 240hp turbo four that, on paper, is much like my MKC engine. The Volvo is both quicker and gets killer fuel mileage.

 

[ddsski]

Good luck to all. MKC is a great vehicle and the annals will prove it to be a hallmark American return to prominence vehicle I predict.

 

[kkreit01]

Good luck with your new ride. I agree with most of your assessment. The tranny is way behind times. We need at least 2 more gears to be competitive.



For me, the worse downfall on the MKC, is the ride. This vehicle rides worse than any other I've had for years. drive in "comfort mode", and it rides like a 1980s Buick -- floats and rocks over everything. In "Normal" and "Sport" modes, it jars your kidneys. If it was the only car you ever drove, you probably wouldn't notice it much. However going back and forth between it, and a Fusion, Durango, or Grand Cherokee, it's a night and day difference in ride.



The leather is great. Mine interior still looks brand new after almost 22 months and 25k miles.

 

[countryguy]

I've had 10 vehicles over the years and I find the MKC one of the best. I've had a Chrysler New Yorker, Buick Riviera, Toyota Solara, Lexus Is250, Toyota Venza and others. The leg room is great and thigh support very good. I can drive 10 hours and not be sore compared to some of the other vehicles. I guess it all depends on what you like and are expecting.

On the other hand, the leather is hard to keep clean. I am the only driver and for the most part rarely have passengers. The driver seat has become stained even though I regularly use the supplied leather cleaner as well as a store brand leather cleaner.