LINCOLN MKZ OFFERS RARE PAIRING OF LUXURY, ECONOMY
With the offer of a Lincoln MKZ hybrid as a media test vehicle, my wife Rita and I decided to drive to Winnipeg for the Easter long weekend.
It had been a while since we had visited the Manitoba capital, and this mid-sized Lincoln seemed like a comfortable and leisurely way to make the trip.
The MKZ shares a body with the Ford Fusion — but the Lincoln version has its own styling touches, like a large Lincoln grille up front, thin narrow tail lights and more luxury touches inside. This test vehicle had lots of options, including the technology package ($2,450) and the luxury package ($5,500), which helped pushed the price from a basic $48,450 to $63,200.
Interior quality is excellent. I like the dash-mounted pushbuttons for selecting gears (similar to some 1960s Chrysler products), and the ride is very smooth, quiet and comfortable.
Driver position is outstanding, thanks to the power seats (heated and cooled) and the electrically adjustable steering wheel column.
The hybrid version — which has both a 2.0 L gas engine and an electric motor — provides the added bonus of improved fuel economy.
According to the Natural Resources Canada 2018 Fuel Consumption Guide, the MKZ hybrid sips 5.7 litres of fuel for every 100 kilometres in city driving, about half of the 11.8 L/100 km for the gas-only fourcylinder MKZ. The three-litre six-cylinder gas version of the MKZ drinks 14 L/100 km.
The hybrid is also more economical on the highway, although the difference is not quite as dramatic. The hybrid is rated at 6.2 L/100 km, the fourcylinder gas engine is 8.4 L/100 kms, and the six-cylinder is 9.2 L/100 kms.
As we head east on the TransCanada Highway from Regina to Grenfell (120 km), I set the cruise control at 100 km/ h and get 7.1 L/100 km, or 39.8 m.p.g. On the stretch from Grenfell to Brandon, (240 km) I was going at 114 km/ h, and, as expected, fuel consumption dropped, specifically to 7.6 L/100 km.
For the Brandon-to-Winnipeg stretch (210 km), I press the dash-mounted “Eco Mode” button. This device claims to improve mileage. The trade-off is that in Eco mode “You will notice softer acceleration” according to the manual.
It’s true — in Eco mode the Lincoln is more sluggish, but at 114 km/ h from Brandon to Winnipeg, mileage improved to 7.4 L/100 km.
But the real attraction of hybrids is city driving, where mileage is better than on the highway — the opposite of gaspowered vehicles.
How well would this luxury hybrid do cruising around Winnipeg ? We went to the Canadian Museum of Human Rights at the Forks, and we also did some shopping in places not found in Regina, including Ikea, Michael Kors and Saks Off 5th. The Jets were on the road, but I went to an AHL game between the Manitoba Moose and Toronto Marlies at the Bell MTS Place.
In city driving, the MKZ hybrid averaged 8.0 L/100 km overall — although my best stretch for city driving was 4.5 L/100 km, or 62 mpg.
While driving style is a major factor in fuel economy, there was another thing: it was an unusually cold, winter-like weekend in Winnipeg, with temperatures about 15 degrees below normal and a wind chill of -25 to -30.
Hybrids don’t like extreme weather. As the operator’s manual says “You may notice higher engine speeds upon startup. This temporary condition is normal and necessary to heat up the cabin and minimize emissions.”
Indeed, usually the gas engine quickly fired up no matter how gently I touched the “gas” pedal.
The manual says several conditions will cause the gas engine run, including “Very high or low outside temperature (to provide system cooling or heating)” or “Engine not warm enough to provide passenger requested cabin temperature.”
I have driven similar hybrids in moderate weather, and, when driving slowly, it can take some time for the gas engine to kick in — usually when I press the gas for quicker acceleration. Going slowly on quiet crescents in suburbia can result in only the electric motor providing power. But not so in cold weather.
With the temperatures that weekend in Winnipeg near
-30, we were indeed requesting heat — for the seats, the steering wheel and the cabin. No wonder the gas engine kicked in so promptly. It would have been a different story if it had been warmer and there was no reason to request heat.
The gas engine on the hybrid was entirely adequate for expressway merging and highway driving. But this is not a hot rod Lincoln. If you prefer to be quick off the line — and don’t mind stopping for gas more frequently – go for a gas-only version.
Unlike other brands, Lincoln does not charge a premium for its hybrid models — the price is the same for either the gas or hybrid version.
If you want a mid-sized luxury car, consider the Lincoln MKZ — and go for the hybrid if you’re not in a rush, and you’re looking for better than average fuel economy, depending on the weather. It’s a rare combination of luxury and economy.
Dale Edward Johnson is a member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada. Tested vehicles were supplied by Ford of Canada, and the automaker did not review or approve this article before publication.