The 2011 Lincoln MKT bowls reviewers over with its comfortable, tech-laden interior. While its exterior styling raises some eyebrows, reviews love the upscale feel and stylish looks of the MKT’s cabin. Reviewers say that the MKT has few downsides.
Other Luxury SUVs to Consider
If you want to beat the MKT’s fuel economy, you’ll have to give up some size. The Lexus RX 350, though it only seats five, gets better fuel economy than the MKT and costs over $6,000 less. If you need the space in the MKT, want the power but can’t swing the price, you can get the Ecoboost engine in the Ford Flex and save about $5,000. The Flex provides three rows of comfortable seats and similar safety features, but it’s a much less luxurious vehicle than the MKT.
Details: Lincoln MKT
The 2011 MKT comes in two trims – the base and EcoBoost. The 2011 MKT is little-changed from the 2010 model.
Fast-forward a few decades and you'll find hints of those glory days in the 2011 Lincoln MKT luxury crossover.
The 2011 Lincoln MKT is a crossover luxury SUV offered in two trim levels: MKT and MKT with EcoBoost. Inside, you'll find leather seating, 12-way heated and ventilated power front seats, heated outboard second-row seats, power-adjustable pedals, driver memory settings, a tilt-and-telescoping steering column, tri-zone automatic climate control, retractable second-row sunshades, a rear 110-volt power outlet and an 8-inch touchscreen that displays audio and climate controls and the image from the standard rearview camera. The Elite package adds a panoramic sunroof, a blind-spot warning system, power-folding third-row seats, a 14-speaker surround-sound audio system and a voice-operated navigation system that includes Sirius Travel Link. Both MKT models can also be decked out with adaptive cruise control, a dual-screen rear-seat entertainment system and second-row heated and ventilated captain's chairs (which drops seating capacity from seven to six). The MKT EcoBoost can be further equipped with Ford's automatic parking system and a second-row console with refrigerator when equipped with captain's chairs.
Entry-level MKT models get a 3.7-liter V6 that puts out 268 hp and 267 pound-feet of torque. Front-wheel drive is standard, and with it estimated fuel economy is 17 mpg city/23 mpg highway and 19 mpg combined. Optional all-wheel drive reduces fuel economy to 16/22/18.
The same six-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel-drive system are standard. In performance testing, the MKT EcoBoost went from zero to 60 mph in a swift 6.3 seconds.
The 2011 Lincoln MKT comes standard with electronic stability control, antilock disc brakes, front seat side-impact airbags and side curtain airbags that cover all three rows.
Finally, the 2011 Lincoln MKT earned perfect scores in governmental frontal and side-impact crash tests, while the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the MKT its best score of "Good" in its frontal-offset, side and roof strength tests.
As large luxury people movers go, the 2011 Lincoln MKT is a pleasure to drive. The MKT EcoBoost V6 provides plenty of acceleration at virtually any speed, thanks in part to the six-speed automatic transmission's smooth shifts.
A long, low, wide barge on first glance, the MKT has the good fortune of sharing its running gear with the Ford Flex, and to some extent, the Ford Taurus and Lincoln MKS. The MKT also brings with its vast interior room and a classy,well-finished interior with nearly every entertainment feature either standard or available.
