TOP

• Excellent all-wheel-drive handling
• Less expensive than its competitors
• Well thought out, easy to use technology features

            BOTTOM

• Exterior styling has to grow on you

            Completely new for 2009, the MKS replaces the Town Car as Lincoln’s new flagship sedan. The new Lincoln has a modern design that that incorporates traditional elements such as the double-wing grille that sweeps up into the headlights and the subtle kick-up over the rear wheel that recalls cues from the past. The interior features a symmetrical instrument panel with fewer break lines than other luxury cars, and a flow-through center stack with integrated information screen at the top. After a week with the 2009 Lincoln MKS AWD I’ve compiled a brass-tacks list of highly technical scientific data based upon observations, experimentation, tabulations, inspections and so forth. Here we go:

            The 2009 Lincoln MKS AWD exceeds expectations
            I first laid my eyes on the new 2009 Lincoln MKS last October on a trip to Dearborn, where it was sitting in the back parking lot of the hotel I was staying at. I can’t recall the sight of it making any huge first impressions other than, “Oh, new Lincoln. Okay where’s the pool?” So when I found out I was getting the new Lincoln MKS AWD to test out a week before Christmas, I was intrigued, but not overwhelmed. And then it snowed, and snowed, and snowed some more. I live five blocks from an arterial street on top of Queen Anne – neither of which had been plowed – and some of the snow had just beaten into an icy slushy submission. I had serious doubts the delivery service would even be able to make it to my house, and even more doubts that I would be able to make it off the hill without some serious damage to me and the car. Visions of a Town Car spun off into the ditch of I-5 three nights before where coming to mind. There it was, right on time, in all its tuxedo black metallic glory with 19” rims. Now I’m looking at the 19” rims and thinking to myself, “Okay, maybe I’ll only be stuck at home a couple of days.”

            For the first hour or so I entertained myself in the driveway with playing with all the technology equipment. The Sync system is ingenious, I must say. It was able to connect to my phone’s Bluetooth and download the phone book, connect to my iPod and download the playlist, and it took about three minutes to figure out how to do it – and I didn’t even have to pull out the owner’s manual. The Navigation system is just as intuitive to use. The interior ergonomics are clean and simple, with a look and feel you’d expect to see in a Lexus. There’s tons of legroom front and back. The seats are nicely supported, and the trunk’s huge. Even better: you don’t feel like you’re a driver for a car service, because the MKS has a nice contemporary look to it. The dual panel moonroof is also a nice feature. It’s HUGE!

            So after about an hour of playing with the Navigation and THX surround sound system and the heated and cooled seats, I figured I’d try driving down the block, figuring if I got stuck I could just walk home. Let me tell you, the Lincoln MKS AWD is a beast in the snow. I got everywhere – up and down Queen Anne, picked my sister up on Capitol Hill to take to my parents for Christmas in Edmonds – I even took a friend to get snow tires on her Subaru Outback because she kept on sliding around. I didn’t have a problem, even coming home Christmas night when the city still hadn’t plowed the streets, and it turned from compact snow and ice to a foot of mushy slush and ice. Once the snow turned to rain and I could change my driving from defensive of offensive and put my foot into the 3.7-liter 273-hp V-6, I found it extremely responsive. The handling characteristic of the MKS AWD are on par with that of its European and Japanese counterparts – think Lexus GS350. I liked the car, I liked the look and feel (it grew on me), and I liked the price.

            OK, for a base MSRP of $39,590 for the all-wheel-drive model, what do you get?
            The 2009 Lincoln MKS AWD comes with a base price of $39,590. The test model came with the “Ultimate Package,” which added an additional $5,715 to the price tag. With a total MSRP of $46,105, the 2009 Lincoln MKS AWD is still less expensive than its competitors, but has options that would make them jealous. A quick look at the favorites includes:

            Performance

• 3.7-liter 273-hp V6
• Six-speed automatic transmission
• All wheel drive with advanced traction control
• 18” wheels

            Safety

• Dual stage front airbags
• Side curtain airbags all rows
• Four-wheel antilock disc brakes
• Tire pressure monitor
• Reverse sensors
• Fog lamps
• HID headlamps with delay
• Reverse sensing system
• S.O.S post-crash alert

            Comfort and Convenience

• AM/FM six-disc in-dash CD changer with six-speaker audio system
• SIRIUS satellite radio
• SYNC voice activated system
• Twelve-way power driver and passenger seat
• Heated and cooled front seats with driver’s memory
• Heated rear seats
• Dual zone climate control
• Universal garage door opener
• Leather wrapped steering with tilt and cruise control.
• Power windows, locks and mirrors

            Additional Charges

• Ultimate Package: Technology package, Navigation system, 19” wheels and tires, rain-sensing wipers, dual panel moonroof, adaptive headlamps with auto high beam, forward sensing system, voice activated navigation, push button start, rear window power sunshade, rear view camera, THX-II sound system with 5.1 surround, ultimate leather seating ($5,715)
• Destination and delivery ($800)