Lurking beneath the elegant surfaces of the redesigned 2016 Lincoln MKX there is still a Ford Edge, the mention of which causes Lincoln emissaries to grit their teeth, smile effusively, and counter with, “just like Audis share components with Volkswagens.” We have heard Lincoln’s pitch before with the MKZ sedan, and then again with the MKC compact crossover and have yet to be entirely convinced that VW Group levels of product distinction have been made between Lincoln and Ford products.
They do on most luxury cars today, sensors and cameras proliferate, allowing the MKX to adjust its cruise-control speed automatically, park itself in both parallel and perpendicular spots, steer itself back into the lane if you start to drift over the yellow line, and provide a 360-degree view around the vehicle when you are backing up.
The suspension swallows bumps in a single compression and maintains good body control even against a stated curb weight of more than 4000 pounds. The electrically assisted steering, like that of most Ford products, is linear and precise, with appropriately isolated feedback. Sport mode stiffens things up nicely and makes the steering heavier, but it doesn’t move the suspension too far toward firm as in the MKZ.
