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Premium midsize car; Built in
  • 4-door sedan
  • transverse front-engine/front- or all-wheel drive
Good condition price range: $17,200 – $29,100*


2013 Lincoln MKZ


2013 Lincoln MKZ


2013 Lincoln MKZ

Pros:
  • Acceleration
  • Quietness
Cons:
  • Control layout
  • Interior materials

This Lincoln doesn’t match most premium-midsize rivals for overall refinement or driving engagement, and the MyLincoln Touch control interface can be confounding to use and glitchy at times. As a luxury touring car, the MKZ makes sense for buyers looking for a hybrid or for those who put a premium on traditional American brands. It can also be good value for the money when lightly optioned, and this is especially true for used examples.

Overview

MKZ was the gateway into the Lincoln brand. This premium-midsize car borrowed some elements of its basic design with the mainstream Fusion produced by parent-company Ford. The Lincoln, though, boasted unique styling, powertrains, and features. MKZ was made in Mexico.

Lincoln rebooted its entry-level car for 2013. It received radically new styling, new and improved safety equipment, and various technology upgrades. Fuel economy was also projected to improve thanks to new engines that employed efficiency-boosting features. A revamped gas/electric Hybrid model promised to be the most fuel efficient premium-midsize car on the market.

Standard features included heated front seats, 11-speaker audio system, remote engine start, and Lincoln’s new Active Noise Control, which used sensors and microphones to quell road and wind noise. Also standard was an adaptive suspension, which employed sensors to “read” the road and adjust damping accordingly. Drivers could select from Normal, Comfort, and Sport settings.

All MKZs had Lincoln’s version of Ford Sync infotainment, and a navigation system was optional. Also offered was a panoramic glass roof panel that Lincoln said was one of the largest openings of any production sedan.

MKZ’s drivetrains were new. Non-hybrid buyers had the choice of a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder or 3.7-liter V6 engine, that produced 240 and 300 horsepower, respectively. Both engines paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive was standard, and all-wheel drive was optional.

Hybrids were front drive only. They used a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine and battery-powered electric motor to produce 188 horsepower. Like the previous MKZ Hybrid, the 2013 model could run on one or both of its power sources to balance acceleration and fuel economy, and no plug-in charging was needed. The Hybrid used a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that behaved like an automatic.

EPA estimated fuel economy for the 2013 Lincoln MKZ was 22 mpg city/33 mpg highway and 22/31 with the 4-cylinder engine and front-wheel drive/all-wheel drive, respectively. With the V6, ratings were 19/28 with front drive and 18/26 with AWD.

The MKZ Hybrid netted a rating of 45 city/45 highway.

All used regular-grade gasoline.

The 2013 MKZ had a standard complement of expected and federally mandated safety features. Blind-spot alert and lane-departure warning and prevention were optional.

Yearly Updates

2013 MKZ
The 2014 MKZ was unchanged.

Engines

transverse front-engine/front- or all-wheel drive

Non-hybrid buyers could choose a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder or 3.7-liter V6 engine, that produced 240 and 300 horsepower, respectively. Both engines paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive was standard, with all-wheel drive optional.

dohc I4/electric3
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 2.0/122
Engine HP 188
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 129
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
CVT automatic

 45/45
Turbocharged dohc I41
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 2.0/122
Engine HP 240
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 270
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
6-speed automatic

 22/33

 21.9
dohc V62
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 3.7/227
Engine HP 300
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 277
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
6-speed automatic

 19/28

 17.3

1. EPA-estimated fuel economy 22/31 with all-wheel drive. 2. 18/26 with all-wheel drive. 3. Combined gas/electric torque NA.

Road Test

Acceleration with the turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine is good, but falls a bit short of being truly quick. The 3.7-liter V6 is satisfyingly powerful. Both engines work well with the 6-speed automatic. No opportunity to test a MKZ Hybrid.

In Consumer Guide testing, a front-drive 2.0-liter turbo averaged 21.9 mpg in mixed driving. An all-wheel-drive V6 averaged 17.3 mpg under similar conditions. All MKZ models use regular-grade gas.

Ride quality isn’t bad, but overall it’s unexceptional and falls short of the complete isolation expected of a top-flight luxury car.

MKZ handles competently overall with some initial understeer but nicely checked body lean in the corners. Some testers thought the steering was a bit on the heavy side though. It’s probably best described as pleasant to dive, but certainly not sport-sedan agile or exceptional in any way.

The MKZ does a pretty good job suppressing wind and road noise, and is satisfyingly quiet on the highway. The 2.0-liter turbo and 3.7 V6 each have sporty exhaust notes that some testers felt were too vocal and not really suited to the car’s relaxed nature.

The MyLincoln Touch control interface uses voice control, a large touch-screen display, two five-way controllers on the steering wheel, and a series of touch-sensitive “buttons” on the center section of the dashboard and console. The system is capable of performing many functions, but it’s very complicated and takes considerable time and study to master. On the positive side, nearly all the controls are easy to reach. We strongly recommend trying MyLincoln Touch before buying. The transmission does away with a conventional gear selector and instead uses a series of push buttons on the center console. This seems to be a case of being different for the sake of being different, but the system works fine in practice.

The fashion-forward interior looks quite nice, and most materials appear to be high quality. Still, closer study reveals some disappointing plastic in places and some of the buttons don’t feel particularly high quality. There’s a little bit of wood and metal trim to help break up what’s otherwise a very dark interior.

Up front, there’s good head and leg room, and the seats are firm and supportive. There is good rear-seat legroom, but the sloping roof line does limit headroom a bit.

The large trunk extends far forward, and the flat floor and sides help make the most of the space. Interior storage is quite good as well. All doors have generous map pockets, and there are additional pockets on the back of the front seats. The center console is usefully divided into sections, and the cup holders hide under a cover when not in use.

Ratings

Model Tested: 2013 MKZ, front-wheel drive with 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine

Ratings values are on a 1-10 scale, with 10 being the best. With the exception of Value, these numbers reflect how the vehicle compares against the universe of vehicles, not just against rivals in its class.

Performance

Acceleration - 7
70%
Fuel Economy - 6
60%
Ride Quality - 7
70%
Steering/Handling - 7
70%
Quietness - 7
70%

Accommodations

Controls/Materials - 6
60%
Room/Comfort Front - 8
80%
Room/Comfort Rear - 6
60%
Cargo Room - 4
40%

Other

Value - 6
60%

Total: 64

Specifications

4-door sedan
Wheelbase (in.) Length (in.) Width (in.) Height (in.) Weight (lbs)
112.2 194.1 83.3 58.2
Cargo Volume (cu/ft) Payload Capacity (cu/ft) Fuel Capacity (gal.) Seating Capacity
16.5 — 17.5 5
Headroom Legroom
Front Rear Front Rear
37.9 36.6 44.3 37.0
Safety Ratings

Model Tested: 2013 MKZ 4-door sedan

NHTSA

(5 is the highest rating)

Front Impact Test

Driver Injury - 5
100%
Front Passenger Injury - 4
80%

Side Impact Test

Driver Injury - 3
60%
Rear Passenger Injury - 5
100%

HLDI

(A score of 100 is average. Lower is better)

Collision N/A
Injury N/A
Theft N/A

Trouble Spots

Climate control
Description: Overnight condensation on inside of windows may make it so climate control functions can not be selected, or instrument cluster will not display correctly. (2013-14)
Climate control
Description: Climate control fan speed or audio system volume can increase uncommanded. (2013-14)
Fuel odors
Description: Incorrectly installed fuel vapor line can cause various problems including fuel odor, gas tank slow to fill, or hesitation while driving. (2013)
Transmission leak
Description: Transmission may leak fluid from left halfshaft seal. (2013)
Transmission leak
Description: Leak in valve body can cause slippage or clutch damage. (2013)
Trunk latch
Description: Power decklid may work intermittently or cause battery drain. (2013-14)
Trunk latch
Description: When vehicle is locked, trunk may still be opened using release button on exterior of car. (2013-14)
Paint/body
Description: Lower molding on trunk lid can warp when exposed to direct sunlight. (2013)
Transmission problems
Description: Software glitch can prevent transmission from upshifting, leaving only first gear and reverse operative. (2013-14)

Recall History

2013 MKZ with engine-block heater
Description: Certain 2013 model Lincoln MKZ vehicles equipped with an engine-block heater and made between April 25, 2012 and March 15, 2013 may have cords with insulation that can crack and expose the electrical wiring.
2013 MKZ
Description: Certain 2013 Model Lincoln MKZ vehicles may develop a crack and fuel leak in the fuel delivery module.
2013-14 MKZ
Description: Certain 2013 and 2014 model Lincoln MKZ vehicles sold or registered in states that use road salt in winter may experience corrosion on the bolts that attach the steering gear motor to the vehicle.
2013-14 MKZ
Description: Certain 2013 and 2014 model Lincoln MKZ vehicles made between February 1, 2012 and May 31, 2013 may have a door latch piece that can break and make it difficult to properly latch the door or be able to tell if it is securely latch.
2013-14 MKZ
Description: Certain 2013 and 2014 model Lincoln MKZ vehicles made between April 25, 2012 and September 30, 2013 have restraint control modules that have a coating that could crack. When exposed to humidity, the cracks could allow moisture to short out the printed circuit board. As a result some air bags and the seat belt pretensioners may not work correctly in a crash.
2013-14 MKZ
Description: Certain 2013 and 2014 model Lincoln MKZ vehicles made between August 15, 2012 and September 10, 2013 may have been equipped with front seat assemblies that were made with sub-standard welds.
2013-14 MKZ Hybrid
Description: Certain 2013 and 2014 model Lincoln MKZ Hybrid vehicles made between April 26, 2012 and September 24, 2013 may have transmission gear selectors that allow the transmission to be shifted out of park without forst applying the brakes.

Equipment Lists

Equipment lists are only viewable on larger screen sizes.

Pricing

Used-car pricing varies widely depending on local market conditions. Therefore, we recommend visiting websites that list used cars for sale to get a better idea of what a specific model is selling for in your area.

More about Tom Appel
Written by: Tom Appel on April 20, 2016.
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