As luxury brands issue new SUVs with abandon, cars like the 2020 Lincoln MKZ get overlooked.
With the MKZ Lincoln still offers a solid value in premium sedans, one with potent powertrains. But the MKZ’s interior never has shone, and it never delivered on the promise so extravagantly on display in Lincolns from the Aviator to the Navigator.
We give it 5.8 out of 10 overall. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
Review continues below
For 2020 the MKZ gets some package shuffling and a few new options, including five packages on different trim levels from convenience features to monochromatic styling. There are also four new colors to replace four outgoing hues, as well as two new wheel designs.
The MKZ is a handsome sedan at any angle, and though the face is in line with the rest of the Lincoln stable, it’s hard not to separate this car from its roots as a Ford Fusion when viewed in profile. Still, details like chrome accents, LED headlights, and a sleek rear light bar are nice touches, if dated at this point. The interior hasn’t aged as well, with a center-stack-focused design that doesn’t wear the finery of even some non-luxury sedans.
A 2.0-liter turbo-4 with 245 horsepower is standard on the 2020 MKZ, while a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6 bumps that figure up to 400 hp, more than enough for a car of this size. Front-wheel drive is standard and all-wheel drive is available (and comes standard with the more powerful engine). The MKZ is automatic-only, and comes in hybrid form too, managing 40 mpg combined from just 188 horsepower. At around $36,000, it’s a compelling option if efficiency is priority No. 1. The MKZ rides with a firmness that’s moderated by adjustable dampers in some versions. While not particularly sporty, V-6 MKZ models can hustle with reasonably nimble attitude.
Standard features abound, and with active safety technology, power features, a touchscreen infotainment system and more, the MKZ is best looked at like a nicer mid-size sedan than a budget entry-luxury car. Top trim models include real leather and wood, as well as premium audio and all sorts of convenience goodies, but at over $10,000 more than base, it’s short on value.
The MKZ performs well in crash tests and comes with active safety features such as automatic emergency braking as standard, and manages between 20 and 24 mpg on average, while the hybrid model pushes that to 41 combined mpg.