2010 Lincoln MKX

• Overall
• Prices
• Performance
• Exterior
• Interior
• Safety
• Reliability
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Performance - What the Auto Press Says

The majority of reviewers find the 2010 MKX's overall driving experience adequate enough, largely noting that it drives more like a luxury sedan than an SUV. Yet they are also quick to point out that the ride is geared toward comfort rather than sportiness.

• "Driving, for all intents and purposes, identically to the Edge, the MKX combines high-up seating with the feel and fuel economy of a mid-size car." -- Car and Driver
• "The MKX's car-like underpinnings, combined with a sport-tuned suspension, afford a smooth ride with more nimble handling than most truck-based SUVs." -- Forbes
• "Ride and handling are on par with the competition, though steering feel is a bit distant and detached." -- Orlando Sentinel
• "This SUV illustrates what can be achieved in a car-based, or unibody, model that would be complicated or plain impossible in a truck-based one ... This isn't a car, and it shouldn't be driven like one, but the advantages of a car platform are evident." -- Cars.com

Acceleration and Power

The MKX is powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine that it shares with its sister cars, the Lincoln MKZ and Ford Edge. Most reviewers find the 265-horsepower engine to be sufficient, though not outstanding. The V6 is paired with a six-speed transmission that brings out mixed feelings among reviewers, with one major low point being the lack of a manual shift feature. The EPA has not yet rated the 2010 MKX. But it rates the 2009 MKX at 17/24 mpg city/highway in AWD and 15/22 in FWD.

• "Only AWD models have been made available for us to test so far. They have smooth, linear power for good around-town response and ready highway acceleration." -- Consumer Guide
• "Thanks to the nice torque curve, acceleration is strong both in town and on the freeway." -- MSN
• "The MKX is no rocket ship -- a 4,420-pound curb weight (in AWD trim) sees to that -- but it will run up to highway speeds in less than eight seconds and cruise effortlessly there while returning 20-plus mpg fuel economy." -- Los Angeles Times
• "The transmission was a deal-breaker for me, though, because the engine doesn't have enough torque on tap for passing other vehicles quickly; you have to mash the accelerator and wait for the transmission to downshift to the proper gear. A manual-shift capability would have been the ticket here." -- Forbes

Handling and Braking

Reviewers have mixed feelings about the MKX's handling abilities, with one major criticism concerning slow braking performance.

• "Body lean and noseplow are evident in brisk cornering, but MKX is competent otherwise. The steering is slightly numb and light in straight-line cruising." -- Consumer Guide
• "It's a great highway cruiser, partly because wheels are at the far corners of the crisply styled body for better stability. The brake pedal has a linear action that allows consistently smooth stops with the anti-lock brakes. The ride is stable and supple." -- MSN
• "The steering has good feedback and pleasant heft without a lot of vibration." -- Los Angeles Times
• "Steering is crisp and assisted just with the right amount of power. Handling is set up just on this side of soft, with more comfort than Mazda's smaller CX-7 and similar to that of the Honda Pilot." -- The Car Connection
• "One feels how overmatched the MKX brakes are in day-to-day street driving. Typical braking situations turn quickly from, 'Oh, the guy up there is turning left, I'll begin applying the brakes' to 'Whoa!'" -- Edmunds