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The 2018 Lincoln MKX will be the last model year for the MKX name and the ill-fated split-wing grille – soon it will become the Lincoln Nautilus and wear the new corporate fascia. Still, the MKX is a compelling crossover with good handling, strong turbocharged power, and the latest Sync 3 infotainment system.
What's New for 2018
In its final year of the production, changes to the Lincoln MKX are negligible.
Choosing Your Lincoln MKX
The MKX offers two engines, front- or all-wheel drive, and a long list of optional features. Not on the option list, however, is a third row seat, so this mid-sized crossover remains purely a five-person proposition.
The standard 3.7-liter V6 is powerful, with 303 horsepower and 278 pound-feet of torque, but it suffers from poor fuel efficiency at 17 miles per gallon city, 25 highway, and 20 combined with front-wheel drive (all-wheel drive cuts those numbers to 16, 23, and 19 mpg).
The optional 2.7-liter twin-turbocharged V6 isn't much more efficient than the 3.7-liter setup, but it returns its 17 city, 24 highway, and 19 combined ratings while production 335 hp and 380 lb-ft. Going with all-wheel drive sacrifices a point on the city and highway cycles, each, but there's no change to the EPA-estimated combined figure.
A six-speed automatic is fitted with both engines and is down a gear or few compared to its rivals. All-wheel drive demands $2,495 and also includes Lincoln Drive Control which can be used to adjust the adaptive suspension between Comfort, Normal, and Sport.
The MKX is offered in four trims: Premiere, Select, Reserve, and the top tier Black Label.
Premiere
The Premiere trim, $39,960 (including a $925 destination charge), is well equipped for an aging model. Aside from a rearview camera and a 10-speaker sound system, there's an eight-inch touchscreen with the Sync 3 infotainment system and SiriusXM satellite radio, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto.
Proximity entry with push button start, heated synthetic leather seats, 18-inch alloy wheels, HID headlights with LED signature lighting, LED taillights, and a remote engine start system are some of the additional highlights of the base model’s feature list. That's a healthy array of gear for a model who's bones date back into the late 2000s.
There are essentially no factory options or packages besides paint color.
Select
The Select trim, $43,475, adds leather upholstery, a hands-free power liftgate, ambient lighting, wood trim, and auto-folding exterior mirrors. Newly optional with the Select trim is the Select Plus Package ($1,200) which includes blind spot detection and navigation with SiriusXM Traffic and Travel Link, which provide the driver with pertinent information about traffic and weather situations, as well as sports scores and fuel prices.
A Revel audio system with 13-speakers and HD radio capability will cost $1,155 (and is well worth the premium), while a panoramic sunroof can bring in additional light for $1,895. We're less keen on the panoramic sunroof, but if you live somewhere that is regularly bright and sunny, it's not a bad call.
If you live somewhere that isn't warm and sunny, ignore the panoramic sunroof and grab the $790 Climate Package. It adds a heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, a windshield wiper de-icer, as well as rain-sensing wipers and automatic high-beam headlights.
Reserve
The MKX Reserve, $47,480, includes some of the Select trim’s optional features as standard equipment like the blind spot detection, navigation, and a panoramic sunroof. Newly available are features like ventilated front seats and larger 20-inch wheels. But the Reserve comes into its own with its optional equipment, including a suite of active safety systems.
But you'll need to pay for the nannies. Adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, and automatic emergency braking are all packed away in the $2,250 Driver Assistance Package. The Luxury Package upgrades the base audio system to the Revel Ultima 19-speaker sound system (also includes HD Radio) and brings adaptive LED headlights – this is a smart buy, as the Revel setup is one of the best audio systems on the market. But this package doesn’t come cheap, at $3,995.
For $1,500, 22-way power adjustable driver and front passenger seats with massage are offered. Active Park Assist and a surround-view camera system are part of the $1,395 Technology Package while the Climate Package and the Revel 13-speaker audio system are also available as they were with the Select trim.
Black Label
The Black Label, $55,155, expands the notion of luxury for the brand by offering three interior themes that arrange unique colors and upgraded materials throughout the cabin. Most of the options from the Reserve trim are included here as standard equipment such as the Revel Ultima premium audio system and LED headlights but the Driver Assistance Package remains an option, as do the 22-way adjustable seats.
This trim also seeks to improve the customer relationship by including annual detailing, free car washes, and special concierge services that eliminate the hassle of service visits by providing valet service – dealerships dispatch employees with loaner vehicles to the owner's home or work. They hand over the loaner vehicle, take the Black Label owner's car to the dealership, and then return it once the work is complete.
The Reserve trim is the first chance to include the full active safety suite and also allows the 22-way power adjustable seats to be added too. The upgraded engine isn’t likely to save enough gas to pay for itself anytime soon but the added power may be too enticing to pass up.
