We found its big eight-inch display easy to read and its systems easy to operate, something that can't be said of some much more expensive German cars. You can load personal CD photos on your in-dash monitor. You can find all local gas stations, listed either by nearness or in order of price per gallon. We followed the progress of a violent storm on an in-dash Doppler radar monitor, a new kind of automotive thrill. Pressing a couple of buttons displayed the five-day forecast. The system will play DVD movies with incredibly rich surround sound, and the touch-screen monitor takes running your iPod to new levels. Its voice command system indicates this technology has moved beyond the gimmick stage.
But the MKS is more than an electronics base; it must meet the standards of the contemporary automobile, somewhat as its superb forebear, the Lincoln LS, did so successfully. As a dynamic platform for freeway motoring, the MKS is first-rate, stable, steady, confidence-inspiring. It would be entirely at home driving coast to coast, and delivering an impressive 24-mpg EPA highway rating, this seems an enticing mission.
The MKS comes standard with front-wheel drive, but all-wheel drive is available for improved capability in foul-weather. A 3.7-liter dohc 24-valve V6 engine powers the MKS, delivering 273 horsepower. It works with a six-speed automatic transmission to post an EPA-rated City/Highway 17/24 mpg.
We found it cruises very nicely, smooth and quiet. It isn't a sport sedan along the lines of a BMW, however, and doesn't respond well to hard driving. Next Page