Weidel on Wheels: Lincoln's MKT can give you power and comfort

A dozen years ago, the luxury division of Ford was riding high. How high? The Lincoln division was ranked right at the top as the best-selling luxury brand in the United States. Aided by the extremely popular Navigator sport utility vehicle, plus the classy Town Car and Continental, which both went through redesigns, Lincoln was selling quite a few cars to a buying public that was in the mode of bigger is better.That wave was short-lived, lasting from 1998 through 2002. Ford went a different way in its marketing strategy regarding domestic and import brands, and Lincoln quickly took a tumble.The slide lasted for several years, but Lincoln has gradually made some progress, successfully unveiling the MKZ, a refined sedan, the MKX, a solid crossover SUV and the MKT, a somewhat quirky mid-size crossover that mirrors the Ford Flex in some respect.Driven here for a week, the MKT is a three-row, seven-passenger vehicle that has a design many either embrace or merely tolerate. The exterior features an oversized back end, an attractive front grille and has certain sleekness, thanks to its low-level rear roof.The upscale MKT shares the basic design of the Ford Flex, but not much else. Slotted between the smaller MKX and the beefy Navigator, the MKT comes in only two trims. The basic model has a 3.7-liter, V-6 engine with 268 horsepower that surprisingly doesn't have all-wheel drive, which should be included when the price tag reaches $44,200.For roughly another five grand, one can purchase the MKT EcoBoost, which has all-wheel drive and features a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter, V-6 engine with 355 horsepower. This MKT will get you there in a hurry, accelerating from 0-60 mph in 6.3 seconds. And it can carry a load as well with a towing capacity of 4,500 pounds.What one also gets in either trim is a lot of standard features, which makes the sticker price a little easier to swallow. There's not much one can find wrong with the MKT with the exception of limited third row headroom, which is limiting due to the sloping rear roof. The MKT handling is very good for this class. The steering is responsive, the braking is dependable and the ride is refined. The MKT is the type of vehicle you take out for a drive merely to have fun.The interior features a classy brown leather and wood trim that sets the MKT apart from some of its rivals. The vehicle is roomy for all passengers. A large cargo area is one more nice touch to the MKT.__________2011 Lincoln MKT EcoBoostPrice: $49,200Power:3.7-liter, twin-turbocharged V-6 engine with 355 horsepowerMileage estimate: 16 mpg city; 21 mpg highway Standard features include: All-wheel drive; 20-inch alloy wheels; xenon headlights; rear parking sensors; power liftgate; leather seating; genuine wood trim; 12-way heated and ventilated power front seats; heated outboard second-row seats; driver memory settings; tri-zone automatic climate control; retractable second-row sunshades; rear 110-volt power outlet; 10-speaker audio system, 10-gigabyte hard drive, satellite radio, Sync system voice control for MP3 players and cell phones; electronic stability control