Lincoln’s MKZ Hybrid lives up to claims

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2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid

Updated: September 28, 2011 3:29PM

The green machines invading the auto market make many claims, from 40-plus miles per gallon to battery-only speeds of more than 40 mph. Hybrid sedans have come a long way in the last few years and the 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid is at the forefront of the very best.

To start with, both the 40 mph and 40 mpg claims I mentioned belong to, and are achieved, by the MKZ Hybrid. Compare the MKZ’s base price ($34,330) and standard feature content – which includes a premium THX sound system, MyKey and SYNC voice-activated entertainment/communications system – and you have one of the more competitive luxury sedans in hybrid form.

Exterior design is probably the Achilles heel for the MKZ. Though the exterior is somewhat dated, I still find it far more refined and sophisticated than several other hybrid competitors claiming lofty luxury goals and charging a lot more money.

There are many consumers who do not understand that a luxury vehicle can just as easily be a hybrid as other classes of vehicles. They ask, “Why would you want a hybrid if you can really afford a luxury car?”

This attitude insinuates the luxury buyer cares only about thrift in fuel savings and not about the hybrid’s benefit to the environment.

For those who care about saving money at the pump while decreasing their carbon footprint, according to Ford, over the course of one year a driver can save (over a standard sedan) 200 gallons of fuel and two tons of carbon dioxide emissions with the MKZ Hybrid. And you get leather seats and a premium THX sound system — put me down for two!

Inside the cabin, the MKZ Hybrid is not the techy layout you might expect given the heaps of technology that have made it such an outstanding vehicle. The dash layout is basic; I’ve seen the same in the standard MKZ.

Sightlines for the driver are excellent and ergonomics, thanks to really well-bolstered seats, are good. Look for heated and cooled leather seats in front. The Bridge of Weir leather, straight from Scotland, is distinctive and extremely comfortable. It was easy to appreciate 10-way power adjustments in the front row, along with driver memory on settings.

Expect good fit and finish in the MKZ cabin. I especially enjoyed the real wood inserts and the most high-tech part of the whole interior — the smart gauge cluster on the dash.

Flanking the speedometer, the smart gauge cluster allows the driver to see vehicle system functions and a constant green status that will help you drive more efficiently (if you choose). The display features white blossom accented leaves that expand (as you become more efficient) into a five-leaf tree. Additional monitoring such as EV/gasoline engine power transfer, braking and active fuel economy can also be switched on or tuned out depending on how much information the driver wishes to absorb.

If fuel efficiency is your only goal, Lincoln has some great news for you. The MKZ Hybrid delivers 41 mpg city and 36 mpg highway versus a rating of 17/29 mpg for the V-6 version. The generation two powertrain, a 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine, teamed with an electric motor, is a solid performer that can offer the driver electric power at speeds as high as 44 mph.

At the end of the day, this MKZ Hybrid makes good on its fuel-efficiency claims and it will save you money over the life of the car. From a style standpoint, it is still a good-looking sedan with some refined attitude in the front grille.

Lincoln claims MKZ is “the most fuel-efficient luxury sedan in America” and it looks to be just that. Add to the mix a wonderfully refined interior and great standard features and the final resting point for my tester, $37,925, was still an easy pill to swallow for decreasing my carbon footprint and my visits to the fuel pump.