Photo: Lincoln
Let’s get one thing straight: the Lincoln Motor Company is but a shadow of its former self. As the luxury division of the Ford Motor Company, Lincoln only knows how to change the body shell of existing Ford nameplates. This miserable modus operandi, in turn, can also be noticed in the IIHS’ latest round of crash tests.
The Lincoln MKZ, which is basically a Ford Fusion with a different face and better leather upholstery, received the Top Safety Pick rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Looking at how the Fusion fared, the results are similar, save for the headlights. In the Ford’s case, the forward lighting system was rated “poor,” whereas the Lincoln scored “marginal.”
Meanwhile, the Ford Edge-based Lincoln MKX gets a Top Safety Pick from the IIHS. That’s exactly the same status as the Blue Oval’s mid-size crossover, albeit the Lincoln fared better in the institute’s industry-renowned small overlap front test (“good” vs. “average” ratings). Headlight performance, meanwhile, wasn’t tested in the Ford’s case. The MKX, however, was rated “poor” due to excessive glare, a common problem among modern cars.
At the end of the day, Lincoln can do better than this. A lot better, if I may add. Out of the 82 winners of the TSP and TSP+ ratings for the 2017 model year, Lincoln made the top with two nameplates. In other words, a third of the manufacturer’s lineup for 2017. By comparison, Toyota and Lexus lead the way with the most accolades from the institute for model year 2017.
As a brief refresher, the 2017 Lincoln MKZ starts from $35,170 before destination and other charges. The MKX is $38,260 in its most basic specification, i.e. front-wheel-drive, naturally aspirated V6, and 18-inch wheels. As Cadillac gets out of its slump with the CT6 sedan and XT5 crossover SUV, the time is high for Lincoln to step up its game as well.
Meanwhile, the Ford Edge-based Lincoln MKX gets a Top Safety Pick from the IIHS. That’s exactly the same status as the Blue Oval’s mid-size crossover, albeit the Lincoln fared better in the institute’s industry-renowned small overlap front test (“good” vs. “average” ratings). Headlight performance, meanwhile, wasn’t tested in the Ford’s case. The MKX, however, was rated “poor” due to excessive glare, a common problem among modern cars.
At the end of the day, Lincoln can do better than this. A lot better, if I may add. Out of the 82 winners of the TSP and TSP+ ratings for the 2017 model year, Lincoln made the top with two nameplates. In other words, a third of the manufacturer’s lineup for 2017. By comparison, Toyota and Lexus lead the way with the most accolades from the institute for model year 2017.
As a brief refresher, the 2017 Lincoln MKZ starts from $35,170 before destination and other charges. The MKX is $38,260 in its most basic specification, i.e. front-wheel-drive, naturally aspirated V6, and 18-inch wheels. As Cadillac gets out of its slump with the CT6 sedan and XT5 crossover SUV, the time is high for Lincoln to step up its game as well.
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