The Lincoln MKC is the most comfortable car I’ve ever driven.
I was excited to take my teenage son and his friend to ACE Adventure Resort in West Virginia partly because I knew this would be a different kind of road trip. When my family of four rides together, it usually goes something like this: Dad complains about the junk food everyone is eating; brother and sister argue in the backseat because one is looking at the other the wrong way; Mom puts on headphones to try to block it all out – because she just wants a little peace and quiet.
But road tripping with these guys was a treat. We played brain-teaser games and had some interesting conversations. I wasn’t thrilled with their choice of music – but you can’t win ’em all.
But I certainly won with our vehicle – the 2016 Lincoln MKC. The MKC is considered a small SUV, though it feels more like a sedan. The ride is smooth, the pick-up is terrific, and it’s probably the most comfortable car I’ve ever driven.
Where’s the gear shift?
When I first sat in the car, I quickly found the “start engine” button and started her up. I played with the radio a bit and found everything I needed to find before driving a new car. I took some pictures and then, I was ready to drive. But when I reached for the gear shift, I couldn’t find it anywhere. I searched around, momentarily puzzled, until I realized the gears were shifted by the push of a button gracefully incorporated into the dash. It’s a beautiful design and I admit my mind was a little bit blown.
Plenty of amazing design features
The Lincoln MKC has several design features that contribute to its beauty. The double sunroof lets in tons of light and offers amazing views to backseat riders.
The dashboard is a thing of beauty – streamlined and intuitive.
The doors each had a slanted cup holder, or more accurately a bottle holder. A coffee cup would not do well because of the slant, but the space was perfect for a water bottle – even a large one like mine. The bottle tilted toward the front of the car and was super easy to access while driving. I need to have water and coffee when I drive, so having this functional space on the door freed up the center cup holder for my cuppa joe.
And then there is the gorgeous night lighting. A soft, glowing, blue light helps you find the cup holders, door handles, and USB ports in the dark, and provides a gentle illumination around your feet. The night lighting in some cars is harsh and distracting, but Lincoln got it spot on.
Luxury that can handle the great outdoors
While the Lincoln MKC felt wonderfully luxurious on the interstate, it surprised me on the single-lane dirt roads of West Virginia. You don’t want to take this car too far off-road, but it handled mud, gravel and potholes with ease and performed admirably during a deluge of rain.
The seats were extremely comfortable. They curved ever so slightly around my back and hugged me in all the right places. I drove eight hours with only one stop for gas and coffee (in spite of the slightly annoying “driver alert” that kept suggesting I rest!) and I did not feel achy or uncomfortable when the trip was done. Tired, yes, but no backache!
There was a tad bit of trouble in paradise
I had a bit of trouble with the climate control. The dual climate control worked as it should until I needed to put on the defroster. We had a muggy, rainy day and the windshield kept fogging up. I put on the defroster and the windshield cleared, but it didn’t stay cool in the car. My son, in the passenger seat, couldn’t figure out the correct settings so we ended up having to continually switch from defrost to A/C. I’m sure we would have figured it out eventually, but it wasn’t immediately intuitive.
Safe and fun
With standard AWD and safety features such as lane assist, adaptive cruise control, cross-traffic alert, active park assist, and forward and reverse sensing systems, the Lincoln MKC is secure. And dual front, driver knee, and side/curtain airbags keep everyone safe in the event of a crash.
Even with all this beauty and safety, the car offered more surprises. When my son plugged his phone in to the USB port, he was thrilled that the Spotify app popped up on the display to stream his music. Then, while playing around with some sound options, he discovered the speed-adaptive volume. This little gem keeps the radio volume consistent as the car gets louder and softer – no more turning down the volume when you slow down to get off an exit or stop at a light. Brilliant.
For me, as the driver, the dashboard display was everything I needed. It showed direction, speed limit, lane assist, and miles to empty.
What we loved
- Soft blue hue of the night lighting
- Panoramic, double sunroof lets in lots of light and views
- Heated mirrors with security approach lamps
- Well-designed bottle-holders on the doors
- Adaptive cruise control makes road trips a joy
- Speed-adaptive volume keeps the radio volume just right all the time
What you need to know
- Has the space of an SUV with the ride of a luxury sedan
- Gear shift is push button and integrated into the dash
- Second row features a 60/40 fold-flat split bench with recline
- Hands-free lift gate
- Averages 21 MPG; 18 city, 26 highway
- Base price is $42,955, the model I tested, with technology and climate package, is $50,695
Disclosure: Lincoln provided the MKC for my review; opinions expressed are all my own.
