Lincoln has set things in motion to somewhat reposition themselves in the spectrum of luxury vehicles, which is a good thing after seeing what new products are on the horizon. Moreover, Lincoln has already taken leaps to bring us better luxury-inspired products, such as the new Continental and Navigator. Refreshing their crossover utility vehicles has also done well to reemphasize their standing and forward momentum with an update to the Nautilus that we recently reviewed and now the compact MKC that we have in our possession this week.
>> Get the best price on the Lincoln MKC from a network of local dealers now. <<
Even though the 2019 Lincoln MKC will later morph into a redesigned Corsair for next year, the MKC gets the last-minute update to its front fascia to capture the new design language from the brand. With that, the MKC remains to be a competent form of transportation with just the right amount of luxury amenities for a vehicle of its size and class.
In comparing the Lincoln MKC to some of its competition, it does good to hold a standing line in the mix of so many new and emerging compact crossovers. When it comes to the luxury spectrum, the MKC falls a bit short with an interior that doesn’t put forth the best luxury efforts but attempts to pull off a magic trick with its top-level Black Label trim that adds just a couple of nice touches, such as a simulated suited headliner, panoramic glass sunroof with a power sunshade, and optional 20-inch wheels.
The black label trims of Lincoln vehicles have gained some notoriety in the collective of its concierge and convenience benefits. Essentially, black label benefits allow an owner to never step into the dealership again by receiving the service of vehicle pickup and delivery for all services and vehicle washes up to a 50-mile radius of the dealership. Moreover, there is included maintenance and other select conveniences built into the black label packaging.
Powering the Lincoln MKC is a choice of the standard 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine with 245 horsepower and 275 lb-ft of torque getting the best fuel economy of the two engine offerings at 20 mpg city and 27 mpg highway. Optional, the larger engine, the 2.3-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder found in my test vehicle produces 285 horsepower and 305 lb-ft of torque. Both engines get mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission with optional all-wheel-drive available for all four trim levels (Standard, Select, Reserve, and Black Label). My AWD MKC Black Label test vehicle with the 2.3-liter engine gets an EPA-estimated 18 mpg city, 25 mpg highway, and 20 mpg combined.
On the road the 2019 Lincoln MKC Black Label is nicely planted on the ground and has a quick-responding adaptive damper setup that keeps the compact luxury crossover composed in most normal driving situations. For the most part, the 2.3-liter turbocharged engine is predictable and manages power well with just its 6 gears.
The Interior of the MKC falls slightly behind its competition with more hard plastics than you would expect. Otherwise, there is a nice contrasting look to the stitching throughout the soft-touch surfaces on the dashboard encompassing the mostly plastic center stack housing the push-button transmission selector buttons.
The bevy of tech and safety features, including lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, active park assist, blind spot monitors, rear cross-traffic alert, and forward collision warning with emergency braking all keep the MKC up to today’s expectations. Unfortunately, there isn’t much to set the MKC Black Label ahead of other luxury offerings other than its uniqueness in design and premium services offered through the black label program.
The pricing for the 2019 MKC remains respectable reaching as much as $55,730 for my loaded test vehicle, but you can have a base FWD MKC at a starting price of just $34,000 before any fees, making it an attractive offering for entry-level luxury in a compact crossover.
>> Get the best price on the Lincoln MKC from a network of local dealers now. <<
