2014 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid – Video Review

Picture this: You’re shopping for a premium midsize sedan and in doing your research find that there’s a hybrid variant of the car you’re interested in.  But hybrids always carry a price premium for those extra MPGs, right?  Wrong.  Because Lincoln will sell you an MKZ with the same amenities at the same price point no matter which you choose. 

Following my week with this Lincoln MKZ Hybrid 2.0 AWD comes an evaluation of the MKZ Hybrid – a car which Lincoln prices from $37,085 – same as the gas-only, front-drive version.  And no, it’s not a de-contented model.  As a matter of fact, the only feature I can think of that was on my last MKZ that’s not here are fog lights. 

The gorgeous styling completely carries over to the hybrid while this extra charge White Platinum paint is just as striking as the Ruby Red.  If you’re looking for exclusive hybrid details you won’t find them.  If it wasn’t for this ‘H’ following the 2.0 engine designation you’d never know the difference. 

So what’s Lincoln’s formula for a gas-electric hybrid?  Take a non-EcoBoost 2.0-liter 4-cylinder running on the hybrid-favored Atkinson cycle, pair it with an in-house developed and Ford built e-CVT hybrid transmission containing 2 electric motors and power those with a weight-saving lithium-ion battery pack stored behind the rear seats.  The means by which you can monitor the energy flow – i.e. electric or hybrid drive – and the various economy meters and gauges are plentiful, both on the navi screen and in the customizable gauge cluster, replete with growing efficiency leaves.  If it looks complicated, it’s really not as MyLincoln Touch is actually quite intuitive. 

Lincoln Drive Control is still here, too.  So though the Hybrid doesn’t possess the turbo-charged rush or organic-goodness of a 6-speed auto – no sport mode here either, it still drives with a premium ride quality, quietness and the adept handling that make the regular MKZ so appealing.  And with net system horsepower of 188 it doesn’t feel underpowered.  Hybrid transitions are smooth, too.  Of course, the small sacrifice in drivability is made in the name of gas mileage and the MKZ Hybrid is rated at 45mpg no matter where you drive it…up from 26mpg in its gas-only counterpart.  As expected, you lose 4 cubic feet of trunk space, too.  Now, the cautionary tale is the same I tell every time I drive a Hybrid in the cold winter months – you’re not getting 45mpg.  I averaged in the 30’s here – same as in the Accord Hybrid I previously tested during this brutally cold winter.  Keep in mind, results will vary.       

Regenerative braking is commonplace in hybrid vehicles.  It works by putting the car’s electric motor in reverse when you lift of the gas or apply the brake, causing the motor to act as a generator thus creating electricity to recharge the lithium-ion batteries in the back.  But when that’s not enough the car’s mechanical brakes kick-in and that feeling can often be unnatural.  And unfortunately the system on the MKZ is particularly grabby.   

The interior has all of the options of my last MKZ tester – stocked with the Hybrid Preferred Equipment Group, moonroof, and rear inflatable seatbelts, this one retails for $46,800 – sorry no all-wheel drive available.  It’s one of the nicest cabins on the market, where designers displayed an astute sense of functionality and beauty.  With a 40% take rate for the hybrid, Lincoln has obviously found the formula that makes the choice more attractive.