Eight years ago, Ford was on top of the world. At least one prominent journalist wrote that Ford passing GM to become the top-selling car maker was a matter of if, not when. Lincoln, Ford's luxury brand, displayed concept cars, most notably a striking Continental, that promised a return to the best days of the marque.

Then just about every bad thing that could happen did, starting with a few hundred Explorer SUV rollovers. Ford discovered that it couldn't afford to develop those promising future Lincolns. Instead, we get the new Taurus-based MKS sedan.

Aside from a name too easily confused with the MKX SUV, is the MKS good enough to keep Lincoln alive? I took one for a test drive to find out.

Styling

The new Lincoln MKS is no Continental concept. Where the Continental, with lines based on the classic early 1960s car, could have been nothing but a Lincoln, the MKS could have come from any manufacturer. There's a waterfall grille grille based on that of 1930s Lincolns and some huge Lincoln emblems--both of which a friend of mine along for the test drive found objectionable--but other than that there's nothing distinctive.

That said, the MKS is an attractive car that looks better each time I see one. The proportions are both more balanced and more stately than those of the typical front-wheel-drive luxury car. Ford learned from its mistake with the Taurus, and gave the body some dramatic (yet thoroughly tasteful) lines, including an undulating shoulder that runs the length of the bodyside. The greenhouse is shorter and the Bimmeresqe C-pillar is broader than those of the donor car, which aren't so good for visibility but are good for leaving a sporty impression. While not distinctly Lincoln, the MKS' exterior is less bland than those of the Infiniti M and Acura RL. Add the lines to the body's unusual height--like the Taurus, the MKS is three or four inches taller than the typical car--and the MKS has quite a bit of presence on the road.

One caveat: the above applies to the car with 19- or 20-inch wheels. The standard 18s can't visually fill the wheel openings, and look skimpy on the car. Who'd have ever thought 18s could look small? But, as I said, these are some tall bodysides.

The interior is more mixed. Some elements are very nicely done: the upholstered instrument panel and door armrests, the soft leather on the seats. But the the bright chrome plastic trim clashes with the satin (flat) metal-look plastic trim and the overall styling is simple and uninspired. It's no Cadillac CTS inside.

Most troubling about the interior: the plastics on the center stack and center console seem too cheap for a car of this price. The worst of the lot: the panel surrounding the rear seat air vents doesn't have the metallic gray finish of the bits on the center stack and center console. Nor is it the color of the interior. Instead, it's the sort of black plastic one would expect in the cheapest Ford Focus. Why? Finally, fits were poor on the center stack on the car I drove.

Accommodations

The high beltline and wide rear pillars that make for a stylish exterior makes for a somewhat buried feeling when sitting inside the Lincoln MKS. The feeling that the MKS is tighter inside than the Taurus isn't entirely subjective: rear legroom has taken a nearly three inch hit.

The front seats are probably the culprit--I suspect they're thicker than those in the Taurus. But this is still a fairly roomy car inside, and seat comfort both front and rear is outstanding. Not only do the cushy seats provide excellent support, but the car's height is used to best advantage by mounting the seats well off the floor. Only the tallest adults will find themselves wishing for better thigh support. Both front seats further benefit from four-way power-adjustable lumbar supports. Comfy comfy comfy.

Trunk space has also been compromised compared to the Taurus: it's down nearly three cubic feet. But the Taurus has the largest trunk of any car, so even with this hit the MKS still has a roomier trunk than most competitors.

Ford might have saved a few bucks by basing the MKS on the Taurus, but they didn't skimp on electronic gadgetry. If you can get it on any $45,000 car, it's probably available and even standard on the MKS. For example, Hyundai saved a few dollars by offering a cooled seat only on the driver's side in the Genesis, and Nissan does the same in its new Maxima. In the MKS, the front passenger seat gets all of the adjustments the driver gets. And Ford remains the only manufacturer to offer Microsoft's SYNC system--which permits voice control of an array of Bluetooth-enabled devices. It's standard in the MKS.

On the Road

With cash in short supply and fuel prices high, Ford (like General Motors) has decided not to develop a new competitive DOHC V8. Instead, it will offer a turbocharged V6 as a performance option. But that engine won't arrive until next spring. At intro, a 273-horsepower 3.7-liter V6 paired with a manually-shiftable six-speed automatic is the only available powertrain.

Compared to the similar powertrain in the Hyundai Genesis I drove earlier the same day, this one seems unrefined. The transmission isn't as responsive, and the engine produces a roar unsuited to a contemporary luxury car even under moderate acceleration. Acceleration is more than adequate, but short of thrilling--that's come with the turbo. For most people, the amount of engine noise will be more of an issue than the amount of power.

Handling is confident but not sporty. Push the MKS, and you'll discover plenty of understeer. But this really isn't a car that asks to be pushed. While body control isn't sloppy, in quick transitions and over uneven pavement the MKS doesn't feel as tight, as precise, or as polished as today's best. There aren't major untoward movements, but there are quite a few minor ones that can undermine a driver's confidence at the wheel.

Ride quality is similarly mixed. While the ride is generally smooth and well-insulated, with the 19-inch wheels at least you'll experience the occasional harsh impact and the more frequent jitter. The suspension tuning and the low-profile rubber don't seem like they were meant for one another. Noise levels are usually low, but on a concrete highway quite a bit more tire noise seeped through than in the Genesis.

Overall, the MKS feels like a Taurus with extra cush, which is essentially what it is.

Lincoln MKS Pricing and Price Comparisons

Pricing for the Lincoln MKS starts over $38,000 and easily reaches the mid- and even high-40s.

Compared to a similarly equipped 2008 Chrysler 300 Limited, the Lincoln costs about $4,000 more. And that's before factoring in the Chrysler's $3,500 rebate. But, in the Lincoln's defense, many features simply aren't available on the Chrysler. Even when both are equipped as similarly as possible, the Lincoln has about $3,000 in extras. So, after factoring in these things, the Lincoln is about $4,500 more than the Chrysler. With a 2009 Chrysler, this difference will probably be cut in half.

Lincoln's bogey was likely the Lexus ES 350. Compared to the 2008 Lexus, the Lincoln costs about $1,500 more, and includes about $1,000 in extra stuff. So these two are close. Lexus' 2009 pricing will probably make them even closer. One note: Lexus dealers have unusually wide margins, so comparing invoices will find an $1,800 difference in the Lexus' favor even after adjusting for feature differences.

But the most challenging comparison comes from the Hyundai Genesis. A more polished, better-driving car, the Genesis nevertheless costs about $5,500 less. Adjusting for feature differences halves this gap, but it's still a sizable gap.

Prices change frequently, and differences will vary based on feature level. To quickly generate these and other comparisons with the specific features you want, visit my Web site, TrueDelta.com. (It's the only site that provides true "apples-to-apples" price comparisons.)

TrueDelta's page for the Lincoln MKS:

truedelta.com/models/MKS.php

Last Words

Especially compared with the new Hyundai Genesis, the Lincoln MKS strikes me as a low-budget, "just get to first base" effort. A few rough edges shine through, and I could not shake the feeling that I was driving a dressed-up Taurus. And the price seems too high.

But people are buying them. So it seems that the MKS' styling, comfort, and feature level have more appeal than I would have expected. Still, I don't see a future for Lincoln as a true luxury brand with cars like this one. Instead, at best it will occupy a second tier with the likes of Acura and Buick.

A Note on Lincoln MKS Reliability

I cannot practically cover reliability within the context of this review. However, many people are interested in such information, so I've started collecting my own data. Updated results are posted to TrueDelta.com every three months.

Unlike other sources, TrueDelta will clearly identify what difference it will make if you buy an MKS rather than another vehicle by providing "times in the shop" and "days in the shop" stats (among others). Also, with prompt quarterly updates, you'll learn how reliable a car has been recently, rather than a year ago when it was a year younger.

To report results, I need reliability data on all cars--not just the MKS--from people like you. To encourage participation, those who help provide the data will receive free access to the site's reliability information. Non-participants will have to pay an access fee.

For the details, and to sign up:

truedelta.com/reliability.php

A live link to TrueDelta and alphabetized links to my other vehicle reviews can be found on my profile page.

Amount Paid (US$): 45,000
Model and Options: MKS with Ultimate Package, 19-inch wheels