This week I had the 2007 Lincoln MKZ, otherwise known as the Ford Fusion. This car is nice. “Nice.” I think that’s the best way to put it. There’s nothing wrong with nice. Nice is good. I like nice. But does nice get me excited? Do people inquire about nice? Does nice make you do something you probably shouldn’t, but just can’t help yourself? No. Nice is just… nice.
The MKZ has a sturdy build, while not looking overweight. It’s got very minimal lines, which are pleasant and unoffending. The outside looks slightly agile with a hint of excitement, but never goes overboard and keeps one foot in the safe zone.
Inside, the Lincoln is very comfortable. It’s stylings are obviously American made, with larger, heavier touches. Everything seems solid and considerable. It’s a comfortable feeling, but it doesn’t really exude high-class or luxury the way other cars seem to do. The feature set is great though, heated seats, air-conditioned seats, navigation, satellite stereo, leather. It’s got all the right stuff. But somehow, it still fails to excite.
Driving it, this car is fairly noisy. Noisy the way almost every Ford I’ve driven this year is. Sitting at a stop light, the blinker is deafening. Driving down the highway, the road-noise and engine noise are very loud (and not the satisfying muffler noise of a big engine, the loud grumbling of a bad exhaust system). Also, Ford made a decision to go with a single arm protruding from the steering column, placing both the turn signals and the windshield wipers on the same lever. Maybe I’m just used to other systems, but I could not help but accidentally activate both at the same time every time I tried to do one. Windshield wipers? Let’s turn left too. Turning right? Send a spray and a wipe. It was annoying.
The backseat was incredibly roomy for a car this size. Two adults were comfortable without the need for the front-seat passengers to adjust their seats. It also had a monstrous trunk, from which I thought back to gangsters lugging bodies around in the trunk of their Lincolns. Not that I recommend it, but they would fit.
Overall the driving experience of this car was pleasant and nice. The interior wasn’t flashy or over-done, and was again, “nice.” Throughout the experience I never found a reason to really like or dislike this car, and for that reason alone, I rank this car a little lower. I’d much rather get an emotional response to a car rather than just have a blank slate of concern. 3 Stars.
