First Drive: 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Lincoln, First Drive

Shows other luxury hybrids how it’s done

2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid – Click above for high-res image gallery

On the whole, luxury manufacturers just can’t seem to figure out what to do with hybrid drivetrains. Sure, there’s some vague notion of improved fuel economy, but for every fuel-sipping Lexus HS250h, there’s a 455-horsepower, 26-mpg BMW ActiveHybrid 750i to balance the scales. Part of the problem is that fuel economy and luxury traditionally play as well together as 50 Cent and KC and the Sunshine Band. High-end autos are synonymous with power, weight and cabins large enough to comfortably raise a middle-class family, while their miserly counterparts tend to be tinny contraptions with the driving dynamics of low-rent washing machines.

But that doesn’t mean there aren’t automakers trying to meld the two. One of the big buzz phrases making its way around automotive circles right now is “The ‘And‘ Car.” That is, a vehicle capable of being all things to all people through the miracle of technology. Lincoln believes it’s come up with just such a creation in the 2011 MKZ Hybrid – a sedan that bests the fuel economy of the competition by a wide margin and provides all of the luxury amenities buyers demand. The question is, have they pulled it off?

Gallery: 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid: First Drive