Lincoln has shown signs of promise in its recent concepts and products. Certain products have come along that have proven to be hits for the brand, like the original RWD LS sedan. After meeting success with that model though, development stagnated and the car was left to wither in the marketplace.

Now comes a new period for Lincoln as it refocuses its direction. The MKT is an example of that new era for Lincoln, but is it everything a Lincoln should be? Let’s find out!

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As Executive Design Director for Ford’s American brands, Peter Horbury created Lincoln’s new design language and was responsible for the original MKS, MKR and MKT concepts. He also oversaw the adaptation of it to production vehicles like the MKS, updated MKZ and the MKT. He has now returned to Volvo as Vice President of Design.

Whilst some judgements can certainly be made by viewing pictures, many times the case has proven to be different when viewed in real life. This design has proved to generate a wide range of reactions in the automotive world and blogosphere.

Successful designs in the past have often caused that sort of a reaction. Take for instance, the BMW styling theme introduced by Chris Bangle. While I have never been a fan of that theme, BMW has gone on to become more successful than ever with the vehicles resulting from it.

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Classic American chrome accents play a big part on the exterior and interior alike on the 2010 Lincoln MKT. The huge waterfall grille dominates the front end, with a chrome border line that extends from underneath the base of the grille to beneath the front headlights. Luxury is about detail, and here the MKT excels.

Other than the vertical grille, horizontal lines dominate – small chrome strips on the door handles, above the rocker panels, and engrained into the LED rear taillight (a horizontal piece itself).

Horizontal taillights are making a comeback at Lincoln, featuring prominently on the MKX, MKT and updated MKZ. It makes for a distinctive light graphic, especially at night. As a design cue, no-one can mistake that.

Something particularly striking about the MKT is the use of classic Lincoln cues in the crossover’s styling. The 1940 Lincoln Zephyr serves as inspiration for the winged Lincoln grille, and “birds beak” crease on the hood. The overall look is bold, exuding luxury and class. The MKT is a Lincoln and proud of it!

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In person (and I stress, in the right color) the car takes on a different, far more dynamic personality than in press photography. It retains much of the look that the MKT Concept displayed. For instance, from the side you can see the chrome-bordered expanse of glass that appears uninterrupted. On the inside however, the third row has a separate window. The C-pillar has been blacked out and a black cover put into place to create an uninterrupted flow. It’s a nice design touch.

There are other things that aren’t immediately apparent from images – for instance the extension of the door rocker panels to the bottom of the vehicle, keeping the insides of the door clean.

In the beginning, I could be counted among those who felt the production MKT didn’t live up the the promise of the concept. After spending time with it and seeing it in person, that impression changed. I look forward to checking out the MKT in a variety of colors once it hits dealerships over the next few months.

No-one is denying the MKT is a polarizing design though – Lincoln intended the crossover to make a bold statement about the brand, which it has done. That said, nearly all feedback I have received has been good – particularly that from discerning crowds. I was consistently stopped by people asking when the Lincoln MKT would be on sale. Driving through the streets of downtown San Francisco resulted in head turns, both from passersby and drivers of would-be rivals Audi, Mercedes, Acura and the like.

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Spaceships don’t have keys. Cue the Shiny Toy Guns rendition of the classic David Bowie track Major Tom. Stepping into the MKT reveals an entirely new interior approach for Lincoln, one that started with the MKS sedan. Back in 2006 the Fusion-based Zephyr debuted. Since then, a lot has changed for Lincoln. The brand introduced a new MK-(T,X,S,Z) naming convention as well as a dramatic change in design direction never more evident than in the MKT’s interior.

The Zephyr’s interior was in the style of Art Deco with rigid, rectangular shapes and an upright center stack. Vestiges of this design period for Lincoln can be seen currently on the Lincoln Navigator SUV. On the MKZ I quite liked the theme, but the MKT’s has broader appeal.

The overall design of the interior design is flowing, with the upper dash curving into the center stack that gets smaller heading into the cup holder area.

Whilst this was a preproduction tester, quality and attention to detail were top notch. The dash and door panels are covered with high-quality leather and panel gaps are tight. As I said before, luxury is in the details and small touches can be found everywhere; chrome-ringed speaker surrounds, control knobs and seat belt loops along with dual center console latches for driver and passenger.

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The aluminum trim perhaps best illustrates the difference, lending the interior a techy, sports-oriented feel that serves as an exclamation point to the change in direction for Lincoln. The aluminum trim piece appears to continue uninterrupted under the center stack, coming out on the other side near the steering wheel.

Not surprisingly, Lincoln lists the Acura MDX, another technologically-laden crossover, as one of the MKT’s chief competitors. While I prefer the wood trim option that would make the interior have a jet-like ambiance, the aluminum fits well with Lincoln’s advertising campaign.

In fact, of all the new Lincolns, the MKT is perhaps best positioned for capitalizing on those advertisements. With a push button starter, 7-inch high resolution touchscreen, and second-row bucket seats, “spaceship” was a common refrain. Jet-like, spaceship-like…either one works.

Quality of leather in the Lincoln was superb – the MKT uses leather from Bridge of Weir, a Scottish company that was the original supplier of leather for the Model T and the 1951 Lincoln Continental. Only 20 production cars today use Bridge of Weir leather, including the Lincoln MKS sedan.

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The second row is dominated by the flow-through center console, a piece that extends from the center stack of the vehicle to a bit behind the bucket seats. From above, the view is particularly striking. The rear is as sumptuous a place as the front, with the seats heated or cooled to your liking. Simply put. the experience is as luxurious as they come.

If there is a complaint back here, it would have to be space. Unfortunately the dramatic rear roofline renders the third row seating pretty much a kid-only zone. However, the same can be said for most similar vehicles on the market, albeit for different reasons (like legroom). At first the second row appears small due to the unique design and black color. That is not the case though, as space in all directions is generous.

At night the interior comes alive, with ambient lighting illuminating the front cup holders, footwells and the front and rear door panels. A button on the dash can cycle through the various colors or turn off the ambient lighting entirely if you so desire. Pictures of the night lighting can be found in our CarThrottle gallery of the MKT photo shoot.

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OK so we’ve covered the exterior and the interior, but what about the driving experience? The MKT doesn’t drive like the huge crossover it is. As can be expected, the EcoBoost engine dominates the experience. This is a gem of an engine – quiet, refined and powerful.

355hp of direct-injected, twin-turbocharged V-6 power that moves the near 5000lb MKT to the 60 mph mark in a scant 6.1 seconds (as quoted by Car & Driver). That is incredible! Perhaps best of all, power delivery is instantaneous. It has truly lived up to the hype surrounding the motor, which is difficult to do.

There is more to a driving experience than just the engine though. Here as well, the MKT excels at offering more than just straight-line power. No one is expecting this to be a sportscar, but past Lincolns have had the tendency to wallow.

At nearly all speeds the MKT feels composed and confident, with a taut (but never punishing) ride quality. With handling tested at speed, there was a minimal amount of body roll. This was quite a surprise! For a three-row luxury crossover, it’s hard to expect any more.

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Technologically, the MKT is at the cutting edge. This is another area where Lincoln and other American manufacturers have been lagging. That gap has been erased, as the MKT (and MKS and MKZ as well) illustrates. The 8-inch touchscreen is the centerpiece of the Lincoln’s interior, housing controls for the radio, climate system, Sirius Travel Link and if so equipped, the Navigation system.

The user interface is top notch and very easy to use. The MKT also offers a lot of the functions on the screen to be accessed by buttons on the dash for quick access. Ford’s collaboration with Microsoft, SYNC, works great with my iPhone, enabling handsfree calling and music playback through the speakers via Bluetooth.

Some of the standard or available features on the MKT include Active Parking Assist, laser-guided cruise control with collision warning and brake support, Blind Spot Information Mirror (BLIS®) with cross traffic alert, optional THX II® Certified 5.1 Surround Sound System and a rear view camera system.

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The MKT was a definite surprise in its four day stay with CarThrottle. While space in the third row and behind it wasn’t cavernous, the same can be said for nearly every vehicle in this segment. At around $58k as equipped the MKT isn’t cheap either, but it isn’t intended to be. The MKT offers features that the competition doesn’t, like cooled seats in the second row and a refrigerator, as well as V8-like power with V6-like fuel economy from EcoBoost.

I haven’t had a chance to evaluate it for comparison purposes, but a similarly equipped Audi Q7 will run you closer to $70K. The Q7′s fuel economy is also much worse; on the MKT I averaged around 18.8 mpg (and that’s while testing) in a mix of city and highway driving.

For many, a crossover makes sense – a similarly equipped luxury sedan (like the MKS, for instance) will be priced similar to the 2010 Lincoln MKT. With the MKT you get added utility and the ability to carry more people.

As such, the MKT proved itself to be a capable, luxurious vehicle that just so happens to offer more utility than a sedan. For anyone looking for a luxury crossover, putting the MKT on your list is a must. I highly recommend it! Oh and by the way, did I mention EcoBoost?

2010 Lincoln MKT Image Gallery