One of the biggest marketing problems facing a mainstream brand like Ford is how to keep customers in the corporate fold throughout their car buying life. As a customer becomes more affluent, they often want a car with a bit more prestige. That’s where captive premium and luxury brands come into play. Chevrolet has Buick and Cadillac, Toyota has Lexus, Honda has Acura, and of course Ford has Lincoln.

But, for decades Lincoln has lumbered along with the widely held consumer impression that it simply offers fancy versions of the same car sold under the Ford brand. This badge engineered perception has kept Lincoln from standing out in a crowd, let along grabbing true upmarket status.

Ford says that is now going to change and the all-new MKZ is the first step of what is to be a total transformation of Lincoln. Granted, the mid-size MKZ is based on the mechanicals of the similarly sized Ford Fusion. But, that’s not an unusual practice. Much more important is the character, style, and feel of the MKZ. Is it truly different from the Fusion?

 

Well in the looks department we would have to say “yes”. Though it rides on the same wheelbase as Fusion, the MKZ’s overall length is more than 2-inches longer. Body panels are completely different, and Lincoln wears its own face with the best rendition of the brand’s historic split-wing grille yet. Plus, when it comes to really distancing itself from the Fusion, the MKZ can be ordered with a huge retractable glass roof not offered at the Blue Oval. So, all in all, it is the most original Lincoln since the Jaguar derived LS.

Inside there is even more difference between MKZ and Fusion. There is a true splash of modern in the MKZ with features such as Push Button Shift and MyLincoln Touch. There’s also decent material quality and a much more flowing, more expressive gauges, and seats that have a custom feel.  Overall, the environment is luxurious in a non-showy way.

Also unlike the Fusion, a V6 will still be available, a 3.7-liter, and only one of many powertrains to choose from. Ford correctly noticed that many upscale buyers prefer a V6 over a 4-cylinder. Transmission is a 6-speed automatic with Lincoln’s Drive Control system to alter response based on conditions. All-wheel-drive is also available.

 Still, most MKZs will be delivered with Ford’s front drive 2.0-liter EcoBoost I4. It’s plenty powerful, but makes a bit too much noise for a luxury car.  There’s also an MKZ Hybrid, sharing the 2.0-liter I4 system used on Fusion Hybrid.

As for high-tech “keep up with the Jones’” features, there’s self-parking and a hidden rear dome light that senses when you want it to come on. Also, a whole suite of camera and radar based safety aides are available such as Lane Keeping, Collision Warning, and Blind Spot monitoring. 

Our first driving impressions also scored better than expected. MKZ handling proved to be quite agile with a surprisingly delightful touch of oversteer. Brakes also responded well to panic stops.   

The 2013 Lincoln MKZ makes a strong statement about a revitalized Lincoln. It’s not the Lincoln we were expecting. It’s much better and more in line with other premium brands. Now we’ll have to see how many buyers are still listening.

 

We’ve been getting a lot of MQB chassis time in lately. That’s Volkswagen’s nearly all-purpose front and all-wheel drive compact underpinning that supports such fun-to-drive models as the Golf R and Audi’s S3, both of which we recently tested. Now, it’s the turn of another MQB model, the Volkswagen Jetta GLI, a tidy sedan that has long been one of our most favorite VW’s of all time.

The GLI is, for all intents and purposes, to the Jetta what the GTI is to the Golf hatchback. So not only does it get more power than the standard Jetta, it puts it into play more effectively with VW’s VAQ electronic limited-slip differential. A major part of the GLI’s much improved handling, along with a multi-link rear suspension and sport-tuned dampers.

The GLI may not be a hard core performance car, but it remains an extremely seductive car to drive, while also managing to have a very different sport sedan feel than the GTI hot hatch.  The GLI to us is a little more laid back. Yet has lots of potential when you turn thing up a notch.  Throw in plenty of interior space, some great seats, and a smooth ride; and that’s pretty much everything we look for in a sporty daily driver.

Another part of what makes the fun factor high is the standard 6-speed manual.  Throws are a little long, but the shifter is very positive and feels good overall. A 7-speed DSG is also available if you must.

The spacious and well put together four-door interior would have made for a nice Audi not that long ago. Revisions here for 2022 include upgraded materials, but there’s also a new sport steering wheel with a clutter of touch-sensitive controls.

GLIs include lots of gloss black trim, along with red accents throughout the cabin.  VW’s digital cockpit is now standard on all Jettas. The GLI upgrades to a 10-inch fully configurable version.

Outside, all ’22 Jettas don a new grille. The rear bumper is revised with larger exhaust outlets…dual on the GLI… plus fresh wheel designs. GLI also adds exterior gloss black trim and red accents, along with projector beam headlights, a honeycomb-finished rear diffuser, and 18-inch rims.

There is not quite as much power in the GLI as in the current GTI, with VW’s 2.0-liter turbo-4 outputting 228-horsepower and 258 lb-ft. of torque.  But there’s no lack of grunt at all, and that’s plenty enough to make it quicker than most in the compact sedan class.

  The GLI’s trick differential can send all of the engine power to one front wheel if need be. Sport mode puts the adaptive dampers at their firmest setting, which kept body roll to a minimum when the roads get curvey.

For our complete road test of the 2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI, be sure to catch MotorWeek episode #4142 that begins airing on PBS June 24, 2022. For a listing of the PBS public television stations that broadcast MotorWeek, go to motorweek.org and click the “About the Show” tab at the top. You can also watch weekly episodes of MotorWeek on our cable partner MAVTV with new episodes airing each Saturday at 7:30 PM. Check their entire schedule at MAVTV.com. MotorWeek can also be streamed in its entirety on PBS.org/MotorWeek, as well as on PBS Living, a part of Amazon Prime Video. Roadtest videos are also be available at motorweek.org and on youtube.com/motorweek.

The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI is just the latest really-good-time that the MQB chassis has visited upon us. Indeed, we’re sure glad Volkswagen still offers the affordable and fun Jetta GLI sedan, and even more happy to drive it every chance we get.

 

The 2022 Kia EV6 crossover is the first step in Kia’s plan to deliver 11 all-new electric vehicles worldwide by 2026. Kia is no stranger to pure battery-electric vehicles, but prior to now, their BEV offerings have been built on existing Kia products such as the Soul EV and Niro EV. 

The EV6 however, rides on a dedicated Electric-Global Modular Platform shared with the Hyundai Ioniq 5. It brings with it, 800-volt DC fast-charging, which can add more than 200-miles of range in under 18-minutes. 

The 77.4-kWh battery found in our test EV6 GT-Line dual motor all-wheel-drive is rated at 274-miles of range. That range extends to 310-miles if you stick with rear-wheel-drive. Standard in the KV6 is a 58-kWh battery which delivers a range of 232-miles.

With a coupe-like 5-door profile, flush door handles, and unique LED lighting, our test EV6 GT-Line looks much different than its edgier Hyundai Ioniq 5 relative, and is as trendy as it is sporty, with a little high-tech thrown in for good measure.  

A dedicated EV platform allows for maximized interior space. So, with an overall footprint of a typical midsize SUV, its wheelbase is more akin to the larger Kia Telluride, meaning lots of room inside for both people and cargo. Helping the rear seat legroom cause even further, are front seats constructed of slim and ultra-light “giga-steel”. Recycled plastic is used throughout the interior, and all surfaces are fully vegan. 

 The standard powertrain consists of a 125-kW rear-mounted motor rated at 167-horsepower. With the extended range battery, horsepower jumps to 225; while an additional motor can be added to the front axle providing all-wheel-drive, and boosting total output to 320-horsepower with 446 lb-ft. of torque. That is how our GT-Line trimmed EV6 was equipped. However, an upcoming even sportier EV6 GT moves the 160-kW unit up front, and adds a 270-kW motor for the rear wheels, to deliver a total of 576-horsepower. Both setups deliver acceleration that is more akin to a motorcycle than an SUV.

Kia claims EV6 is the world’s first mass-produced vehicle with an integrated drive axle design, incorporating wheel bearings with the drive shaft to save weight. This is supposed to also enhance ride comfort and handling abilities, which are also aided by a fully-independent 5-link rear suspension.  

Like many other manufacturers, Kia is promoting the fact that all EVs are essentially mobile power stations. The EV6 can deliver 1,900 watts of electricity to keep all of your electronics charged, power tools at the jobsite, and even supply back-up power to your home in emergency situations.  

More than 20 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems are standard, with semi-autonomous driving at the new HDA2 level. A 3D Augmented Reality Head-Up Display gives you plenty of information while still being able to keep your eyes on the road.  

For our complete road test of the Kia KV6 EV, be sure to catch MotorWeek episode #4137 that begins airing on PBS May 20, 2022. For a listing of the PBS public television stations that broadcast MotorWeek, go to motorweek.org and click the “About the Show” tab at the top. You can also watch weekly episodes of MotorWeek on our cable partner MAVTV with new episodes airing each Saturday at 7:30 PM. Check their entire schedule at MAVTV.com. MotorWeek can also be streamed in its entirety on PBS.org/MotorWeek, as well as on PBS Living, a part of Amazon Prime Video. Road Test videos are also be available at motorweek.org and on youtube.com/motorweek. 

Base price for the Kia EV6, before government incentives, is just over $42,000 for two-wheel drive. Kia clearly has their stylish nose pointed towards the electric future. Vehicles such as this 2022 EV6 prove they’re planning to include plenty of practicality and driving pleasure.