Lincoln MKC

Lincoln arrived late to the fashionable, crowded compact luxury SUV party with the MKC. Basing it on the accomplished Ford Escape should be a great place to start, but weighing down the package with too much jewelry hid the car's natural talent.

In contrast to the Escape's composure, the Lincoln bobs around too much on the road; the ride never settles down. Three optional adjustable suspension modes enable the driver to dial in the desired dynamic personality, adjusting for comfort and agility, but none of the selections strikes the right balance. Handling is ultimately secure, but not as agile as other small luxury SUVs. The Lincoln feels larger in corners than it really is -- the opposite of what you want.

While a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine is standard, our test model had the up-level 2.3-liter turbo four-cylinder. This engine delivers enough power, but it doesn't offer the same effortless thrust as a V6. Adding insult to injury, many competing V6s get better fuel economy than the four-cylinder MKC's 19 mpg overall. And, the Lincoln requires frequent fill ups, with its small gas tank limiting cruising range to about 300 miles.

Inside, the MKC is quiet and luxuriously finished, but it's still not as comfortable and livable as a luxury SUV should be. Seats aren't all that supportive, and left foot room is scarce for the driver. Although the controls have some conventional knobs, you still have to use the fussy touchscreen for many functions. (The touch screen was improved after 2015 thanks to the later-introduced Sync 3 system.)The pushbutton shifter also takes some getting used to.

The rear seat is low and tight for adults. Cargo capacity is modest, but the MKC has several neat features such as the ability to open the rear hatch handsfree by swiping your foot under the rear bumper.

Ultimately, the MKC falls far short of the class best.

You can only get a front-drive MKC with the base turbocharged 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine. All-wheel drive is optional with either the 2.0-liter or 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. The larger-displacement brings an additional 45 more horsepower.

There are no trim lines, but the MKC has optional "equipment groups." All MKCs are well equipped, including heated front power seats, a rear camera, 18-inch wheels, and automatic climate control. Maybe the only thing you'd really miss on the base Premiere edition is real leather seats, as opposed to "pleather," and a universal Homelink garage door opener.

The "Select" group adds real leather and Homelink plus more power adjustments for the passenger seat.

The full-boat model is the "Reserve" group, which adds a panoramic sunroof, blind spot monitoring, heated and cooled front seats, navigation, and the trick hands-free liftgate.

Note that while some options can be added piecemeal, many require a higher level equipment group. For instance, adding blind spot monitoring or a heated steering wheel requires at least the Select option group. The hands-free tailgate requires the top-of-the-line Reserve group; that seems crazy.

While the 2.3-liter engine packs a punch, the refined 2.0-liter has enough power and will cost less. Skipping the optional 19-inch wheels might also help the ride while still looking good.

We'd probably go with a Select trim with the optional blind-spot monitor, navigation, panoramic moonroof, and climate package (for the heated steering wheel), as well as the 2.0-liter engine and all-wheel drive.

The MKC was a new model for 2015. For the 2016 model year, Sync 3 replaced the much-maligned MyLincoln Touch. A simpler layout and larger onscreen buttons give the next-generation Sync 3 a cleaner look than MyLincoln Touch.

Beyond the fresh appearance, Sync 3 provides an easier and less distracting experience while driving. The menu structure is more intuitive and has a faster response time. Seamless app integration and easy-to-use voice controls that respond to natural speech add to the appeal.