Lincoln MKS v.s Cadillac XTS review

A face-off between the flagship luxury sedans from Cadillac and Lincoln used to be a center-ring event. Not anymore. With German and Asian automakers continually raising the bar in this category, the new Cadillac XTS and the updated Lincoln MKS are now little more than a sideshow among more inviting and higher-rated models. Watch our video reviews of the Cadillac XTS and the Lincoln MKS.

Of the two, the XTS is a considerably better car. But its 79 overall road-test score still places it near the bottom of this competitive class and well short of the top-rated Audi A6 and Infiniti M37. The MKS scores too low for us to recommend and sits in the cellar of our luxury-sedan ratings.

The $57,200 XTS replaces the plush DTS and sporty STS sedans at the top of Cadillac's lineup. It is wonderfully luxurious, with a very spacious and well-appointed cabin and a roomy trunk. But the car lacks the silky ride you'd expect from a big Caddy, and although it handles well for its size, it doesn't have the finesse or brawn of the better German and Asian competitors.

The XTS is also hampered by a new high-tech infotainment system called CUE (for Cadillac User Experience). The system is so convoluted and frustrating that it detracts from the XTS's pampering environment (see "Missed CUE," below). Though the XTS scored well enough, we don't recommend the model because it's too new for us to have reliability data.

At $50,070 for our loaded test car, the MKS costs much less than the XTS and offers plenty of features. But they don't make up for the car's basic flaws, including a cramped driving position and limited visibility. Moreover, handling is ungainly, the ride is neither isolating nor adequately composed, and the 3.7-liter  V6 engine is coarse. A recent update added the MyLincoln Touch infotainment system, making the controls confusing, distracting, and frustrating.

Buyers would do much better with the roomy, well-appointed, and less expensive Chrysler 300 or Hyundai's Genesis or Equus.

Though the XTS and the MKS deliver great isolation from road noise, their engines can sound gruff when pushed.

Neither car has a true luxury-car ride. The XTS is not as velvety on the road as many competitors, and its low-profile tires tend to slap a bit over road joints. A Sport mode stiffens up the shocks some but doesn't significantly ratchet up agility. The MKS's suspension allows impacts to come through harshly. It has three modes. When driving in Comfort mode, undulations on the highway can make the car feel floaty, like a boat riding over waves. The Normal mode quells the buoyancy but amplifies some of the impacts. Sport mode only makes the MKS's suspension feel jittery.

The XTS has impressive handling for a big luxury car, exhibiting little body lean.

It navigated our avoidance maneuver at a commendable speed. The MKS, on the other hand, felt ponderous and lumbering, with little steering feedback. Electronic stability control had to work overtime for our testers to thread the avoidance maneuver, posting a low speed.

The cars have six-speed automatic transmissions mated to their  V6 engines. The XTS's is smooth and responsive. The MKS's gearbox is less refined, with lagging shifts that sometimes arrive with a thud. Both engines use regular fuel and deliver similarly strong acceleration, although at 22 mpg overall the XTS is more fuel efficient than the MKS at 20.

All-wheel drive is optional on the cars. A 365-hp turbocharged EcoBoost V6 is available in the MKS; it delivers effortless acceleration.

The interiors have abundant upscale materials, and the fit and finish is commendable in both cars. The XTS's interior is General Motors' best effort to date and is comparable to some of the finest interiors in this category.

Drivers have more room in the XTS. The Lincoln feels cramped, with a wide console and sill and more intrusion into left foot space. Each has a wide range of power seat and steering-wheel adjustments.

Sightlines are impaired in both cars, although the XTS has a standard backup camera. Small windows, thick pillars, and high windows make driving the MKS feel like sitting inside a tank turret, and a backup camera is only optional. Both of our cars also came with blind-spot monitoring, forward-collision warning, and rear cross-traffic alert. Our XTS also has lane-departure warning. Many of those safety systems sound an alert or set off a vibration in the Cadillac's driver seat. That gets your attention without alerting other occupants. But we found that it was sometimes hard to identify which system was alerting us.

The XTS's front seats are big and well padded and provide good overall support. Cushions that adjust for thigh support come on higher trim levels. Two passengers will find it comfortable in back, but the bench isn't quite wide enough to comfortably fit three.

Front seats in our MKS are supportive enough but are narrow and flat. The rear seat is roomy enough for three, but the cushion's support lags over time.

Cadillac's CUE system is so frustrating that it almost makes us pine for our MKS's MyLincoln Touch. Both replace almost all of the physical buttons and knobs in the cabin. Inputs are made through a touch screen and by tapping flush surfaces. MyLincoln Touch is somewhat easier to navigate; CUE has bigger fonts and clearer screens. But neither system works well. The only redeeming qualities of the systems are the voice controls and the ability to easily integrate mobile electronics.

These large cars have the spacious trunks you'd expect, but each has a small opening. Rear seats fold down in 60/40 sections to create more room in the XTS. The MKS has only a small pass-through.