Lincoln MKZ Hybrid 2012

Introduction

The Lincoln MKZ is one of Lincoln’s, and subsequently Ford’s, most popular vehicles. It’s never too early to start speculating about new features and specifications of the MKZ, especially considering its release is right around the corner. We can’t find too much information about when the car is coming out, but we’d expect to see it in the fourth quarter of the year.

Waiting for the Debut

There are plenty of concept drawings floating around the internet about what the newly redesigned MKZ is supposed to look like, but because the vehicle hasn’t debuted anywhere yet, it’s hard to make any solid predictions. It’s expected to be released in a hybrid version again for 2012, following the success of the 2011 hybrid. With both the regular and hybrid version of the 2011 MKZ costing around $35,000 new, about the same can be expected for the 2012 version as well. MKZ’s, because of their popularity, carry a strong resale value. Most 2010 models are still hovering around the $30,000 range on the used car market.

Hot Rumors

There’s not too much word on the street about what the new 2012 MKZ will look like, but there are strong indicators that Ford is redesigning the chassis and sharing it between the European Mondeo, Ford Fusion, and the MKZ for the 2013 release. This could be an indicator of the European chassis and design for the upcoming release. It is speculated that we’ll see a new drivetrain and customizable dashboard in both the Fusion and MKZ for 2012, both nice upgrades.

Safety

Not much safety information is out just yet for the 2011 MKZ, which would give us an indication of how the 2012 will perform, but 2010 safety information is readily available. The 2010 MKZ earned high marks (read 5 out of 5 stars) on every government safety test, except for one. The rear passenger impact safety rating only managed to get 4 out of 5, which still isn’t too bad.

Competition to the 2012 Lincoln MKZ

We’re excited to see more information come about the 2012 MKZ, as it’ll be interesting to see the redesign of both the interior and exterior. If you’re in the market for a midsized sedan and aren’t sure about the 2012 MKZ just yet, you might also want to consider the Mercedes Benz C-Class, Cadillac CTS, or an Audi A4.