Performance
There are three drivetrains available for the
MKZ. The base engine is a four-cylinder turbocharger with 245 horsepower.
Alpharetta drivers can upgrade to a V6 engine rated for 350 horsepower, which
climbs up to 400 horsepower by opting for all-wheel drive. Lastly, there is a
hybrid option with a combined 188 horsepower. This is a case where upgrading
the base engine is a perfect choice. The increase in power is large and
significant. You'll feel it in the acceleration and the ease with which you get
to highway speeds. The MKZ doesn't exactly feel sporty. Instead, it is
extremely smooth and comfortable. This emphasizes the luxury class of the
drivetrain options. There's something special about how light and responsive
the car feels at this size category.
Interior
The interior of the MKZ feels great, and as you
go up the trim levels, the better materials and tech make it even better. The
base trim uses synthetic leather, which you can upgrade to genuine leather at
upper trims. Many of the other upgrades are related to the seating. Buford
drivers can add in heating, ventilation, massaging, and more to the front
seats. The two higher trims each upgrade the sound system, and the second trim
adds a moonroof and USB ports for the rear seats. That makes it a good place to
settle-- you get almost all the interior boosts. Note that if you also want the
engine upgrades, you will need to move up to the third trim.
Safety
The safety in the MKZ is cutting edge. The base
trim is loaded with sensor systems like blind-spot monitoring. It also has
automatic braking for collision avoidance. It's a complete suite of features in
terms of safety tech. The only major omission is adaptive cruise control, and even
that is more automation than safety. It is available on the second trim. The
third trim adds on some additional parking sensors that complement the rear
camera on the base trim. Of course, the MKZ has the basics, like airbags as
well. The two outside seats in the rear row of seats each have a set of LATCH
connectors for a child seat. That's sometimes hard to find on luxury cars, so
it's good to see, and it makes the MKZ more appealing to Milton
families.
