cars road tests

LUXURY CARS XTS vs. Lincoln MKS Two big, opulent American sedans fall short of expectations

face-off between the flagship car. But its 79 overall road-test score still isolating nor adequately composed, and luxury sedans from Cadillac and places it near the bottom of this competitive the 3.7-liter V6 engine is coarse. A recent Lincoln used to be a center-ring class and well short of the top-rated Audi A6 update added the MyLincoln Touch event. Not anymore. With German and Infiniti M37. The MKS scores too low for infotainment system, making the controls Aand Asian automakers continually raising us to recommend and sits in the cellar of confusing, distracting, and frustrating. the bar in this category, the new Cadillac XTS our luxury- ratings. Buyers would do much better with the and the updated Lincoln MKS are now little The $57,200 XTS replaces the plush DTS roomy, well-appointed, and less expensive more than a sideshow among more inviting and sporty STS sedans at the top of Cadillac’s Chrysler 300 or Hyundai’s Genesis or Equus. and higher-rated models. lineup. It is wonderfully luxurious, with a very Of the two, the XTS is a considerably better spacious and well-appointed cabin and Less than supple a roomy trunk. But the car lacks the silky ride Though the XTS and the MKS deliver great you’d expect from a big Caddy, and although isolation from road noise, their engines can How they compare it handles well for its size, it doesn’t have the sound gruff when pushed. 0 100 finesse or brawn of the better German and Neither car has a true luxury-car ride. The Rec. LUXURY SEDANS P | F | G | VG | E Asian competitors. XTS is not as velvety on the road as many The XTS is also hampered by a new high-tech competitors, and its low-profile tires tend to Audi A6 3.0 Premium Plus 93 nc Quattro infotainment system called CUE (for Cadillac slap a bit over road joints. A Sport mode stiffens User Experience). The system is so convoluted up the shocks some but doesn’t significantly nc Infiniti M37 93 and frustrating that it detracts from the XTS’s ratchet up agility. The MKS’s suspension allows 92 nc Hyundai Genesis 3.8 pampering environment (see “Missed CUE,” on impacts to come through harshly. It has nc Mercedes-Benz E350 86 page 52). Though the XTS scored well enough, three modes. When driving in Comfort mode, nc Lexus GS 350 84 we don’t recommend the model because it’s undulations on the highway can make the too new for us to have reliability data. car feel floaty, like a boat riding over waves. c Chrysler 300 Limited (V6) 83 n At $50,070 for our loaded test car, the The Normal mode quells the buoyancy but nc Hyundai Equus Signature 82 MKS costs much less than the XTS and offers amplifies some of the impacts. Sport mode nc BMW 535i 81 plenty of features. But they don’t make up only makes the MKS’s suspension feel jittery. Cadillac XTS Premium 79 for the car’s basic flaws, including a cramped The XTS has impressive handling for driving position and limited visibility. Moreover, a big , exhibiting little body lean. Lincoln MKS (base, 3.7) 60 handling is ungainly, the ride is neither It navigated our avoidance maneuver at

50 consumer reports january 2013 road-test road-test score score Cadillac XTS 79 60 Lincoln MKS

Tested vehicle Tested vehicle Highs Roomy interior and trunk, seat comfort, fit and Highs Quietness, rear-seat room, fit and finish finish, quietness, braking, Lows Frustrating controls, uncomposed ride, Lows Frustrating CUE driver interface, ride not plush transmission, narrow cockpit, visibility, turning enough, visibility, small trunk opening circle, small trunk opening Trim line Premium Trim line Base Drivetrain 304-hp, 3.6-liter V6 engine; six-speed automatic Drivetrain 304-hp, 3.7-liter V6 engine; six-speed automatic transmission; front-wheel drive transmission; front-wheel drive Major options Sunroof, rear sunshades Major options Navigation, rear camera, blind-spot monitoring, Tested price $57,200 , forward-collision warning, moonroof, power adjustable pedals More test findings Tested price $50,070 Braking Excellent, with a responsive pedal and very short stops from Brembo front brakes. More test findings Headlights Xenon HID lamps provide good visibility overall Braking Very good, with a fairly responsive pedal. but have a sharp upper cutoff. Headlights Standard HIDs provide very good visibility but have Access Easy, but sills are a little wide. a sharp cutoff. Automatic high beams work well. Visibility Thick pillars, a high and deep rear deck, and Access Easy enough, but the door sills are wide and door a small glass area diminish the driver’s view out. openings are small for a big car. Rear-camera, cross-traffic alert, and blind-zone Visibility Thick pillars, small rear windows, and a high rear monitoring systems all work well. deck diminish the view. Rear-camera, cross-traffic CABIN STORAGE Moderate, with a hidden cubby behind center alert, and blind-zone monitoring systems work well. controls. CABIN STORAGE Modest overall. Head No center-rear restraint. Front pair adjusts fore Head The center-rear has no restraint and is not tall restraints and aft for comfort. restraints enough to provide adequate rear-crash protection Child Seats Some rear-facing seats may be difficult to secure for adults. The outboard restraints don’t adjust. with safety belts. LATCH anchors are available Child Seats The lower LATCH anchors and the outer top-tether in all rear positions but are hard to reach. anchors can be difficult to access.

PEEk-a-BOO-BOO Buttons on weak LINK As in other Ford the touch screen disappear until vehicles, the MyLincoln Touch you reach for them, making it system doesn’t offer a straight­ hard to aim for what you want. forward interface for drivers.

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