prashok
Feb 24, 06, 10:11 pm
The rental car gods must have been on my side today, as I finally received this car -- which I have been trying to score for several weeks now. Even more surprising was that it was given to me automatically -- no trudging back to the Gold counter at SFO this week to get something else. :)
http://www.lincoln.com/zephyr/home.asp
From the Lincoln website, my particular example was equipped with the optional power moonroof, 17" chrome wheels and heated/cooled front seats, for a total MSRP of $32,250.
And here's some (bad-quality) pics of the car in question... :D
http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/8443/lincoln38sh.jpg
http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/1125/lincoln25pf.jpg
Power: Just like its downmarket cousins, the Mazda 6 and Ford Fusion, the Zephyr is equipped with the 3.0L Duratec V6, which in the Lincoln makes 221 hp. This motor is generally smooth and powerful, though it's a bit sluggish from a start, and at the top of the powerband, can sound a bit noisy. The standard six-speed automatic transmission is responsive and shifts smoothly, but can sometimes be a bit jerky when hunting gears. And considering the Zephyr's sporting intentions, it's odd that no manual-shift control is provided. In any case, this powertrain combo yields a respective EPA-estimated 20 city/28 highway mpg rating, which seems to match what I've been getting in mixed driving.
Ride/Handling: Take the solid chassis of the Fusion, and add a dash of Town Car-style cushiness, and you have the overall driving dynamics of the Zephyr. Steering is somewhat lighter than the 6 and Fusion, but feedback remains communicative, and chassis grip is still excellent. As with the softer steering, body roll is also slightly more pronounced in the Zephyr, but it's still controlled well. Brakes are firm and pedal feel is solid, with little mushiness. Traction control is standard, though the lack of stability control is a bit glaring.
Interior: The Zephyr interior was quite impressive in my opinion, with soft-touch materials, easy-to-use ergonomics and a spacious cabin. Some of the lower trim pieces were loose or misaligned, but overall build quality was good. Tactile and materials quality were excellent, and ergonomics are simple (the Zephyr also includes stereo and climate controls on the steering wheel as well). Personally, I felt as if the gauges were somewhat small and set too far back in the instrument cluster. Cabin space is on-par with other vehicles its size, but those looking for Avalon or Azera levels of spaciousness may be a bit disappointed. Oddly enough, the Zephyr's door map pockets seem to have the same problem as the Fusion -- they can't really fit the Hertz map properly. :D The trunk is pretty spacious, with almost 16 cubic feet of space and an easy-to-load surface.
Design: I was somewhat disappointed with the pictures of the Zephyr when it was released, but in person, the design is quite stunning. The imposing Lincoln grille is integrated well to the overall profile, and the chrome accents give an upscale look, without being garish. Similarly, the interior is nicely-designed, with the charcoal/silver color scheme being excellently contrasted with the dark wood pieces. The high-cowl, "SUV-like" dash design might be a problem for shorter drivers, but overall it's a neat arrangement. And a big ^ to Ford for putting chrome accents in key places around the interior, rather than resorting to the (cheap-looking IMO) aluminum-look plastic pieces that other manufacturers seem to be doing nowadays.
Features: In addition to the expected features, my Zephyr example also had a few interesting goodies, such as memory settings for the driver's seat, heated/cooled front seats and dual-zone climate control.
Value: For a while, the Zephyr was apparently in the YC class during its trial run, but now it is classified YH, according to my keychain. While it is a bit down on power and doesn't have the RWD chassis of the G35, the Lincoln is a nicer on the inside IMO, and is significantly more fun-to-drive than the Avalon/Azera/Amanti bunch. In that respect, I wouldn't mind having this car again over those cars (assuming I didn't need the extra room of the cruisers). ^
To sum it up:
The Good
An equal helping of sport and luxury
Elegant styling
Pleasing interior
The Bad
Could use a few more ponies (the upcoming 3.5L Duratec would solve this problem quite easily though)
http://www.lincoln.com/zephyr/home.asp
From the Lincoln website, my particular example was equipped with the optional power moonroof, 17" chrome wheels and heated/cooled front seats, for a total MSRP of $32,250.
And here's some (bad-quality) pics of the car in question... :D
http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/8443/lincoln38sh.jpg
http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/1125/lincoln25pf.jpg
Power: Just like its downmarket cousins, the Mazda 6 and Ford Fusion, the Zephyr is equipped with the 3.0L Duratec V6, which in the Lincoln makes 221 hp. This motor is generally smooth and powerful, though it's a bit sluggish from a start, and at the top of the powerband, can sound a bit noisy. The standard six-speed automatic transmission is responsive and shifts smoothly, but can sometimes be a bit jerky when hunting gears. And considering the Zephyr's sporting intentions, it's odd that no manual-shift control is provided. In any case, this powertrain combo yields a respective EPA-estimated 20 city/28 highway mpg rating, which seems to match what I've been getting in mixed driving.
Ride/Handling: Take the solid chassis of the Fusion, and add a dash of Town Car-style cushiness, and you have the overall driving dynamics of the Zephyr. Steering is somewhat lighter than the 6 and Fusion, but feedback remains communicative, and chassis grip is still excellent. As with the softer steering, body roll is also slightly more pronounced in the Zephyr, but it's still controlled well. Brakes are firm and pedal feel is solid, with little mushiness. Traction control is standard, though the lack of stability control is a bit glaring.
Interior: The Zephyr interior was quite impressive in my opinion, with soft-touch materials, easy-to-use ergonomics and a spacious cabin. Some of the lower trim pieces were loose or misaligned, but overall build quality was good. Tactile and materials quality were excellent, and ergonomics are simple (the Zephyr also includes stereo and climate controls on the steering wheel as well). Personally, I felt as if the gauges were somewhat small and set too far back in the instrument cluster. Cabin space is on-par with other vehicles its size, but those looking for Avalon or Azera levels of spaciousness may be a bit disappointed. Oddly enough, the Zephyr's door map pockets seem to have the same problem as the Fusion -- they can't really fit the Hertz map properly. :D The trunk is pretty spacious, with almost 16 cubic feet of space and an easy-to-load surface.
Design: I was somewhat disappointed with the pictures of the Zephyr when it was released, but in person, the design is quite stunning. The imposing Lincoln grille is integrated well to the overall profile, and the chrome accents give an upscale look, without being garish. Similarly, the interior is nicely-designed, with the charcoal/silver color scheme being excellently contrasted with the dark wood pieces. The high-cowl, "SUV-like" dash design might be a problem for shorter drivers, but overall it's a neat arrangement. And a big ^ to Ford for putting chrome accents in key places around the interior, rather than resorting to the (cheap-looking IMO) aluminum-look plastic pieces that other manufacturers seem to be doing nowadays.
Features: In addition to the expected features, my Zephyr example also had a few interesting goodies, such as memory settings for the driver's seat, heated/cooled front seats and dual-zone climate control.
Value: For a while, the Zephyr was apparently in the YC class during its trial run, but now it is classified YH, according to my keychain. While it is a bit down on power and doesn't have the RWD chassis of the G35, the Lincoln is a nicer on the inside IMO, and is significantly more fun-to-drive than the Avalon/Azera/Amanti bunch. In that respect, I wouldn't mind having this car again over those cars (assuming I didn't need the extra room of the cruisers). ^
To sum it up:
The Good
An equal helping of sport and luxury
Elegant styling
Pleasing interior
The Bad
Could use a few more ponies (the upcoming 3.5L Duratec would solve this problem quite easily though)