The MKZ comes standard as a front-wheel-drive 4-door sedan in several available package trims. Base cars are powered by a 2.0L Ecoboost 4-cylinder. The turbocharged engine features direct injection and twin independent variable camshaft timing (Ti-VCT) and produces 240 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque. A 3.7L V6 is also available, also utilizing Ti-VCT, which helps the engine develop an impressive 300 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque. A 6-speed automatic with SelectShift paddle shifters is standard. Lincoln's "intelligent" all-wheel drive system is optional with either engine and provides enhanced handling and control by redirecting power to the appropriate wheel for best traction in a variety of conditions. A 2.0L Atkinson-cycle hybrid-electric powertrain comes on the front-wheel-drive MKZ Hybrid, offering a total of 188 horsepower and returning an EPA-estimated 47 mpg in the city and 44 mpg on the highway.
Four equipment groups are offered on the MKZ: Premiere, Select, Reserve and Preferred. Standard features in Premiere include heated leather seating with front row 10-way power adjustability and driver memory, wood trim throughout, SYNC with MyLincoln Touch infotainment system on an 8-inch LCD touch-screen center stack, and an 11-speaker premium CD/MP3 sound system. Moving up to the Select trim adds a wood steering wheel, rearview camera and parking sensors, as well as HD Radio technology. The Reserve trim gets a navigation system with voice recognition, blind spot information system with a cross-traffic alert and a power trunk lid with soft close. Finally, the top-of-the-line Preferred trim comes with 19-inch polished aluminum wheels, heated steering wheel and rear seats and THX II Premium Audio.
Popular standalone options on the MKZ include two different moonroofs. The 'single panel' roof is a traditional remote glass sunroof, while the dual panel moonroof features an opening panel above the seats, with a fixed pane in the ceiling above the rear seats, which includes a power rear sunshade.
Standard safety features on the MKZ include a forward and reverse sensing system, AdvanceTrac Electronic Stability Control, an SOS Post-Crash Alert System, a bevy of airbags and traction control.