Washington, D.C.–The definition of luxury is changing before our eyes. Where wealth was once all about flaunting what you've got, Lincoln says that the new measure of worth includes phrases like "sustainability" and "guilt-free." In the brave new world of recession-era consumerism, the luxury lifestyle will be driven by products that operate as symbols of the buyer's ideals. And with an ever-growing focus on the evils of foreign oil, those ideals are likely to be tied to products like the 2011 Lincoln MKZ–cars and trucks that are supposed to deliver all the refinement of yesteryear without the guilt-tax of knowing your tank was topped off by a couple of foreign wars. But while the MKZ Hybrid will gladly rearrange the meaning of a fuel-efficient sedan, it doesn't quite manage to hit all of the necessary luxury cues.

The Specs

"It's a no-compromise situation," said Gil Portalatin, hybrid systems manager for Ford/Lincoln. "[The MKZ Hybrid] gives you great performance, all the driving dynamics, all the great attributes of the MKZ, plus you get the great fuel economy." He's not kidding. The 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid manages to set the fuel-economy bar several notches higher, thanks to a 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine and electric motor combo. Combined, the powerplants develop 191 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 135 lb-ft of torque at 2,250 rpm, but thanks to the clever gearing of the CVT gearbox and the fact that the hybrid can cruise on all-electric power at speeds up to 47 mph, the car can deliver 41 mpg city, according to the EPA. Hop on the highway, and the Feds say that the MKZ Hybrid is good for 36 mpg.

Those aren't just admirable figures. They beat the MKZ Hybrid's closest competition, the Lexus HS250h, by a wide margin— mpg in the city and 2 mpg on the highway. In fact, it would be hard to make a case for the baby Lexus now that Lincoln has stepped into the hybrid ring. Thanks to the well-tested Fusion Hybrid chassis, the MKZ Hybrid serves up superior driving dynamics and a quieter cabin, not to mention a good bit more interior space. The two cars land on the same page when it comes to MSRP too, so Lexus can forget playing up the value card. In base trim, the MKZ Hybrid will cost $35,180–exactly as much as the company asks for the base V6 model. If Lincoln was shooting for the HS250h, it hit well above its mark.

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For that price, the Lincoln's cabin is packed with plenty of standard features. Perforated, heated, and cooled leather seats are the order of the day, as is the top-notch Ford Sync telematics system. A large LCD touch-screen controls everything from hands-free phone calls to climate and entertainment, leaving little need for the controls positioned lower on the center stack. Moreover, the MKZ Hybrid borrows its uncluttered instrument cluster from the Fusion Hybrid, so the driver is rewarded with two clear LCD screens positioned on either side of the large speedometer that can be customized to display your choice of information.

The Drive

With the emphasis on fuel economy, we're fully braced for a limp-noodle version of the V6 car, but the new Atkinson-cycle sedan turns out to be anything but a slug. Acceleration is more than adequate for a four-door of this size–you're not going to win any stoplight drag races, but you won't be kicking yourself when merging, either. The capable 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine hops into the fray when it comes time for a quick pass or accelerating to join the murderous ranks of I-495 traffic around Washington, D.C. Our only complaint might be the utterly uninspiring econo-drone in the cockpit when accelerating hard–credit the CVT for much of that. At low speeds, the electric motor silently whisks us along without want for power. Even with our blatant disregard for the car's eco gauge, we managed to attain more than 38 mpg during mixed driving. Very impressive.

As in most hybrids, we'd appreciate a slightly firmer brake pedal under normal operation. The good news is that once you press past the initial squish, things firm up in a hurry without any of the expected fade during panic stops. The MKZ Hybrid may have the burden of lugging around a heavy nickel-metal hydride battery pack, but the additional weight doesn't seem to negatively impact the car's stopping distance. Like the Ford Fusion Hybrid that it—ahem—borrows from, the brake system is perfectly matched to the car's powerplant.

Surprisingly enough, that weight seems to have little impact on handling as well. As Lincolns go, the MKZ has always been a fairly flat-cornering machine, and the hybrid version of the sedan is no different. We wouldn't recommend showing up to your local autocross event with this cruiser, but it's certainly more of an engaging drive than the previously-mentioned HS250h.

Unfortunately, while the mechanicals in the MKZ Hybrid are as solid as can be, the interior falls far short of what we've come to expect from Ford's designers. In base trim, there's little to differentiate the cabin from the Fusion, due to dismal black plastic littered across the dash and down the center stack. Buyers can solve this problem by opting up for the Executive Package, which covers the dark stuff with eco-friendly wood veneer, though the look is merely a stop gap. We're hoping the cabin gets a significant update, and soon.

The Bottom Line

Lincoln clearly wants to differentiate itself from the rest of the pseudo-luxury pack by introducing a hybrid that's both affordable and a segment leader in terms of fuel economy. To that end, it has succeeded, but the sedan's cabin needs serious attention if the brand intends to contend with the titans of the market. A smart buyer will see right through the chrome and realize that the MKZ Hybrid is little more than a dressed up Ford Fusion Hybrid with better seats. Of course, something similar could be said of the Lexus HS250h and the Toyota Prius.

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