Lincoln’s->ke48 expansion is now in full swing after parent company Ford->ke31 announced its plan to triple the luxury brand’s sales volume by 2020. That’s the long-term goal. The short-term goal is for Lincoln to continue its full-court press in China, which it hopes will account for the majority of its sales. The arrival of the new MKZ->ke456 and MKC->ke4599 in China were the first steps. Now comes another step; the launch of the new MKX->ke461 crossover.

The American brand gave us a glimpse on what the new MKX is going to look like with the debut of the 2014 MKX Concept [Crossover at the 2014 Beijing Auto Show->ke2062 and the big question was how much of the production MKX will draw inspiration from the concept version. The answer at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show, where Lincoln removed the veil from the 2016 MKX, was that the production crossover mirrors the study in many aspects, which is a good thing considering the nameplate was in dire need of a makeover following the poor sales numbers of 2013 and 2014. Find out what the 2016 MKX is all about in the review below.

Updated 01/13/2015: Lincoln unveiled the all-new 2016 MKX at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show and announced sales will begin this fall. Click past the jump for the new details.

Click past the jump to read more about the 2016 Lincoln MKX.

Exterior

As with most recent Lincolns, the redesigned MKX represents a significant departure previous model in terms of exterior design. The SUV received the brand’s new corporate look, which incorporates the split-wing grille, blade-like headlamps and a more elegant profile. These changes give the Lincoln MKX well-balanced proportions as opposed to the previous generation's rather boxy appearance.

Also sportier and more dynamic than its predecessor, the 2016 MKX showcases a sloping roof, muscular rear fenders, wraparound taillights and a revised rear apron, which now features larger, rectangular exhaust tips. Most of these features were first seen on the 2014 MKX Concept, a study suspected of being of the production-ready variety from day one.

Interior

Much like the exterior, the interior of the MKX has also been revised to incorporate styling cues and features previously seen on recently unveiled products. The refined surfaces, the soft leathers, and the updated safety and technology features keep the MKX fresh for the demanding luxury crossover segment it competes in. Every inch of the cabin that's not wood or metal is covered in acres of high-grade leather. Power front seats with 22 directions of adjustment and a premium Revel audio system are the main highlights of the options list.

The list of standard convenience features is impressive, now including a 360-degree camera system, automatic parallel and perpendicular parking, pre-collision assist, and cross-traffic alert. However, the MKX is far from perfect on the inside, as most of the revisions in the dashboard area are more of the facelift variety. As a result, the overall layout is still based on the Ford Fusion's, something Lincoln should've discarded with this redesign.

Drivetrain

Under the hood, the MKX can be equipped with a choice of two engines and either two- or all-wheel-drive. Engine options include the familiar 3.7-liter V-6 rated at more than 300 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque and a 2.7-liter, EcoBoost V-6 that promises to crank out at least 330 ponies and 370 pound-feet. Both mills mate to a six-speed automatic transmission.

Needless to say, the drivetrain offering is rather peculiar, as the two V-6 engines are differentiated by only 30 ponies. The reason why Lincoln decided to keep the 3.5-liter V-6 for the MKX is a mystery, but it probably has something to do with not wanting to sell the crossover with just one engine. Paying a premium for the 2.7-liter EcoBoost is a no-brainer if you ask me, especially since it's powerful enough leave the Cadillac SRX behind. I have a hunch the 3.5-liter V-6 will be shown the door as soon as a facelift is developed.

Drivetrain Specifications

Prices

With the current MKX priced from $38,900, I expect the updated SUV's sticker to climb closer to $40,000. That would make it nearly $3,000 more expensive than the Cadillac SRX, a six-year old model that's set to receive a redesign for the 2016 model year.

Competitors

Cadillac SRX

The Lincoln MKX it’s reentering a market that will include a familiar rival in Cadillac and its SRX crossover. A shared similarity with three-letter nomenclatures aside, the MKX and the SRX should make for good rivals. The Cadillac SRX is admittedly due for an update, seeing as some of its sedan counterparts have already gotten theirs.

But the current SRX still received some upgrades, especially the interior. The engine, however, remains the same, which really isn’t a bad thing. It’s still the same 3.6-liter, V-6 engine that produces 308 horsepower and 265 pound-feet of torque. That's enough to propel the SRX to 60 mph in a little over seven seconds to go with a top speed of 117 mph, but the V-6 is inferior to the 2.7-liter EcoBoost in terms of output and fuel economy.

The SRX retails from $37,605 and goes all the way up to $58,150 for 2015, its final year on the market in current form.

Lexus RX

The Lexus NX may be getting all the publicity these days, but the RX still takes the baton as Lexus’ rival to the redesigned MKX. It would’ve been nice if Lexus also gave the RX the ridiculous styling of the NX, but we assume that it’ll come sooner than later. For now, the current RX retains its old style, albeit with a few changes, including the incorporation of Lexus’ new spindle grille and the adoption of LED daytime running lights as standard on most of the lineup.

Under its hood, the RX will continue to use a 3.5-liter, DOHC V-6 that produces 270 horsepower and 240 pound-feet of torque. It's obviously as powerful as the MKX and the SRX, but the RX should still hit 60 mph in 7.7 seconds to go with a top speed of 112 mph. The Japanese SUV is the most expensive of the bunch with a sticker set at $40,970.

Conclusion

The Lincoln MKX has been a rather poor performer on the luxury market in recent years, with sales having dropped below the 25,000-unit mark in both 2013 and 2014. While in 2015 it is likely to follow the same trend, the launch of the redesigned MKX could finally bring some optimism at Lincoln, who has been looking at Cadillac from below for quite some time. Sure, a revised MKX won't bring an overwhelming amount of customers to dealerships in the United States (China might be another story), but it's a good start for Ford's struggling luxury brand.