2006 Lincoln Mark LT Pickup Review & Performance

Lincoln's stylists did a better than decent job of making a square peg fit in a round hole in the design of the Mark LT's front end. Only the most observant eye notices that what looks like a distinctive Lincoln face, like that of a Navigator or of a Blackwood, is the trademark air vent-like Lincoln grille carefully shaved to slide into the same opening as a Ford F-150 grille. Otherwise, everything that makes up what the Mark LT first presents to the world is, yes, out of the same parts bins as feed the F-150 assembly line. Still, it's not an unflattering face.

Distinctive marks on the Mark LT's side panels are few, but noteworthy. Front fender side panels sport the Lincoln badge and a Mark LT logo. The mirrors wear chrome caps over a matte black base, which matches the mounting plate filling the forward lower corners of the front door windows. Door handles are chrome full-rounds set in body-color bezels. Chrome cladding visually links the front and rear bumpers.

Large, mostly rectangular taillight and reflector lenses bridge the seam between the fenders and tailgate. A chrome handle in a body-color surround above an oversize Lincoln badge opens the lockable tailgate, which also wears Mark LT identification. The license plate occupies a recess in the chrome rear bumper above an inset step pad over the optional hitch receiver plate. A single chrome exhaust tip peeks out under the side body panel aft of the right rear tire.

Climbing into the Mark LT is a major step up even with the assist of the optional running boards. And about those running boards, they weren't much help. To be truly functional, they need to protrude farther from the body. As they are, they're some help climbing in, but when you're climbing out, they mostly serve to dirty the back side of your leg as it's nigh impossible to twist your foot around to use them as a step. The powered running boards on the Navigator, which extend when the door is opened and retract when it's closed, were a better idea.

back seats when the mid-gate is lowered.

On balance, we'll take the Mark LT's bed extender. We would, however, not opt for the chrome box rails. The LT's box sides, like those of the F-150, are already abnormally high, and adding the rails makes the bed even less accessible from the sides.

We also appreciated very much the Mark LT's Tailgate Assist, an internal torsion bar linked to the tailgate's hinge that bears some of the tailgate's weight, lightening the load when opening and closing it. And then there's the delicious irony of a tailgate that's both lockable to deter theft and fitted with hinges designed for easy removal.

A truck is a truck. No matter how it's featured and trimmed, or how sophisticated the suspension design and frame composition, a truck will drive, ride and handle like a truck. The Mark LT is no exception to this rule. This isn't to say it's uncomfortable, or unresponsive, just that notwithstanding its luxury nameplate, it's not a Town Car with an enlarged, open-air trunk.

The reality check starts with the engine. Despite the promise of three-valve-per-cylinder and variable-valve-timing technology, its 300 horsepower and 365 pound-feet of torque disappoint when called upon by the driver's right foot. Maybe the relaxed acceleration from a stop and middling mid-range punch are sufficient for a pickup hauling building materials or pulling a trailer, but they left us wanting more from a vehicle positioned principally as a people mover.

Fuel economy tried to make up for the lackadaisical performance, however; rated by the EPA at 14 miles per gallon in the city and 18 mpg on the highway, the four-wheel-drive Mark LT we tested averaged a respectable 15 mpg over the several hundred miles we racked up in our week with the truck. (EPA estimates the two wheel-drive mpg at 14/19 city/highway.) In contrast, Cadillac gives the '05 EXT 345 horsepower and 380 pound-feet to motivate approximately an equal mass, with the obvious result a sprightlier truck. Fuel economy is lower, though, on the EXT with an EPA mpg estimate of 13/17 city/highway.

The Mark LT is a full-size truck, make no mistake. It rides like a truck, rocking and rolling over pavement heaves and mid-corner ripples. This is a consequence of a relatively high center of gravity that plagues pickups and SUVs, but we wonder how much the old-fashioned live rear axle and heavy duty leaf springs contribute. Especially when we didn't experience similar dynamics on a recent ride in a Cadillac EXT, which employs a live rear axle but with trailing links, coil springs, Panhard rod and automatic load leveling. The Mark LT tracks around sweeping freeway on-ramps about the way we expect a full-size pickup to track: Initially, it understeers, where the front end wants to slide. Lift off the throttle and the relatively lighter back end teases with hints of oversteer, where the back end gets loose and starts to come around.

Steering was about par for a pickup, with decent on-center feel and reasonably responsive turn-in; most certainly, there's no dartiness in the Mark LT's directional stability depth chart.

Braking was solid and linear. Even with the front-end dive that hard braking induces, we experienced no rear wheel lockup, thanks to Electronic Brake-force Distribution.

The Mark LT is rated to tow up to 8600 pounds with four-wheel drive, 8900 pounds with two-wheel drive. Maximum payload is 1460 pounds with four-wheel drive, 1620 pounds with two-wheel drive.

The 2006 Lincoln Mark LT comes in one body style but with a choice of two drivetrains. It's a full-size, four-door, crew cab-style pickup with an abbreviated bed and offered with either two-wheel drive or four-wheel drive. The engine is a 300-horsepower, 5.4-liter V8. The transmission is a four-speed, overdrive automatic. The four wheel-drive's transfer case is a two-speed unit with a 2.64:1 low gear ratio.

Lincoln has trimmed the Mark LT with most of the features expected in a luxury-class vehicle, be it a car, a truck or whatever. Automatic air conditioning is standard, of course, as are cruise control and power windows and heated outside mirrors with integrated turn signals. There's wood applique on the dash and the inside door handles. The front seats are heated, leather-surfaced and have power adjustments for all but lumbar and seatback recline, which are manual. Two drivers get memory privileges for the driver's seat and outside mirror settings. In the back is a 60/40-split, flip-up seat upholstered in leather look-alike with a fold-down center armrest. Leather-covered, tilt steering wheel is standard, too, as are central locking with remote key fob, on-board computer and Ford's power-rail, overhead console hardware. The stereo provides AM, FM and MP3 output, a six-disc in-dash CD changer, speed-compensated volume and seven, acoustically positioned speakers augmented by a subwoofer with separate amplifier. Also standard are a universal programmable remote garage opener, carpeted floor mats and polished-metal door scuff plates. Black sidewall tires are mounted on 18-inch, cast-aluminum wheels on both two-wheel and four-wheel drive versions; the former gets lower profile rubber, a set of P265/60R all-season tires, while the latter rides on P275/65R all-terrain tires. Fog lamps are standard. So is a chrome rear bumper, complete with a black step pad.

With the exception of a set of seven-spoke, chromed aluminum wheels offered only on the two-wheel-drive model ($495) and skid plates ($160) offered only on the four-wheel-drive model, all remaining options are available across the two-model line. These are: a rear seat, DVD-based entertainment system with six months of pre-paid Sirius Satellite Radio ($1,295), a stand-alone Sirius Satellite Radio package with six months pre-paid service ($195), power adjustable pedals ($120), a power moonroof ($995), and a power sliding rear window ($250). Also offered are running boards ($250), chrome box rails ($250), eight-spoke chromed aluminum wheels ($695), a bed extender ($195), a limited slip rear differential ($300) and a Class IV trailer tow package ($350).

Safety features comprise two, dual-stage front seat airbags; front seatbelt-use reminder; three-point seatbelts at all occupant positions; adjustable head restraints at all outboard seating positions; and rear seat child safety seat anchors (LATCH). Anti-lock brakes with Electronic Brake-force Distribution are standard. Optional is a reverse parking sensor system ($245).