2008 Lincoln Navigator Base Sport Utility 4-door 5.4l on 2040-cars

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Ford tumbles to second worst in Consumer Reports reliability survey, list dominated by Japanese [w/video]

It's no secret that MyFord Touch has had its share of problems since being introduced, but the most recent reliability survey from Consumer Reports shows just how much this infotainment system has affected Ford. Just two years ago, the automaker was in the top 10 for the institute's reliability rankings, but since then, it has tumbled to the second-lowest rung just above dead-last Jaguar. In addition to MyFord Touch, CR also attributes a handful of new products that have had issues right out of the gate.
Compiled from 1.2 million subscriber surveys, this year's auto reliability survey heavily favors Japanese automakers, with eight of the 10 spots hailing from Japan. Toyota brands grabbed the top three spots (Scion, Toyota and Lexus - in that order) with Mazda, Subaru, Honda and Acura filling the next four spots. The only non-Asian automaker cracking the top 10 was Audi at number eight.
Audi climbed a total of 18 spots from last year, and Cadillac and GMC round out this year's top gainers breaking into the top 15. Helping Cadillac's upward movement, the CTS Coupe was named the most reliable domestic car. Lincoln, Volvo and Chrysler join Ford on this year's biggest loser list.

2017 Lincoln MKZ is a 400-hp hot rod

There are mid-cycle product updates, and then there's the 2017 MKZ. Instead of just a nip-and-tuck styling refresh, the entry-level Lincoln gets an all-new engine with a whopping 400 horsepower and an optional torque-vectoring rear differential. And that powerplant is exclusive to the Lincoln, at least for the time being. It's a sign that Ford is getting serious about elevating its luxury brand above the recent history of rebadged Blue Oval models. The engine is a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6, based on the current 2.7-liter that serves across the Ford and Lincoln lineup. With 400 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque, it's the most powerful Lincoln ever. That big number will only be available in all-wheel-drive versions of the MKZ. With front-wheel drive the engine will be detuned to an estimated 350 horsepower to retain some level of driving refinement. A further option on the AWD model will be the Driver's Pack, which adds the same torque-vectoring rear differential as on the forthcoming Focus RS. With the promise of rear-wheel-drive handling characteristics, the MKZ could be the most fun-to-drive Lincoln ever. In addition to the V6, a 245-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbo four and a hybrid model will be available. When the 2017 model goes on sale next spring it will be the first Lincoln in showrooms with the new signature grille, first previewed in the Continental Concept at this year's New York Auto Show. Adaptive LED headlights are available options, and a Lincoln logo "welcome mat" projects down from the side mirrors when unlocking the car at night. The view from behind is nearly unchanged, with a revised bumper giving the car a slightly wider appearance. Inside things are all new as well, with a completely revised center console. The capacitive-touch sliding controls are gone, replaced by buttons and knobs. In the press release, Lincoln mentions that engineers gave special attention to the sounds and feel of the switches, but the switches on the pre-production model at our product briefing felt cheap and loose. The large climate control knob clicked like it was grinding sand. We hope the production version will show more refinement. The good news, if you're rooting for Lincoln, is that the rest of the interior is impressive, at least in the top-of-the-line Black Label trim we saw. The front seats are comfortable, and the center console is trimmed in real aluminum.

Ford announces bevy of recalls, 2 of which are recalls on recalls

Ford has announced five separate recalls, affecting 202,000 vehicles built between 2005 and 2014.
It's not been a great couple of weeks for Ford. On October 30, the company announced a 205,000-unit recall, and yesterday, it was revealed that the Ford brand's year-over-year sales were down over 5,000 units while the company itself was down 3,000 units over through October. Now, the company has announced five separate recalls affecting 202,000 vehicles built between 2005 and 2014.