Here Are The Lincoln MKC Years To Avoid
Lincoln MKC by Aneekr - CC-BY-SA-4.0
Nowadays, when it comes to a compact luxury SUV, buyers have plenty of options to choose from. From the Mercedes AMG to the Cadillac XT5, every major luxury brand has spun its spin to the competitive compact luxury SUV segment. However, today we won’t talk about the current mainstream luxury SUV models. But instead, a long-forgotten one: the Lincoln MKC.
The short-lived Lincoln MKC had a short run between 2014 and 2019. The Lincoln MKC was based on the Ford Escape, but it certainly doesn’t look similar to its mainstream sibling. As you might expect from a compact luxury SUV, the MKC provides superior comfort, plenty of tech features, and a quiet and composed ride.
THE MOST RELIABLE YEAR FOR THE LINCOLN MKC
We’re here to make the selection process easy. Read on to learn more about the most reliable Lincoln MKC year, the worst options, and other critical information.
While it’s not the most competitive luxury SUV of its time, the Lincoln MKC is a worthy alternative for those who don’t want to spend more on more prominent brands like Mercedes, Audi, and BMW. However, if you’re looking to buy a used MKC, ensure you consider its reliability.
To help you, we rounded up some of the worst Lincoln MKC years to avoid due to glaring issues and questionable reliability. Without further ado, here are the MKC years you should avoid.
Which Lincoln MKC Years To Avoid?
RepairPal says that the Lincoln MKC is the 7th most reliable compact luxury SUV out of 11 brands, which is pretty good. In addition, the average annual ownership cost of the MKC is $853, which is a higher-than-average rating. With that said, below are the Lincoln MKC years to avoid buying as used:
- 2015 Lincoln MKC
- 2016 Lincoln MKC
- 2017 Lincoln MKC
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2015 Lincoln MKC
Generally, the debut year of a new model or generation tends to have the most reliability issues. This is certainly the case with the 2015 MKC, which is undoubtedly one of the worst Lincoln MKC years to avoid, if not the worst.
According to CarComplaints.com, the 2015 MKC received over 120 complaints and eight recalls under its belt. The main problem with this MKC year, as per frustrated owners, is the battery not keeping a charge. This issue received about nine written complaints, where drivers claimed their MKC’s battery died. Some people replaced the batteries but to no avail. Adding to the frustration is that this faulty battery issue occurred at low mileage of 30k miles.
Meanwhile, CarProblemZoo also listed the 2015 MKC as the most problematic SUV in the lineup. According to the website, it had over 80 reported problems; the most common is the engine cooling issue. One complainant described how the car would sputter while accelerating. They wrote:
This vehicle with less than 100,000 miles, that is less than 8 years old has an engine failure. This is due to a design defect that is known to Lincoln and Ford motor company as they have a technical service bulletin in regards to the coolant intrusion and engine failure.
The following MKC model years also had engine cooling issues, which seem to be the most pronounced this year. With so many severe problems, the 2015 MKC is undoubtedly one of the worst Lincoln MKC years to avoid.
2016 Lincoln MKC
The 2016 Lincoln MKC offers style, tech, and performance to compete with the best luxury SUVs. Plus, the 2016 MKC has a competitive price tag, although a well-optioned trim can get pricey. Unfortunately, the 2016 MKC is also one of the years to avoid due to some old and new reliability woes.
As per CarComplaints, the 2016 MKC has collected 44 complaints and one recall so far, which is undoubtedly an improvement over the debut model year. But the dead battery issue has persisted with this model year, although it seems less prevalent. To be fair, there were only a few reports of the dead battery defect, but it’s still a cause for concern since it’s a low-mileage problem. One user claimed that the MKC’s battery was dead after only two weeks of owning the SUV.
Overall, the 2016 Lincoln MKC certainly isn’t the most unreliable model of this compact luxury SUV, but its issues will make you think twice.
2017 Lincoln MKC
Like the previous years, the 2017 MKC delivered the kind of styling, comfort, and performance to make it a serious contender in the segment. Sadly, the 2017 Lincoln MKC failed to improve upon the 2016 model year and managed to be even worse, reliability-wise.
CarComplaints received about 60 complaints but no recall for the 2017 MKC. Again, one of its top trouble spots includes the dead battery fault. Several frustrated owners complained that the battery doesn’t hold on to its charge very well. One user wrote:
The car sat in my driveway for 8 days while I was away. I came back to a dead battery, a battery that was bought brand new one and a half months after buying the car. (Car was bought in June 2022.)
With such persistent issues and more, we recommend buyers skip the 2017 Lincoln MKC.
THE BEST USED MINIVANS ON THE MARKET
When it comes to hauling a lot of people and cargo, the minivan is hard to beat. We’ve factored in reliability, affordability, and functionality to create this curated list of the 8 best used minivans on the market today.
Which Lincoln MKC Years are Safe to Buy as Used?
That leaves us with two remaining MKC years, and fortunately, they’re excellent luxury SUVs that offer good reliability and value proposition.
2018 Lincoln MKC
For this year, the dreaded dead or drained battery problem has been addressed by Lincoln. According to CarComplaints, the 2018 Lincoln MKC has only received 19 complaints and a single recall. Other than that, the 2018 MKC is a successful luxury compact SUV that feels genuinely American. It offers a striking, elegant exterior design, a luxurious interior, and powerful turbocharged engines that provide surprising performance. You can find a used 2018 MKC in a price range of $20,992 to $27,994, depending on the specs and trim.
THE BEST USED SUVS UNDER $10,000
We looked into price, reliability, features, and more to create this list of the best used SUVs under $10k on the market today. Take a look - some of the best used SUVs have gone mostly overlooked or forgotten.
2019 Lincoln MKC
The final version of the MKC is perhaps its best year. Like the 2018 MKC, this SUV barely received significant complaints and had little to no major faults in reliability. J.D. Power gave the 2019 MKC a high reliability score of 84 out of 100 and rated Great. You can find a used 2019 MKC in a price range of $24,490 to $32,800.
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