Lincoln MKS vs Lexus IS 350 03/29/2011
The $40,000 range of sedans features a wide variety of luxury vehicles, but drivers may have a bit of difficulty choosing between them all. We compared two of the more popular models, the Lincoln MKS and the Lexus IS 350, to see which one offered drivers the better value.
Lincoln prices the MKS at $41,500, while the Lexus is slightly cheaper at $39,070. In terms of a powertrain warranty, both companies offer 6 years/70,000 miles.
Under the hood, the IS 350 is the better vehicle, with a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 306 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque. The MKS only produces 273 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque. Despite this, the IS 350 still gets 20/27 mpgs, better than the MKS' 17/24 mpgs.
Still, the MKS boasts a better range of standard features, with parking assist, heated seats and the Ford SYNC system. The IS 350, on the other hand, has a power sunroof and a number of features available as a la carte options.
Overall, we prefer the cheaper price and increased power on the Lexus IS 350, as buyers will likely be able to outfit it with some of the features they want and still not surpass the price on the MKS.