LINCOLN MKC|STARTING PRICE ABOUT:$33,100

In the same way that compact SUVs have become very popular among car buyers in recent years, the trend towards luxury compact SUVs is also on the rise. The logic goes like this: If buyers like the size and driving experience of these compact vehicles, wouldn’t buyers who are accustomed to luxury amenities also want a luxury version of these vehicles? The answer is yes, as demonstrated by the presence of vehicles such as the Audi Q5, BMW x3, Mercedes CLK, Acura RDX and Lexus NX to name a few.

Lincoln has now thrown its luxury hat in the ring with the introduction of its totally new MKC compact luxury SUV.

It’s evident that Lincoln spent a lot of time on the exterior styling of the MKC. My test vehicle drew lots of attention and admiring looks. The Silver Sand paint scheme added a look of richness that enhanced the vehicle’s luxury positioning.

On the inside the luxury theme and accoutrements continue. Whereas some competing vehicles have imitation wood trim, the MKC is offered with either real Santos Rosewood or Zebrano Wood. The seating is comfortable and the perforated cooled seats on our test vehicle were a welcome feature during our Houston summer weather. The light-colored interior plus the panorama sunroof made the MKC feel exceptionally open and airy.

Recognizable luxury elements and modern technology are skillfully blended in the MKC. The car has both a keyless entry system as well as push-to-start ignition button. A new innovation is the placement of buttons that control the transmission on the instrument panel instead of having a space-consuming floor shifter. You simply press the start button and then the “D” button to drive, “R” to reverse, etc.

The navigation/audio system has been revised and now delivers the optimum blend of touch screen and simple but effective dials. The large screen display on the instrument panel provides a wealth of easy to access information and entertainment.

Lincoln’s Active Park Assist technology does a surprisingly good job of parallel parking the MKC with almost no human intervention. Using the MyLincoln mobile app you can pre-schedule the vehicle to start itself and have the car properly heated or cooled before you get in.

The rear cargo area is accessed by a power lift gate. An additional innovation allows you to merely move your foot under the rear bumper and the gate will detect your presence and either open or close the rear hatch, hands free.

Lincoln is so confident that the public will like the MKC that it is offering a Lincoln Date Night. Basically you can simply call this phone number — 281-539-4900 — ask for a Lincoln Date Night Specialist, and then schedule to drive the car for a weekend or a couple of days during the week, free, with no strings attached. They even sweeten the deal by giving you a $100 gift certificate good at a variety of local restaurants… seriously!

_________________________________________________________________________________

CHEVROLET SILVERADO STARTING PRICE ABOUT:$25,000

Of all the different types of vehicles that auto manufacturers produce, the full size pickup trucks are the top sellers by far. The Chevrolet Silverado pickup, along with its cousin the GMC Sierra, could sell as many as a half million vehicles this year alone. For that reason Chevrolet has spent considerable time and resources in developing the brand new Silverado.

This time Chevy chose to address issues like the quietness of the cabin, the efficiency of the engines and the durability of the vehicle itself.

My test vehicle was a Z71 4WD LTZ crew cab model, meaning that it was a plush four- wheel-drive truck with a large cab, four doors and a standard short bed. Though it was priced just over $50,000, it included a long list of options and features. There were, however, many more that could have been added that would push the price of the truck significantly higher.

One of the keys to cabin quietness is the shape of the doors, and they have been totally redesigned this year. Though pickups often work in noisy harsh environments, when the windows on the Silverado close the cabin becomes luxury-car-quiet inside.

The new Silverado has moved into full technology mode providing all the information and entertainment that other vehicles currently enjoy. Luxury items like heated steering wheels, navigation, premium audio systems and cooled leather seating are now found on high trim level Silverados. To harvest more usable interior space for occupants, Chevy positioned the gear shift lever on the steering column thus maximizing available storage room in the center console.

The interior is really quite plush for a truck and coddles the occupants with fine leather and nice wood grain, all while fulfilling its work-truck duties. Handily, the rear seat bottoms fold up with one simple motion yielding a huge cargo area the entire width of the cab. Chevy has this 4WD truck sitting relatively low to the ground, which means that you can enter and exit without running boards and the lower profile provides better fuel economy.

GM also modernized the truck’s three EcoTec engines, the 4.3, 5.3 and 6.2 liter workhorses. Horsepower, torque and fuel economy have been increased in each of these highly acclaimed small block engines recognized for their efficiency, simplicity, compactness and durability. All three now have direct injection, variable valve timing and active fuel management which allows them to run on only 4 cylinders under light loads. All are paired with a truck-duty 6 speed automatic transmission.

My test truck, equipped with the newly enlivened 5.3 engine now delivering 355 horsepower, would purr along in city traffic or on the freeway, totally composed and at ease with the passengers suitably isolated from the din of the outside world. Yet when duty calls, the Silverado is capable of towing over 11,000 pounds and doing very hard work for years.

For more information on these models, visit MyCarData.com

Lincoln MKC and Chevy Silvarado