Lincoln Mark LT Review

2008 Lincoln Mark LT Crew Cab

Astute consumers will note that the Lincoln Mark LT is actually the company's second attempt at building a luxury pickup truck. The similarly sized Blackwood predecessor had a few unique and interesting features, but was criticized for being both overpriced and impractical. Moreover, many felt the cabin did not live up to its luxurious nameplate. So Lincoln went back to the drawing board and the resulting Mark LT is more practical and stylish. Though obviously closely related to the crew-cab version of the Ford F-150 full-size pickup, Lincoln's version had a more contemporary and upscale interior and unique exterior styling cues.

As a competitor in the luxury truck segment, the Lincoln Mark LT pickup offered the benefits of an upscale look, a roomy cabin, a choice of a 5.5-foot bed or 6.5-foot bed, and smooth power and ride qualities. Full-size pickup truck shoppers just wanting something a bit different from a commonplace pickup probably drove away from a Lincoln dealership satisfied even though the Mark LT didn't offer anything really significant beyond what was available on the F-150. It was mostly cosmetic upgrades like a chrome Lincoln grille, special taillights and Lincoln badging.

The LT's final year was 2008. In its place, Ford introduced the F-150 Platinum, the highest trim level offered in the model lineup.

Most Recent Lincoln Mark LT

The Lincoln Mark LT was available only as a full-size crew-cab truck in two sizes: a standard-wheelbase model with 5.5-foot bed or a longer-wheelbase version with a 6.5-foot bed. Compared to its down-market Ford cousin, the Lincoln differed mainly in its styling. There was only one trim level available -- standard features included leather seating, wood trim, heated front seats, keyless entry and a premium MP3/CD audio system (with satellite radio added for '08). Options included rear-seat DVD entertainment, a navigation system, a rearview camera (added for '08), a power rear window and chromed 18-inch wheels, bed-rail caps and running boards.

Behind the Mark LT's signature Lincoln grille was a 5.4-liter V8 making 300 horsepower and 365 pound-feet of torque; the only transmission was a four-speed automatic. Depending on your traction requirements, two- and four-wheel-drive variants were available. The Mark LT's roomy cabin seated five and, although luxurious, it was not substantially different from its fully dressed Ford cousin. The leather seats were comfortable and had contrasting colored piping, while the gauges were chrome-trimmed and incorporated the Lincoln logo. To lend an upscale look to the cabin, Lincoln designers dressed up the dash with faux wood trim and leather; the trim on the dash, steering wheel and shifter was especially nice, as the exposed stitching added an extra element of refinement.

On the road, the Lincoln's V8 lacked the low-end grunt of the V8 engines in the Escalade EXT, Dodge Ram and Toyota Tundra, but almost made up for that with its smooth, quiet power delivery. Suspension tuning was on the soft side, resulting in a smooth and comfortable highway ride, but handling was not exactly nimble. Brake pedal feel was only so-so as well, though the Lincoln Mark LT stopped acceptably short for a vehicle that weighed nearly 3 tons loaded.

Past Lincoln Mark LT models

Lincoln introduced the Mark LT luxury pickup for the 2006 model year. A few changes came in 2007, as a navigation system, 20-inch chrome wheels and power-folding mirrors were added to the options list. The 6.5-foot cargo bed option was also new this year; all '06 Lincoln Mark LTs had a 5.5-foot bed.

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* Edmunds.com maintains vehicle data as far back as 1990.