The 2015 Lincoln MKC is more than just a new compact crossover, it shows that Lincoln actually can challenge key competitors like Acura and Audi.

There was a time when change in the luxury market came at an almost glacial pace. No longer. Old models are being refreshed at an ever-quicker pace, while all-new products are coming to market so quickly it’s difficult to keep up – and they’re filling “white spaces” you might never have even considered before..

Consider Mercedes-Benz, which recently revealed plans to roll out 30 new or completely updated products by decade’s end, about one per quarter. BMW and Audi aren’t far behind. Now, compare that to Lincoln which has promised to add just four products to its line-up between the end of 2012 and 2016 – five, if you count the minimal revisions coming to the big Navigator SUV.

No wonder many observers – and upscale buyers – have written off Ford Motor Co.’s luxury brand. Once rivaling Cadillac for dominance, it is today given barely an afterthought. But Lincoln fans shouldn’t abandon all hope, not just yet. After spending a day logging several hundred miles behind the wheel of the new 2015 Lincoln MKC we have to pause and reconsider. If this compact crossover is any indication, there just might be some life left in this long-struggling Detroit brand.

The MKC tweaks Lincoln's "split wing" grille design.

The new crossover is more than just a re-bodied Ford Escape with better leather and wood. It is a surprisingly competitive alternative to the growing list of compact CUVs flooding the market from Germany and Japan. The new KC offers distinctive styling, solid performance and plenty of appealing features at a reasonably good price. The big question is whether Lincoln can even get American buyers to consider the new MKC amidst the increasingly crowded segment.

Indeed, the MKC won’t be just targeted at the U.S. Its debut comes as Lincoln belatedly enters the Chinese market where its senior officials believe it could soon be generating a sizable share, perhaps the majority, of its sales. As TheDetroitBureau.com recently reported, Chinese dealers have already suggested they might be able to sell 40,000 or more MKC crossovers annually, nearly as many as the maker had cautiously hoped to sell worldwide.

(For more on Lincoln’s high hopes and global ambitions for the 2015 MKC, Click Here.)

Chinese motorists have shown a surprising similarity in taste to their American counterparts. But as we hit the Start button on the 2015 Lincoln crossover, we wanted to see for ourselves how well it stood up under some aggressive driving.

The MKC gets a spacious, well-appointed interior with plenty of storage nooks and bins.

The new model had already passed visual muster.  True, you’ll spot some basic similarities to the less luxurious Ford Escape. They’re the same length and wheelbase, but the Lincoln MKC has a nearly 1-inch wider track. That gives it a more muscular and well-planted appearance and, as we would soon learn, a more solid road feel.

The luxury crossover adopts the latest version of the new Lincoln “split wing” grille. Though some lament the loss of the classic Lincoln waterfall grille, we find the look more elegant and contemporary, especially compared to some of the awkward iterations of the old design that had come to market in recent years.

One of the more appealing details of the new MKC is the wraparound tailgate, a sleek approach that required Lincoln engineers to go with a hydroformed, rather than stamped, piece of sheet metal. As with the Escape, the MKC uses sensors that allow a motorist to simply waggle a foot under the rear bumper to open that big liftgate, a particular convenience to someone who might have both arms loaded up with groceries or luggage.

(Click Here for a look at the all-new Lexus NX compact crossover.)

Among the visual differences from the Ford Escape, the new Lincoln MKC features a wraparound tailgate.

Inside, the 2015 Lincoln MKC is nowhere near as radical as the concept version we were shown in early 2013. But it is still one of the more refined interiors in a segment where manufacturers have to struggle to keep costs in line. The maker has gone for a “Deepsoft” leather provided by Scotland’s Bridge of Weir, and on the top-line Reserve trim, you get 10-way power seats that are both heated and cooled.

The MKC features low-gloss real wood trim that provides a nicely upscale appearance. Unfortunately, that’s offset by a relatively plain black plastic surrounding the large navigation screen that serves double-duty operating everything from seat heaters to infotainment. The good news is that Lincoln has listened to all the criticism of its MyLincolnTouch user interface. There are redundant controls for all the most common functions, including those seat heaters, radio tuning and volume.

To the left of the screen, Lincoln has opted for the push-button shifter that we first saw in the 2014 MKZ sedan, a dive forward into the past with an electronic version of the button-operated gearshifts that were popular in the 1960s. To our satisfaction, the MKC Reserve model we drove also offered redundant paddle shifters for the 6-speed automatic transmission.

(Honda reveals plans for new HR-V compact SUV. Click Here for more.)

The MKC is offered with two engine options, including this all-new, 2.3-liter EcoBoost inline-four.

That gearbox will be standard issue whatever version of the MKC you opt for. The base powertrain is a 2.0-liter EcoBoost inline-four making 240 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque. Unfortunately, this package – which is rated at 29 mpg City – wasn’t available for our drive. We had to settle, if that’s the word, for the all-new 2.3-liter Ford EcoBoost I-4 which bumps the pony count to 285 and gets us up to a more sporty 305 lb-ft.

And “sporty” is definitely the right word, as we quickly discovered over the course of about 250 miles of driving through the mountainous terrain east of California’s tony oceanfront community of Santa Barbara.

For anyone who associates the Lincoln name with the sort of floaty boats of years past, whether that limo favorite, the Town Car, or the barge-like Navigator, spending time behind the wheel of the 2015 MKC will come as a real revelation.

Santa Barbara is a favorite destination among automakers and automotive journalists alike. But Ford managed to find a delightful scenic byway we’d never run before, a two-lane blacktop featuring a mix of steep ascents and sudden dips, as well as some aggressive corners, running for nearly 80 miles. It gave us enough time to grow familiar with the MKC – and to put it through its paces.

The MKC is one of four new Lincolns planned by 2016 - five if you include the updated Navigator.

For around-town driving, Comfort mode is just fine, if a little bit too close to the wallowing ways of Lincolns past. Switch to Sport mode and you’ll discover a decided difference. Not only do shifts become more aggressive, but both the suspension and steering firm up noticeably. You might even forget you’re driving what is, essentially, a tall wagon. There’s a bit of understeer in hard turns, but it’s predictable and consistent.

The powertrain seems to relish the exercise and, under most circumstances, the paddle shifters immediately deliver the shifts you ask for, only lagging at lower RPMs.

Lincoln claims to have an exclusive on the new 2.3-liter EcoBoost. Well, sort of. It will also be offered with the new 2015 Ford Mustang, albeit with a few tweaks for that more sporty coupe. In fact, with Ford planning to go global with the new pony car, the 2.3 could become the package of choice outside North Aerica.

The Lincoln MKC shares only a minimal number of components with the Ford Escape.

The reality is that most drivers will only rarely get the opportunity to play with the new Lincoln MKC on roads like we traveled. And for around-town applications, the smaller EcoBoost package will likely be fine, especially considering its better mileage 20 City/29 Highway in front-drive models, 19/26 with all-wheel-drive. The 2.3-liter EcoBoost will come only with AWD, and carries an EPA rating of 18 and 26.

That said, we noticed the same problem we’ve experienced with other Ford EcoBoost models. Those federal mileage numbers are calculated using a very specific driving model and it doesn’t make extensive use of the turbocharger. If you’re flying along the freeway or a sparsely traveled byway that gets the blower working hard, expect to see your fuel economy dip notably, though it remains competitive with many other models in the segment.

In terms of functionality, the MKC delivers nicely. There’s 25.2 cubic feet of cargo space, 53.1 cf with the rear seats folded down. And there are a number of useful storage bins and nooks, including a large space in the center console where you would normally have a traditional shift lever.

The MKC's park assist system is smart enough to get you in - or out - of a tight spot.

The automatic tailgate system adds a nice touch, but so does the updated active park assist system. Any number of vehicles now feature technology that can guide you into a tight parking spot – here, the driver simply has to operate the brake and throttle – but the new Lincoln MKC goes a step further, the system also assisting you out of the tightest parking spots.

Along with the updated infotainment system, the 2015 Lincoln MKC also gets active noise cancellation, a feature effective enough to allow for a normal conversation even while operating at significantly extra-level speeds. It was more effective with wind noise than tire noise, though, which we discovered along stretches of that scenic byway’s rougher pavement.

On the whole, however, there was surprisingly little we found to complain about after a long day’s driving in the 2015 Lincoln MKC.  Low expectations? Perhaps, but the longer we drove, the more we came to enjoy the experience.

That said, Lincoln will be going up against a range of tough competitors, from the Acura RDX to the Audi Q5. Gaining share of mind will be tough for a brand many luxury buyers have forgotten, but those who do check it out could find the new MKC precisely what they are looking for.

(Click Here to check out the new Audi Q3 crossover.)

The 2015 Lincoln MKC carries a base price of $33,995, including destination charges. Our MKC Reserve model, which came with most of the options you could choose, came in at $50,065.