Open the doors and the rear liftgate and you immediately see evidence of the old Ford D3 platform that underpins this vehicle: the protruding lips that preclude a smooth floor transition at the rocker panels; the huge depth for liftover at the liftgate. That said, Ford has done a superb job of packaging seating into the interior space, and the third-row seats fold cleverly and neatly into the cargo cavity to create a flat load floor that's even with the bumper height. Love the electric operation.

The decision to purchase a minivan is a pragmatic one. Drive a minivan and you admit to the world that you have children and a Costco membership, and that you want one vehicle that can transport your offspring and multi-packs of toilet paper.

Lincoln is striving hard to reinvent itself and once again gain credence as an American luxury brand. Having refreshed the MKS sedan MKT crossover last fall, Lincoln is now rolling out the all-new 2013 MKZ sedan at the 2012 New York auto show. Although the car is essentially based on the 2013 Ford Fusion, there are few obvious similarities between the cars. The new MKZ has a striking, elegant design, as well as a laundry list of upmarket features, that demonstrate Lincoln's commitment to revamping its image.

Ford is getting serious about reinventing its floundering luxury brand. For the first time since the 1970s, Lincoln has its own physical space in the Blue Oval corporate offices. To head up that dedicated design studio, the company recently poached a respected designer from Cadillac. And that new hire, Max Wolff, is just one of more than 200 Ford Motor Company employees now devoted to Lincoln.

If Lincoln were a hospital patient, it would be in intensive care. Years of neglect and questionable product decisions have turned a once-proud brand into a luxury car afterthought. But according to Ford, that's all about to change, and it starts with the Lincoln MKZ Concept on display at the 2012 Detroit auto show - a future vision of where the MKZ and Lincoln as a whole is headed.

Lincoln has unveiled a thorough refresh of its two large passenger car models, the 2013 MKT crossover and 2013 MKS sedan, at the 2011 LA auto show. The new Lincoln grille serves as a showcase of the design direction of the brand moving forward, while enhancements to the suspension, powertrain, and interior aim to improve overall refinement and performance.

Lincoln introduced the MKS to the world before the Mercury brand was killed. At the time, Lincoln and Mercury models were competing with each other for the same small share of Ford's attention. Now that Lincoln stands alone as Ford's premium brand, we've been promised a significantly upgraded MKS flagship sedan. Unfortunately, it will not appear until 2013 at the earliest. The MKS doesn't feel significantly different from the Ford Taurus that shares many of its mechanical parts. Available all-wheel drive is a great feature for consumers in the Snow Belt, and the EcoBoost direct-injected turbocharged engine really helps the MKS get up and go, but the big sedan doesn't feel nearly as luxurious as its Japanese and German competitors. Nothing in the steering, ride, or handling departments is exceptional, and the car is better at floating over road imperfections than going for a spirited drive. There are all sorts of technological features -- HD Radio, Active Park Assist (a fancy name for automated parallel parking), and radar-based adaptive cruise control, to name a few -- that might delight the more tech-savvy consumer, but virtually all of these features are available on the competition. If you're looking for a soft ride in a large car, the MKS might fill the bill.

Lincoln entered the luxury crossover segment in 2010 with the all-new MKT, and the big ute hasn't changed much in the intervening two years. The MKT, which is essentially a Ford Flex in Lincoln garb, still offers buyers three rows of seats, a mass of interior space, and a host of luxury amenities such as adaptive cruise control, a head-up display, adaptive HID headlamps, and a collision-warning system with brake support. Ford's Sync system is available on the MKT and now comes with a three-year prepaid subscription to the system's premium services. Hiding behind Lincoln's signature split-wing grille is Ford's 268-hp, 3.7-liter V-6, which comes standard on front-wheel-drive models. Those wanting an upgrade to all-wheel drive will find Ford's 3.5-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost V-6, which produces a hefty 355 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed SelectShift automatic transmission with paddle shifters mounted to the steering wheel and optimized final-drive gearing allow the MKT to achieve up to 17 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway on the EPA test cycle. Extensive suspension engineering and special sound deadening enhance the luxurious feel for all three rows. The MKT combines a luxury experience with the muscle of Class III towing when properly equipped.

Lincoln's mid-size luxury crossover saw a thorough refresh just last year. The MKX's styling is unmistakably Lincoln, as its front end boasts the marque's signature split-wing grille and its body shape is similar to its larger SUV sibling, the MKT. Power comes from a 3.7-liter V-6 that produces 305 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque thanks to innovations like twin independent variable camshaft timing. The MKX records a respectable 19 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway on the EPA's test cycle with front-wheel drive. When equipped with all-wheel drive, those figures drop to 17 in the city and 23 on the highway. The MKX's interior features leather-trimmed seats and a choice of two types of wood accents. On top of what is an impressive standard-features list, the MKX offers adaptive cruise control, a blind-spot information system, programmable MyKey, and a capless fuel filler. The MyLincoln Touch driver-connect technology cranks Sync's functionality up to 11 -- at least when it functions properly. We've experienced some trouble getting the capacitive touch screen to work, and most testers agree that the system is more distracting than having physical buttons and knobs to control the various vehicle functions. Eighteen-inch wheels are standard; twenty-inch wheels are optional. Improved use of sound-deadening materials helps keep wind and road noise down compared to the outgoing model.

Lincoln's mid-size MKZ sedan, which shares a platform with the Ford Fusion, was given a makeover two years ago and was first offered as a hybrid in 2011. The MKZ Hybrid features a 2.5- liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine mated to an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission, the same technology used in the Ford Escape and Fusion hybrids. The 40-hp electric motor will take you as fast as 47 mph before gasoline assistance kicks in. The MKZ Hybrid comes with the usual bells and whistles, such as SmartGauge with EcoGuide to monitor how green your driving behavior is. It is rated at 41 mpg in city driving and 36 mpg on the highway, making it the most fuel efficient luxury sedan on the market, handily beating the Lexus HS250h (although it can't quite match the efficiency of the Lexus CT200h hatchback). If a hybrid just isn't your thing, there is an available gasoline V-6 powerplant that produces a more-than-adequate 263 hp and 249 lb-ft of torque. With the V-6, buyers can choose either front- or all-wheel-drive propulsion. Options include Sync AppLink voice-activated navigation, a rearview camera, a blind-spot information system, and adaptive HID headlamps. The luxurious cabin features upgraded materials and is trimmed in aluminum or wood (depending on which package you order). As before, a host of safety and high-tech features is available.

For technical sophistication and capability in a big American SUV, it's tough to beat the Lincoln Navigator. The Navigator's 310-hp, 5.4-liter V-8 produces significant power and torque, and the six-speed automatic offers smoothness and functionality. A stiff frame, an independent suspension, and large, vented disc brakes make the Navigator -- available in both regular and extended-length (L) forms -- surprisingly good to drive. There are an abundance of power-operated conveniences, such as a stowable third-row seat, adjustable pedals, and power-deployed running boards. The interior is nicely designed, and excellent audio and voice-activated navigation systems are offered, including Sync AppLink. The exterior has a slightly affected-looking nose and somehow manages to be both dignified and monstrous at the same time. There are a host of standard convenience and safety features, including a power liftgate, heated and cooled front seats, a power-folding third row, a rearview camera system, trailer-sway control, roll stability control, Sync voice-activated communication, integrated blind-spot mirrors, and programmable MyKey. There's almost nothing you can't haul with the Lincoln Navigator. Take along the family, some cargo, and a boat, and jam to the 600-watt THX-certified stereo as you cruise on down the road.

D.J. Auto Sales sits behind a metal fence topped with razor wire in Long Island City, a gritty swath of industrial wasteland in the shadow of the glittering towers of midtown Manhattan. "Specialist in Lincoln Town Cars," reads the bannerlike sign out front. "Lincoln Parts Sold Here At Wholesale Prices. All body parts, lights, switches, sensors, pumps & more. Bad credit. No problem. We finance all." Nearly four dozen Town Cars are parked on the lot. Black ones. Silver ones. White ones. Sedans and stretch limos. Some lightly used and some beaters with a quarter-million miles on the odometer. Cars offered for outright sale or on a pay-by-the-week basis. Cars in for routine service. Cars getting overhauled. In one of two bays in the open-air garage, a long-wheelbase Town Car is up on a lift getting new brake pads and rotors while a body man replaces a crumpled fender. Inside the mobile home that serves as an office, co-owner John Rodriguez has just negotiated the purchase of a low-mileage Town Car from Saint Louis. "I've got about 400 cars," he says. "Ninety-five percent of them are Town Cars. I'm not interested in Toyotas. They can't go 400,000 miles."

At board meetings, on test tracks, and in design studios, decisions are being made today that will influence what you drive tomorrow. Automakers are hard at work creating the next generation of automobiles -- cars that are faster, sexier, more efficient -- while trying to keep their development secret. Like you, we are nosy as hell. Unlike you, we have a vast network of snoops, gossips, and disgruntled former employees who have helped us uncover the information we present here. Our annual Sneak Preview feature contains the industry's future products -- as far out as 2019 -- that are worth saving your milk money for.

Lincoln is lost. Originally designed to be sold under one of Ford's less pricey, less luxurious marques, Lincoln's new cars have abandoned their heritage, their purpose, and their distinction. The iconic luxury brand has been diminished, having gone from contending with Cadillac to merely playing in the same league as Buick.

MyLincoln Touch provided one of the easiest iPhone-syncing experiences I've had in any car. The voice command dialing worked superbly and the sound quality was excellent. I was pleasantly surprised, because I've had so many bad experiences with syncing phones and with voice control in various brands of test cars, I had about given up trying to do it anymore. But Ford and Lincoln have made such a big deal out of MyTouch, I figured I ought to give it a try, and I was glad I did.

The Lincoln MKS has replaced the ubiquitous Town Car in the Ford/Lincoln lineup. It's a full size sedan, even though it rides on a Taurus chassis. It's not quite the canyon carver of some of its' competition, softly sprung, with standard front wheel drive. Rather, the MKS is most at home during long drives along the freeway. This is where the MKS comes into it's own. With plenty of amenities, long distance cruising ability, and an overall high level of comfort, it's perfectly suited to that task.

While the MKT shares its chassis with the Ford Flex, a different body helps keep it separated from its production line cousin. The MKT is a larger vehicle, one of Lincolns largest in fact.

Based on the Ford Edge, the MKX is Lincolns answer to the luxury crossover market. It shares this overcrowded segment with the Japanese and German marquees, which make it a tough segment to run in.

Based on the same platform as the Ford Fusion, the MKZ is Lincolns entry into the entry level luxury sedan segment. This is a category already stuffed with models from all of the top auto makers from the US, Germany, and Japan. Any car would have a tough time in such company and the MKZ manages to stay above water, even in such company.

The Navigator, which is a full size, Sport Utility Vehicle, weighing almost 3 tons, won't be purchased by those concerned about fuel economy. It was one of the first truck based SUV's on the market and received a major redesign a few years ago. There is only one trim level, albeit one very well equipped trim level. This monster of a vehicle can comfortably transport 7 people and all of their cargo. It's also capable of towing almost 9000 lbs. If it's not big enough for you, Lincoln offers the navigator L, the long wheelbase version, which adds 15 inches to the already not insubstantial overall length of the vehicle.

The Town Car. The iconic Lincoln. It has been the go to vehicle for limousines and high end rental cars for many years. 2011 will be the final hurrah for this long in the tooth sedan. It remains the only car in its class that still uses the dated body on a frame design. It even sports a truck like solid rear axle.

You don't need a high-riding SUV or crossover to get the winter traction benefits of four-wheel drive. There are myriad sedans, wagons, coupes, and even convertibles that offer four-wheel drive (usually called all-wheel drive in passenger cars) either as standard or optional equipment. We've gathered up a complete list of AWD passenger cars; the list is long and the choices are many. Although the advantages of four driven wheels are obvious in slippery road conditions, the technology comes at a cost. There is usually a cost premium associated with all-wheel drive, and sometimes a fuel economy penalty as well. So for each car listed we've indicated the extra cost of the all-wheel-drive option, or the cost differential compared with the equivalent two-wheel-drive model, as well as its EPA gas mileage ratings, and the fuel economy penalty versus the two-wheel-drive version of the same car.

The Ford Fusion Hybrid remains one of the best choices in the mid-size segment. Comfortable, efficient, good-looking, and reasonably entertaining to drive. For around $29,000, it's a solid choice.

All three major U.S. automakers have significant new products, even Chrysler. But the new Jeep Grand Cherokee, handsome though it is, and the redesigned Ford Explorer -- the most thoroughly revamped in its history -- will not recapture their glory days. The center of gravity has shifted in the direction of new entries like the Ford Fiesta and the redesigned Focus, the European-built Buick Regal, the Chevy Cruze, and (although you're sick of hearing about it) the Chevy Volt.

Ford has smartly sharpened its product portfolio in the past three years, yet the same can’t be said for the Blue Oval’s supporting brands. Just this June, it was announced that Mercury would be put out to pasture after decades of carbon-copy engineering, and Lincoln’s lineup suffers from virtually the same indifference. However, Ford tells us that the 2011 Lincoln MKX is the first vehicle in a product revolution that is planned for the luxury brand’s lineup.