2021 Lincoln Zephyr 2.0L 8AT

Vehicle Overview

Lincoln introduced the 2022 Lincoln Zephyr in the spring of 2021 at Auto Guangzhou, and the new fastback-looking sedan was exclusively sold in China.

While the Zephyr nameplate was significant for the American luxury car manufacturer, the fastback sedan, which was partially developed in China, was not available in the U.S. The automaker built it on the same scalable Ford C2 platform shared with the Corsair and its blue-oval badged siblings, the Focus and the Bronco. However, this decision had less to do with what Lincoln’s fans craved and more with what customers actually bought. Considering the increased attention that crossovers enjoyed, Lincoln thought it wasn’t worth bothering with another hard-to-sell sedan. As a result, the American automaker made the Zephyr, also known as the Lincoln Z, exclusively for the Chinese market.

The 2022 Zephyr had a front fascia that resembled the rest of the Lincoln range, albeit with a black finish and chromed dots on the 3D grille instead of the metallic, satin-finish one from the rest of the Lincoln range. Furthermore, the automaker included dynamic LED lights that emerged from the outer sides towards the brand’s badge that took center stage on the grille. The automaker placed tall side scoops with C-shaped fins on their outer areas on the bumper, while a trapezoidal air intake and a lips-spoiler adorned the lower side of the apron.

From its sides, the 2022 Lincoln Zephyr resembled the second generation of the MKZ, sporting a low-slung profile with a greenhouse ending in a sloped-down rear window. Even though it appeared to be a hatchback at first sight, it was actually a sedan. The sculptured doors sported an ascending creased line on their lower area and another one on the upper side that integrated a black trim with chromed lettering for the Zephyr. Furthermore, the automaker installed flush-to-the-bodywork retractable door handles, which smoothened out the look of the luxurious sedan. At the back, the sporty-looking vehicle had angular-shaped, corner-mounted taillights extended onto the trunk’s lid, emphasizing the car’s width and including Lincoln lettering. At the same time, on the lower side of the bumper, the automaker placed a diffuser that concealed the exhaust.

Inside, customers were greeted by a flat, horizontal dashboard trimmed in leather and wood grains. Above it, the automaker installed a broad curved display that integrated the 12.3-inch digital instrument panel. It was continued by a 27” (69 cm) wide touchscreen for the infotainment unit featuring a SYNC4 system and extended in front of the side passenger. The side vents flanked the entire digital panel. Underneath the center vents, the automaker placed the buttons for the automatic transmission that was featured as standard across the range. The front seats had multiple adjustments and ensured customers that they would find a comfortable position. In the back, there was plenty of legroom and headroom on the split-folding (60/40) bench seat.

Under the hood, Lincoln installed a turbocharged inline-four gasoline engine that produced 242 hp (246 PS) and 278 lb-ft (376 Nm) of torque. It was married with an eight-speed automatic transmission that sent the oomph to the front wheels. Even though the Ford C2 platform could be fitted with an all-wheel drive system, the automaker didn’t provide that for the 2021 Lincoln Zephyr.