Flat towing… I’d love to know why you are interested in flat towing. My guess is you have a big adventure planned and you want to tow your Lincoln MKX behind and RV. Maybe you are just moving and need to tow your vehicle. Regardless of your reason, I did some research to find out if the Lincoln MKX can be flat towed and here is what I discovered.

Can a Lincoln MKX be Flat Towed?

Yes, you can flat tow a Lincoln MKX. The model of and trim you choose will determine the procedure you need to follow to flat tow the MKX. Front wheel drive vs. all wheel drive does make a difference.

To know if your Lincoln MKX is front or all-wheel drive, it is best to consult your car owner’s manual. Most people tend to toss their owner’s manual into their glove compartment and it never sees the light of day again. This is a big mistake since the car owner’s manual will tell you literally everything you need to know about the car, including if it can be flat towed or not.

If you lost your owner’s manual, do not know where you misplaced it, or maybe you bought your Lincoln MKX second hand and the previous owner did not give it to you then do not worry. We have got you covered; please look below.

Let’s see what generation your Lincoln MKX falls under:

●     First Generation Lincoln MKX (2007 to 2015):

• Four-wheel drive
  • Front-wheel drive

●     Lincoln MKX: Refresh Edition (2011 to 2015):

• Front-wheel drive (standard)
  • All-wheel drive (optional)

●     Second Generation Lincoln MKX (2016 to Present):

• Front-wheel drive (standard)
  • All-wheel drive (optional)

It seems as if aside from the first generation Lincoln MKX (2007 to 2015) most Lincoln MKX models are front-wheel drive standard and they also come with the optional all-wheel drive. To dive deeper into this, let’s see which wheel option system is best for flat towing.

●     Flat towing with four-wheel drive

• When it comes to flat towing a four-wheel-drive vehicle most people opt to not do it that way. The reason why is because it is much easier to tow your four-wheel drive vehicle on a flatbed truck.
  • Now if you really wanted to flat tow your four-wheel drive vehicle without a flatbed then it can be done but it would not be ideal.
  • If you do choose to go with a flatbed truck here is all you have to do: throw the transmission and transfer case into neutral, put your vehicle on the flatbed, and that is it.

●     Flat towing with front-wheel drive

• You can flat tow with all four wheels on the ground or with front wheels off the ground using a tow dolly.
  • Both options work so we would recommend going with the one that is the easiest for you.
  • If you do not want to use a tow dolly then follow these instructions:
  • If you tow your vehicle with all four wheels on the ground, follow these instructions: Tow only in the forward direction, release the parking brake, place the transmission shift lever in N (Neutral), place the ignition in the accessory position (refer to Starting in the Driving chapter), do not exceed 65 mph (105 km/h) and finally, start the engine and allow it to run for five minutes at the beginning of each day and each fuel stop.
  • While you might not want to use a dolly tow (which we understand since we all have our preference) it is good to know that it is an option.
  • Also, please note that front-wheel drive vehicles tend to be more sensitive due to the weight distribution.
  • If you are going to go with the flat towing on front-wheel drive vehicles, we would suggest only doing it if it is not a far distance. Flat towing long distances with front-wheel drive vehicles could damage your vehicle. Please proceed with caution.

●     Flat towing with all-wheel drive

• With all-wheel drive there is one thing we wanted to point out: please do not tow your all-wheel-drive vehicle with the front wheels off the ground (by this we mean by using a tow dolly) and the tear wheels on the ground. This will cause damage to your all-wheel system.
  • Flat towing instruction is the same as with the flat towing front wheel:
  • Tow only in the forward direction, release the parking brake, place the transmission shift lever in N (Neutral), place the ignition in the accessory position (refer to Starting in the Driving chapter), do not exceed 65 mph (105 km/h) and finally, start the engine and allow it to run for five minutes at the beginning of each day and each fuel stop.
  • As with the front-wheel drive, we highly suggest not flat towing your vehicle for a long-distance if it is an older model and/or it is not in good condition.

Does the Lincoln MKX Come with Two Wheel Drive?

As of now (the latest model is the 2020 Lincoln MKX) the answer is no. There has been no confirmed news that future Lincoln MKX models will be equipped with two-wheel drive yet but if they do decide to take that route, it would mean flat towing it would be easier.

According to Car and Driver online website, two-wheel-drive systems are great for flat towing because they are not as sensitive to weight distribution as front-wheel drive systems.

As Economical notes, two-wheel-drive systems come standard on most passenger vehicles. With a two-wheel drive, the engine sends power to two of the car’s wheels while allowing the other two wheels to spin. Because the engine doesn’t have to use energy to power all four wheels, and because two-wheel-drive systems weigh less than four-wheel drive, two-wheel drive vehicles are lighter and more fuel-efficient.

Although the first generation Lincoln MKX, the Lincoln MKX Refreshed Edition, as well as the second-generation MKX have not been equipped with a two-wheel-drive yet, we do not want to say it will never happen. All we can do is wait to see what the Lincoln engineers and designers will come up with for their newest model next year. All we can say is that we are very excited about it!

Lincoln MKX vs Lincoln MKZ: Do Not Get Them Confused

Some people thought that the Lincoln MKX was discontinued but it was actually the Lincoln MKZ (the sedan version) that got discontinued. We wanted to clear up some rumors in case you were also confused. As of now, Lincoln has not let out any official announcement about discontinuing their Lincoln MKX so we can expect a new model for 2021 which is great news.

As we were starting earlier, the Lincoln MKZ  got the ax in 2020 and there will not be a 2021 Lincoln MKX model. Unfortunately, this is sad, but it is true. Here is what Motor Trend (Car of the Year), had to say about this news:

The inevitable has finally happened. Lincoln announced that production of the MKZ will come to a close this year, marking the end of the sedan’s 13-year run.

After the model spent one year badged as the Zephyr, it adopted the Lincoln MKZ name for the 2007 model year. It managed to elevate itself above its mainstream counterparts, the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan, with more luxurious treatments. We even sort of like the newest version, too. Although it’s definitely showing its age, we’ve praised its quiet road manners, punchy 3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6, and reasonably fuel-efficient hybrid option rated for 41 mpg in combined city and highway driving.

Final Lincoln MKX Thoughts

The Lincoln MKX offers great looks, comfort, and flexibility. It also works well for travelers and explorers who want to tow their MKX behind an RV.

As someone who appreciates the RV lifestyle, I have to say it is a great thing that Lincoln built the MKX so it can be towed behind an RV.