As one expects for the money, the interior looks more upscale than that in the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan, which share the MKZ's underpinnings and some major mechanical components. The trim plastics look best in lighter colors. All in all, the MKZ interior doesn't come across as shameless luxury as much as comfortable well-to-do, which is pretty much the standard for this class.

The controls for heating, cooling and the stereo are all easy to find and use. Storage is adequate.

The optional navigation system works well. The video screen is smaller than many, but it's easy to figure out without excessive reliance on the owner's manual. And unlike some nav systems, it had information about some obscure dirt roads in Michigan, where much of our driving took place. All automakers make choices about where to spend and where to save, and many choose not include such detail in the navigation software. That means that just when you need help the most, the navigation system breaks your heart and announces something along the lines of: "You are leaving the mapped area. Turn-by-turn guidance is no longer available." Not so in the MKZ.

As with most sedans advertised as five-passenger, the reality is that the MKZ will accommodate four six-footers in reasonable comfort. Five is a crowd unless you are toting small children, and comfort for four assumes that front-seat passengers aren't too piggy about their legroom.

Trunk capacity is rated at 15.8 cubic feet, which is more than many cars in this class. The trunk lid swings high for easy access, and the fold-down rear seat allows some flexibility for hauling more.

Forward and over-the-shoulder visibility is acceptable. But the high rear deck intended to increase trunk space also limits visibility immediately behind the MKZ when backing up.