The Lincoln MKS was modestly freshened for 2013--along with its Ford Taurus twin--receiving new styling details, a marginally larger trunk opening, and minor mechanical tweaks, but overall it remains the same: a pricey and only slightly posher version of the Taurus. We paid just over $50,000 for our well-equipped MKS, including options.

Our front-wheel-drive MKS (AWD is optional) has the base 3.7-liter V6, good for 305 hp, and a six-speed automatic. So far we've found it delivers ample power but sounds thrashy under acceleration, an unwelcome intrusion in a luxury car. The automatic, although smooth, doesn't feel as up-to-date as the seven- and eight-speed gearboxes in some competitors.

The freshening carried over to the interior, but only a bit. For 2013 the MKS gets the updated MyLincoln Touch infotainment system, with larger on-screen fonts and buttons. But it still remains awkward to use, and like we said about the 2013 Taurus we are testing, we really would rather have a few more knobs and buttons than this touch-sensitive system.

There wasn't anything a mild freshening could do to address another issue from our first test of the car: the snug interior. The cockpit is still narrow, with little room for the driver's left foot. And despite the MKS' large exterior size, the rear cabin is snug and quite confining.

We'll see how the MKS competes against other luxury sedans such as the Audi A6, BMW 5 Series, and Mercedes-Benz E-Class.