A 2009 Lincoln MKS sedan winds its way through Washington, D.C.

Any resemblance you see between the sophisticated and luxurious 2009 Lincoln MKS and the stultifying sedans Ford’s luxury brand has sold for the last 20 years is not coincidence.

It’s a figment of your feverish, Ford-hating imagination.

Sure, there’s plenty of reason to be skeptical that Lincoln can build a legitimate world-class luxury car. This is the brand best-known for the antiquated Town Car limo, after all. But the all-new MKS has the looks, comfort and advanced features to turn heads and change minds.

The car’s spacious interior and many appealing features make it a serious competitor, although it doesn’t match the world’s best luxury-sport sedans on fuel economy, power and handling.

The MKS is the best new big Lincoln since gas cost 50 cents a gallon. It fills a vacant spot in the brand’s lineup once occupied by the supremely average Continental, but it fills it with style and modernity the dull-as-dishwater Conti never approached.

The first thing that you notice about the new Lincoln is that it gets noticed. Styling that seemed subdued on auto show stands and in photographs turns heads and draws attention on the street.

The look begins with Lincoln’s signature grille, two flowing wings of chrome that flow back from the point of the hood like waves of water cut by the bow of a fast-moving boat. The grille is a riff on the 1941 Lincoln Continental, a classic design that helped create Lincoln’s reputation for elegant style.

The car’s stance — wide wheeled with a rising beltline –– emphasizes its solidity and modern proportions.

The MKS comes with either front- or all-wheel drive running gear and a smooth, six-speed automatic trans-

mission. Power for all 2009 models comes from a good, 273-horsepower, 3.7-liter V6.

A turbocharged version of that engine with direct gasoline injection –– a suite of technologies Ford calls Ecoboost because it adds power without reducing fuel economy –– is to lift power to 340 horsepower when it goes on sale in 2009.

Prices for the 2009 MKS start at $37,665 for front-wheel-drive and $39,995 with the full-time AWD system.

I tested an all-wheel-drive MKS with Lincoln’s luxurious option package and a $45,270 sticker price. (All prices exclude destination charges.)

The MKS AWD competes with midsize and large all-wheel-drive luxury sedans like the $46,100 Audi 3.2 Quattro V6, the $52,000 BMW 535xi, the $46,415 Cadillac STS AWD V6, and the $46,500 Lexus GS 350 AWD.

The MKS AWD’s long list of comfort and convenience features gives it a clear advantage over those competitors on price. Its big 105.8-cubic-foot interior and 18.7-cubic-foot trunk also give it more room than any of them except the GS, which claims a 109.7-cubic-foot interior to go with its smaller 12.7-cubic-foot trunk.

The Audi, BMW and Lexus all either require or recommend premium fuel. That makes the MKS AWD slightly less expensive to operate, even though its EPA fuel economy rating of 16 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the highway trails the pack by 1 to 2 mpg.

The difference works out to a whopping $12 a year, according to the EPA’s calculations, hardly enough to justify the MKS’ less-powerful engine. (The STS V6 AWD, by contrast, offers 33 horsepower more than the MKS and will save its owner $143 annually on gas, according to the EPA.)

The MKS’ smooth V6 provides more than adequate power for tooling around town, thanks to the gearing of its well-tuned transmission. It lacks the enthusiasm the other sedans show for quick passes on the highway and high-speed runs, however, and downshifts for passing felt sluggish at 50 to 60 mph.

The competitors all play in the 300-horsepower-plus league, providing them with snappier acceleration.

The MKS is extremely quiet at high speed, though, and its luxurious and roomy cabin is a treat under all conditions.

The interior of the MKS I tested was spacious and lovely. Trimmed with black leather, tasteful metal accents and a lovely warm brown wood shot through with dark graining, every piece welcomed the eye and the touch. Front and rear passenger spaces are excellent. A flimsy felt trunk liner struck a jarring note in an interior that otherwise bespoke elegance and craftsmanship.

The trunk, while cavernous, has a rather narrow opening, and the liftover into the trunk is a bit high. Both shortcomings make it difficult to load big objects and take full advantage of the MKS’ cargo space.

The suspension cushions bump admirably. The ride is smooth and comfortable, but the MKS AWD’s 4,276-pound curb weight makes itself felt in handling that’s less eager than the competitors, all of which tip the scales at least 300 pounds lighter.

The ride remains smooth and supple, but the weight –– most of which is over the car’s nose, because the MKS uses the same architecture as the Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable –– creates a tendency to push in fast curves. That said, the MKS is balanced enough that it’s the first big Lincoln I ever thought could benefit from sport seats with bigger bolsters to hold me steady.

The steering is very well tuned, providing good assist in low-speed parking maneuvers and a solid on-center feel on the highway. Brake feel and stopping power is exemplary, and the transmission shifts quickly and smoothly.

The MKS also offers several appealing features available from no automaker but Ford. The MKS is one of the first Ford products with an updated version of Sync that smoothly integrates mobile phone and iPods with a terrific new navigation system.

The nav system accepts spoken commands for destination addresses and uses Sirius satellite radio for up-to-the-minute information on traffic conditions and construction, weather forecasts, gas prices, even movie times. The THX stereo provides excellent sound quality and volume.

Two other Ford-exclusive features proved very useful: a touchpad on the B-pillar to lock and unlock the MKS and the new capless fuel filler.

The 2009 MKS luxury sedan is the new face of Lincoln, and it’s an appealing face. While it falls short of the best luxury sedans’ performance, the big new Linc’s comfort, room and unique features are sure to please its owners.