C O V E R     S T O R Y

Critics said that it was the rear end that did it in; some claimed it was borrowed underpinnings; some even proclaimed that it was due to having only one displacement available.  Whatever the reason, the Ford Lynx, after making a big splash in September 1999, soon became close to extinct in the 1.6-liter segment.  Despite combining the sporty attributes of the Honda Civic and a bit of luxury and class that became the trademark of the Nissan Exalta, it didn’t quite threaten the leaders in its class. 

In the midst of facelifts and new product launches from its competitors, the Lynx got stuck in a marsh pit along with the likes of the Mitsubishi Lancer—a fate it surely didn’t deserve.  This was despite the fact that Ford threw in everything but the kitchen sink to sell the Lynx: rear window blinds, a 12-disc CD changer, a 6-speaker system—the works. 

Fast forward to 2002—Ford is finally keen on pouncing on its sleeping Japanese competitors with the all-new Lynx.  All-new?  Well, it’s a relative term in this case, so before you start lecturing us on how this Lynx isn’t far off from the one sold at the beginning of 2000, let us show you the ways…

Exterior 

First of all, the good news: the Lynx’s overall looks have improved ten-fold.  The most eye-catching change is the headlamps.  Gone are the clichéd 3D-look lenses and in come the ‘multi-compartmentalized’ design that has become the in-thing with the likes of Audi, Volkswagen, Range Rover and the European Ford car models.   

The single piece headlight eliminates the unsightly gap between head and signal lamps.  The Lynx also receives a dual-bulb headlamp system, meaning the main and high-beam clusters have been separated promising better night time driving vision. 

Of course, the biggest hurrah for Lynx fans is that the rear combination lamps have been restyled, shutting up potential rear-lamp nitpickers.  The previous swooshing design has been ditched in favor of European-style triangular lamps that look well proportioned and better than the likes of the Nissan Exalta’s Korean-like rear-end. 

The modernization program was extended to the hood, bumpers and trunk to help uplift the Lynx’s looks.  For instance, the front bumper removes the smirking face of the older model.  Now it has a more integrated look with Mondeo-style fog lights.  The trunk lid has been edged up and the rear bumper refreshed and given more depth to improve the Lynx’s proportions.

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