Lincoln’s new small MKC crossover will start at $33,995 when it arrives in dealers next year.

Ford’s premium brand hasn’t said exactly when that will happen, but it could be a bit hit if the generally positive first impressions have anything to say about it. The same 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine slated as an option on the upcoming 2015 Mustang will offer 275 hp. That will come as a $1,140 upgrade over the standard 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that offers 240 hp and 270 lb-ft of torque.

Front-wheel drive is standard, but customers can choose an all-wheel drive model if improved grip is of particular concern. Three trim levels will be available: Premier, Select and Reserve. The last of those starts at $40,930 and includes the base engine. Lincoln is offering a long list of free-standing packages and features for the vehicle including blind spot monitoring and cross-traffic alert for $1,100, a technology package for $2,235 that adds adaptive cruise control, parking assistance, front sensors and lane-keeping assistance. All-wheel drive comes at a roughy $2,500 premium. Pair that with the more powerful motor and an MKC equipped with the safety-enhancing gizmos will cost $47,900.

The MKC is Lincoln’s latest stab at regaining market relevance and the company is hoping a combination of high-end materials and competitive pricing will lure customers away from brands like Audi and BMW. Audi’s Q5 starts several thousand dollars higher, as does the BMW X3, but Lincoln’s biggest struggle will be less about value packaging and more about image. If the MKC can prove to be more than a warmed-over Escape – and its engines seem like a valiant effort in that direction – it might prove to be the first product with potential to lead the company a few steps closer to being competitive.

a technology package for $2,235 that adds adaptive cruise control, parking assistance, front sensors and lane-keeping assistance. All-wheel drive comes at a roughy $2,500 premium. Pair that with the more powerful motor and an MKC equipped with the safety-enhancing gizmos will cost $47,900.

Lincoln has already announced most of the trim level and option pricing for its upcoming 2015 MKC due out this summer, and now it has launched a configurator allowing prospective buyers to get a better idea of how this new model will stack up against other compact luxury crossovers. We already knew that the MKC will have a starting price of $33,995, but now we know that its price includes a destination charge of $895.

Models equipped with the base 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine come standard with the Premiere package – $33,100 for front-wheel drive and $35,595 for all-wheel drive. Both models offer equipment upgrades from the Select and Reserve packages. The $3,230 Select package adds features like leather seats, power passenger seat, folding and heated door mirrors and painted 18-inch wheels, while the pricier $6,935 Reserve package adds in heated and cooled front seats, panoramic roof, hands-free liftgate, two-tone wheels and an embedded modem (providing features such as remote lock and unlock, vehicle finder and pre-conditioning).

Opting for the new 2.3-liter EcoBoost inline-four raises the base price to $39,965, and it comes standard with all-wheel drive and all of the equipment in the Select package; the Reserve package is still optional. All models can be further optioned up with the $2,235 Technology Package (adding adaptive cruise, active park assist and lane keeping system) and the $580 Climate Package (heated rear seats and steering wheel, auto high beams and rain-sensing wipers). Checking all the options, a fully loaded 2015 MKC with the 2.3-liter EcoBoost will have a total MSRP of $47,715.