One of the nice things about such an uncluttered backseat in the MKZ Hybrid is that it's just that. Uncluttered. There weren't any problems with my kids using the seat belts on their own.

The two sets of lower Latch anchors in the outboard seats are clearly marked and easy to access. Hallelujah! There is room for a rear-facing infant seat in the MKZ Hybrid's backseat.

The hybrid's standard safety features include front-wheel drive, all-disc antilock brakes, an electronic stability system, traction control and seven airbags, including a driver's knee airbag and side curtains for both rows.

My test car came with an optional package that included a blind spot warning system with cross-traffic alert. Other optional safety features are adaptive headlights and a backup camera with parking sensors.