Overview & Reviews

When the Lincoln LS was first introduced, it was heralded as the domestic answer to the premium midsize sedans from Europe's luxury brands. At the time, the rear-drive LS had the look and the technology to compete with Europe's best in a way few American cars could. Early reviews pegged it as a 10 in terms of fun to drive, and some described it as a car that offered the roominess of a BMW 5 Series at the price of a 3 Series.

The LS had the option of a V6 or V8 and, thanks to its rear-wheel-drive configuration and well-tuned suspension, was reasonably entertaining on a back road. But as good as the LS seemed initially, the car became less appealing over the years as the ranks of newer, more competent and more luxurious entry-luxury sedans grew. With sales slowing, Lincoln discontinued the LS after the 2006 model year.

Though lacking a little in terms of prestige and refinement, the Lincoln LS is still a respectable choice for a used luxury sedan with sporting tendencies. Its pricing is lower than many competing models, and maintenance costs should also be slightly lower than those of some European cars, but don't expect the LS to be as trouble-free as its competitors from Japan.

Most Recent Lincoln LS

A midsize entry-luxury sedan, the Lincoln LS was produced for the 2000-'06 model years. Originally, the LS was available in just two trim levels differentiated by the engine equipped. The Lincoln LS V8 came with a 252-horsepower, 3.9-liter engine that moved the sedan from zero to 60 in 7.5 seconds. A five-speed automatic transmission was standard.

The less expensive choice was the LS V6. Its 3.0-liter engine provided just 210 hp but slightly better fuel economy. For this engine, Lincoln initially offered either a five-speed manual transmission or a five-speed automatic.

Standard features for both cars included dual-zone automatic climate control, a power tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, alloy wheels, foglights and ABS. However, a few upscale items, such as a navigation system, weren't initially offered.

At the time, we found that V8 versions of the Lincoln LS delivered smooth and acceptable acceleration. The ride was comfortable and compliant, and the LS was at its best when being used as a touring sedan rather than an all-out sport sedan. Notably, it was roomy enough to provide comfortable quarters for four adults. The interior materials were lacking in terms of quality, though, and storage space was minimal in the cabin.

Early models had automatic transmission problems, so it might be wise to avoid them on the used market. Even when that issue was addressed by Lincoln, shifts from the automatic were not exactly smooth and many customers still complained. For this reason, we'd advise any prospective LS buyer to do a thorough test-drive before making a purchase.

For 2003, Lincoln did its first major update on its midsize luxury sedan. Output for the V8 was raised to 280 hp, and the V6 added 12 hp for a total of 222. The five-speed manual that was available with the V6 was dropped due to lack of consumer interest.

Other changes that year included retuned steering (resulting in better feel), a retuned suspension (resulting in a slightly softer ride) and improved interior materials and storage. New features were also added, such as a navigation system, side curtain airbags and a THX sound system. To make the most of your used-car dollar, we suggest looking at 2003 or newer LS models.

A few other changes occurred before the Lincoln LS was discontinued. Satellite radio was added as a dealer-installed option for 2004, and Lincoln made additional improvements to the automatic transmission to improve shift quality. For the final year, the V6 version was dropped from the LS lineup.

User Reviews:

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  problems - 2000 Lincoln LS
  By jthib - June 20 - 2:00 am

  side impact airbag deployed just riding down the road, transmission failed at apx. 45,000mi, poor handling for its class. nice car but very overpriced and rides more like a sports car than a sedan

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  Unreliable Product - 2003 Lincoln LS
  By Peter - October 11 - 10:00 am

  The 2003 Lincoln LS V8 Sport is a very unreliable vehicle. A few days after I took the car home from the dealer 11/2009, all coils had to be replaced. Obviously free of charge since the car was covered under the NY Lemon law. I drove it for almost a year up 10/2010 when the coils appear to have failed again: the car is at a garage right now. I did manage to get 26,000 miles out of the last replacement. Otherwise I have the following issues with this car: A) it was built for people approximately 5" tall: I get leg cramps driving long distance every day (I am 6" tall) and B) its road handling is really all over the place and dangerous in adverse weather (rain, snow).

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  fisherprice or ford, lego or lincoln - 2000 Lincoln LS
  By brian hughes - August 19 - 2:00 am

  Luxury car with a toy engine.I do tend to have the best looking car on the side of the road and the flasher are the best working part on it.My car now has oil leaking around the oring gaskets onto the spark plugs.This oil causes the plugs to foul out making my car cut out.The dealer could not find this problem that makes the cab of t he car smell like burnt oil until the warrant was over then they wanted to charge me for it.The transmision jerks hard when you first put it in gear.The dual climate control get stuck turning the heat on full blast on the driver side.Pass.side heated seat dont work.Both power rear window regulators have broke.

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  Lincoln LS: Disappointment - 2006 Lincoln LS
  By D Waters - June 28 - 5:13 pm

  When we first got the car, I was somewhat (not very) excited, but now Im just disappointed. There are several pros and cons. PRO: The seats are pretty comfortable in the front. CON: In the rear seats, I noticed that this strange mix of dust and dirt blows in when you open the vents. PRO: At times, when youre slowly inching along (around 30 mph), you can get 40 mpg( the average is 16 mpg). CON: the radio is awful. PRO: So far, this car seems to be quite reliable. CON: The rear seats are very uncomfortable. CON: It was way overpriced for what its worth. (another)CON: This car just cant seem to stay in competition with foreign automakers. Were soon going to switch to a Mercedes S65 AMG.

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  2000 Lincoln LS - 2000 Lincoln LS
  By LsReeks - November 16 - 7:16 am

  The only thing this car has is that its prety. Its a nice eye candy. The problem comes from fords quality/design , or lack there of. The transmission went out on me. I had to replace a simple air/breathing hose, which resides under the intake manifold and the fuel injectors. A 99 cent hose cost me 1700$ in labor. To do any type of maintenance, the intake manifold had to be removed because it was layed on the very top. That meant many hrs in labor, no matter what the fix was. Oh, the brake system and suspension was bad as well. Spent much $. Interior had many problems as well. I never thought Id say this, but because of this car, Ive boycotted Ford.

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  Daughters car - 2000 Lincoln LS
  By unhappy father - November 3 - 1:13 am

  My early-twenties daughter bought a 2000 LS8 with 121K last fall (2007). I was about to deploy with the reserves, so did not pay as much attention to her purchase as I normally would. CEL went on during her drive home from dealership, they replaced O2 sensor at their cost, CEL still came on, they did some repairs costing us $1400, car has same problems, surging and CEL on; now it has a coolant leak so she is driving my car until I come back this fall. I am not happy with the car or the dealerships treatment of a first-time car buyer...they should have known that this car is expensive to maintain. I would not recommend this vehicle to anyone, especially if it has higher mileage.

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  1 Week into 2002 V8 LS - 2002 Lincoln LS
  By RonW - May 20 - 10:00 am

  I bought the LS this week and had the following problems pior to delivery. 1.Top of the line stereo dead from the factory...no power so I am not sure how it sounds. Was this car tested ? 2.Water inside the right front light housing, keep in mind car not even serviced yet. 3.Opps factory forgot to put floor mats in this baby..Come on Lincoln ! 4.While test driving the LS sounds as if someone left a set of keys inside the drivers door..Great rattles Lincoln ! Still not delivered. 5.While test driving the LS computer screaming at me to change A/C filter and 0% oil life left on the test drive. LS still in service for repairs and have not even taken delivery yet.

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  2002 lincoln LS v-8 - 2001 Lincoln LS
  By jeff7802 - February 3 - 10:00 am

  fit and finish on car is very poor. car has a number of rattles that the vehicle was delivered with. paint quality very poor. my local dealer takes numerous service attempts to do anything. then accomplishes nothing. if this is LINCOLNS new vehicle for my generation. car quality needs to be much better, and dealer support needs a lot of help. its no wonder ford is loosing market share.

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  Never again - 2001 Lincoln LS
  By kirkyrt - January 20 - 10:00 am

  Ive only had this vehicle for 6 months and have already had to have 3 coils changed and the radiator fan. Not only has it been unreliable but the road noise is herendous. I can barely hear my self think. If Lincoln LS is considered to be a luxury sports car then they have a long way to go.

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  Love / hate relationship - 2003 Lincoln LS
  By Ronster7 - March 17 - 2:00 am

  Purchased a 2001 LS V8 Sport with almost all of the options. I have had non-stop problems with this car. Anywhere from non-start conditions (still happening after many repair attempts), leaking oil, suspension problems, fuel filter problems, many computer updates, radio replacements, etc. Poor quality after 27k miles my suspension is fading way too much. I take care of this vehicle and it simply is poor quality. Lincoln customer service is terrible for the class of this vehicle.