Overview & Reviews

Lincoln is an automaker with a long history of building upscale vehicles for the American market. A division of Ford, Lincoln differentiates its vehicles through additional luxury features, more powerful engines and unique styling. The automaker's lineup includes cars, pickups and SUVs.

The company was established in 1917 by Henry Leland, an automotive parts manufacturer who had previously founded the Cadillac brand. He named the company after his boyhood hero: the 16th U.S. president, Abraham Lincoln. Early Lincoln models include the L Series and the K Series. The company quickly hit dire straits, however, and was bought by Ford Motor Company in 1922.

Lincoln had found its niche in the luxury-car segment by the 1930s, riding high with the likes of Cadillac as a purveyor of premium status-mobiles. The 1936 model year saw Lincoln's launch of the popular Zephyr. The car's name and styling were inspired by the sleek lines of the Burlington Zephyr, a diesel-powered express train that boasted record-setting speed. The car was a big hit for Lincoln; at one point, nearly 80 percent of all Lincolns sold were Zephyrs.

The '40s also saw the rise of the glamorous Continental. The vehicle's development was shepherded by Edsel Ford, son of Ford's founder Henry Ford. After World War II, Lincoln maintained its premium status with vehicles like the Mark II and the '60s-era Continentals, which gained fame through their "suicide-style" rear doors and use as U.S. presidential limousines. The Continental Mark III luxury coupe rolled out in 1968 and by the late '60s, more than 1 million Continentals had been built.

The 1970s saw the launch of the Mark IV as well as a new Lincoln, the Versailles. The Versailles was the first midsize sedan from the marque, and right from the start, it missed the mark with the public. The Versailles was based on the Ford Granada platform, and many blamed its failure on its obvious similarity to its less exclusive -- and less expensive -- twin.

In 1981, Lincoln released its now iconic Town Car, the full-size luxury sedan that has since served as the marque's flagship. Though its moniker had been used to designate trim levels in previous years, 1981 was the year in which the Town Car came into existence as an individual model. Lincoln also distinguished itself during these years as the first American car line to offer antilock braking. The Mark series continued to evolve, and shrunk down considerably with the debut of the Mark VI. That velvet-lined cruiser was followed mid-decade by the Mark VII, which was more European in nature and could even be powered by a BMW turbodiesel engine.

The '90s saw the debut of the Mark VIII, which featured a four-cam V8 and air suspension. By this time, sport-utility vehicles had emerged as a segment to be reckoned with, and Lincoln made the most of this trend by launching its very first SUV, the Ford Expedition-based Navigator, for 1998. Bedecked in chrome and fitted with plush leather and luxury features galore, the massive truck was a breakout hit.

The new millennium marked the debut of the Euro-flavored, midsize LS sedan that shared much of its platform with Jaguar's S-Type sedan. More recently, Lincoln has dropped the long-lived Town Car and updated its lineup with the MKS and MKZ sedans as well as the MKX crossover SUV in hopes of attracting a new generation of consumers. Some of its offerings fall short of the competition in areas such as performance and refinement. Still, the marque is a favorite of car buyers seeking a generous dose of all-American luxury.

User Reviews:

• 

  The unicorn of trucks - 2007 Lincoln Mark LT
  By Anthony - October 14 - 7:55 pm

  A very nice truck for its time. Great towing I tow a 4000 pound trailer with it awesome in snow expensive to fix when it breaks. It’s a head turner gets a ton of head turners

• 

  Great Ride - 2008 Lincoln MKZ
  By Cathy Meagher - July 28 - 6:55 am

  My 2008 MKZ was 5 years old when I purchased it. Drove to Florida 4 times, zips on to highway between traffic, when I needed speed & pick-up, very good gas milage & very comfortable ride long distance. It is 12 years old and getting 20 + mpg around town at 103,000 total miles. #lovemylincolnMKZ

• 

  LINCOLN MKT is my dream car - 2018 Lincoln MKT
  By Coria Panya - January 27 - 7:40 pm

  My Lincoln MKT is spacious for trips with lots of arm and leg room. Classy interior and leather. Exterior is attractive and eye catching. I never lose my car in a parking lot. Every day is a better day when driving my Lincoln MKT. everyone should try driving one at least once. I speak from personal experience

• 

  Love my MKT - 2013 Lincoln MKT
  By K Mathieu - April 25 - 2:38 am

  I have owned my Lincoln MKT for around 6 months. It has about 65,000 miles. It is one of the best driving,handling and all around luxury vehicles I have owned and I have owned one of all the known brands, BMW, caddy, Lexus and Mercedes. This Lincoln just feels great stands toe to toe with all the advances it it delivers hands down. Lincoln has out done itself and I believe is a will silently become a top dog once again. Bravo to the MKT series. If I could afford it I would buy all my friends one.

• 

  Style and comfort abound - 2016 Lincoln MKX
  By Sandra - February 9 - 9:12 am

  As someone who works from home, I dont usually drive that much, but ever since we bought the Lincoln, I find reasons to go out and run errands. First, the car is simply beautiful to look at. We got the black interior and exterior. It looks awesome lit up at night. The front seats are extremely comfortable with both heating and cooling options. There is plenty of headroom and legroom. The back seat is massive and comfortably seats three people. The rear also has plenty of room for luggage, groceries, etc. The MKX is loaded with superior features like voice command for navigation and climate control. The large display allows for multiple functions to be displayed side-by-side like the map and radio. Hooking up your phone is a snap. They made the technology very intuitive. Some of the other bells and whistles include the car unlocking when you walk up to it with your key--no more fumbling when youre holding packages. The chimes and lighted welcome mat are a nice touch when you open the car. They also have ambient light inside the car with different color options. We also had a stellar experience buying the car with our salesman. They threw in a lot of perks to sweeten the deal and treated us like the best customers in the world. Overall, we would highly recommend the MKX to anyone looking for a luxury SUV that is fun to drive and loaded with lots of extras!

• 

  What a great SUV - 2004 Lincoln Aviator
  By fmp - December 18 - 10:00 am

  Fun to drive and very confortable

• 

  Great Truck - 2007 Lincoln Mark LT
  By Ken - December 16 - 4:20 am

  Love the truck! GREAT on the highway going from job to job. But, also very functional once on the job. Really have had no problems other than difficulty in keeping wheels balanced.

• 

  The 03s are made of cheaper materials - 2003 Lincoln Navigator
  By Gary j - December 15 - 2:00 am

  Although the seats and ride are much better the earlier models, the interior has been made with cheaper materials. They used a lower quality of leather. The steerinring wheel looks as though it came out of a cheap toyota corolla. You think that for a premium vechile they wouldnt have cheapened the product. They must have made them at the old chicken farm,....cheap, cheap, cheap..

• 

  Almost There. - 2001 Lincoln LS
  By pcard - December 4 - 10:00 am

  Lincoln has finally made a car and not a boat. The LS gives you the feel of a European sports sedan at a substantial discounted price. However, the car suffers from small but irksome problems. City mileage is lousy. Back windows tend to breakdown with minimal use. Front headlight covers may collect moisture. Fortunately the dealers were easy to work with and there have been no repeat problems after repairs were made. Car also tends to be resistant to downshifting.

• 

  No open door chime!!! Terrible design. - 2011 Lincoln MKX
  By bigd32 - November 27 - 9:16 pm

  Just back to my open rear door into the garage causing $2000 worth of damage because there was no door chime. Only car of ever own that makes no sound when doors open with the key in the ignition. Terrible design.