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:

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  Near Perfect - 2000 Lincoln LS
  By OSCN - September 26 - 12:00 am

  A pleasure to drive, quick when needed and handles like a sports car. Comfortabe on long trips, reasonable mileage (25 mpg hwy) for engine (V8) and performance. Only "problem," I have had to replace plug/coil assemblies. I question some of the negative comments above/below and cannot help but wonder if regular maintenance and reasonable care had been taken. My opinion, best car from Detroit in years!

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  HUGE leaps in build quality - 2003 Lincoln LS
  By dt1963 - September 25 - 2:00 am

  The 03 LS represents major improvements in build quality. The interior materials are VASTLY better. The increased HP in the V8 is quite apparent. I traded in my 02 so was able to compare the new model back-to- back with the old. Quite impressive!

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  Great 5 speed - 2002 Lincoln LS
  By user - September 21 - 1:23 am

  Great 5 speed

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  Great Car - 2002 Lincoln LS
  By likeusluxury - September 19 - 4:58 am

  My 2nd LS. I had a 2004 LS. I bought a 2002 LS for my daughter. Bought both used. Highly recommend. My daughter loves her car. Fun to drive. Highly reliable. Safe. Between the 2 cars have over 100,000 miles with only one issue at all. If you can get one, get it. You will not be sorry.

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  I repectfully disagree on smoothness.... - 2007 Lincoln MKZ
  By Discodug - September 19 - 1:30 am

  Unless the 05 Towncar makes some improvement over the 04, I must disagree with the comment about smoothness coming up short of the Town Car. At slow street speeds, I do feel the Towncar is SLIGHTLY quieter though. I did have an initial hi freq "buzz" at highway speeds, put a pit in my stomach as I drive 98 miles each way to work and I cant STAND noise. Isolated the problem to the triangular plastic between the RV mirrors and the door frame. Took it back, dealer sealed it, no more buzz. I looked at numerous Zs on the lot and many had same symptom...EASILY fixed, so if it happens to you, get it fixed. This was the only thing that kept me from giving a 10 to exterior & build. I love this car!

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  2001 NAV - 2001 Lincoln Navigator
  By APRIL - September 19 - 12:13 am

  This is a great suv especially if theres kids involved. Love the space and the tv console to keep them quiet or to play the ps2...Ive had no problems as of yet.. April atlanta,ga

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  Pleasantly Surprised - 2006 Lincoln Zephyr
  By Led Zephyrlin - September 18 - 12:13 pm

  My first American Luxury car. Considered Acura TL/TSX, Infinity and Lexus offerings. Price point and design made Zephyr most appealing, no cookie cutting. Exterior design jaw dropping gorgeous. Classy name and interior styling. Very solid build with a quality interior makes driving quite enjoyable. Love the AC in the seats (gets hot here in GA). Plesant experience at the dealership. Very quiet ride even at 70 mph interstate speed. Positive feedback in the corners, secure feeling from brake system. Overall Zephyr is well balanced when compared to competing models.

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  I still love my Lincoln - 2002 Lincoln LS
  By mlabeau - September 17 - 3:53 am

  I bought my LS just over two years ago with just under 25k miles. Now it has over 75k miles and it still drives like new. I did replace the brake pads with carbon/ceramic pads about 30K ago and replaced the tires. Other than oil changes, thats it. This is an amazing car. I cant tell you how much love this car.

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  Very poor service on this car - 2010 Lincoln MKX
  By kirbyma - September 12 - 11:15 am

  A nice car but the service is very very bad. If you are a luxury car buyer who is used to service from others like Toyota, Honda, Land Rover, BMW, Hyundai etc you will be shocked at the service from Lincoln.

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  Impressive car! - 2006 Lincoln Zephyr
  By Linc Zephyr 1 - September 11 - 1:26 pm

  After shopping a variety of cars, my choice came down to Cadillac CTS or Lincoln Zephyr. Both very nice cars but the Zephyr won out for ride, style, and build/materials quality. Also preferred the front-wheel-drive of the Zephyr over the rear-wheel-drive of the CTS. Car draws looks/attention more than any other vehicle Ive owned. The Zephyr should definitely bring in the younger demographic Lincoln is hoping for.