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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  Fun Classy Car - 2008 Lincoln MKZ
  By FL5100 - August 30 - 2:23 am

  Bought this car on a Wednesday and drove it from Minnesota to Detroit that Friday. 2 adults, 2 kids (3 & 5), dog (18lbs). Tight Compared to our 2000 Expedition, but 27 MPH out of the box (70-75 mph, w/ strong head wind) vs. 15-16 mpg hwy in Expedition. The THX II cert. stereo made the drive more enjoyable and controlling the I- Pod with the SYNC system w/ voice commands was fun for all! The HID Lights are a must, simply awesome! The ride was very smooth and quite. Im 6- 1 and the head room is not what Im use to, but w/ some adjusting I found the helm to be acceptable (Wife 5-3, she thought it was perfact, by the way, this is her car). Trunk space is great, good room for a weekend out.

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  Amazing beautiful car! - 2017 Lincoln Continental
  By BJR - August 27 - 9:21 am

  Currently have less than 1,000 miles on the car and couldnt be happier with it. Initially got lousy gas mileage the first week but the dealer assured me it would get better and was stunned to get 32.6 mpg driving down I95. Usually runs about 20 to 24 mpg around town which I am pleased with. The car is extremely comfortable riding and people fight over who will sit in the front seat to get massaged. Still trying to figure out all the gadgets and functions. Love that people stop and walk around the car and always comment on it. I have the white gold color and it is stunning. Did 6 months of research on about 10 different cars, luxury, sporty, muscle cars, etc. and am very pleased with our choice.

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  Aviator review - 2004 Lincoln Aviator
  By Aptos - August 27 - 2:00 am

  The Aviator is a powerful SUV, and handles better them my 2000 Navigator. The interior space is less then deired, but overall the Aviator is Ok.

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  Continetal Divide - 2002 Lincoln Continental
  By wjpolte - August 26 - 10:00 am

  I Test drove every make and model for the last 4 months and nothing compares to the Continetal. Acura, Lexus, BMW, Audi, Volvo etc are all the same. Same interior, Same box exterior, might as well build a generic sedan just change the nameplate. The Continetal is different. It has room, luxury, driviablity, sportablity and an American style of its own. Its a shame some maketing genius doesnt capitalize on the uniqueness of the Continetal.

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  Great SUV untill the warranty expires! - 2004 Lincoln Aviator
  By DBachman - August 24 - 3:30 am

  I loved this SUV in the beginning. It has tons of power and a smooth ride, but the reliability is terrible. Now that the warranty has expired and I have to spend a couple thousand a year on maintenance I am looking to trade.

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  Good value from a traditional American car company - 2017 Lincoln MKZ
  By Jonathan Quick - August 23 - 6:48 am

  I purchased a 2017 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid Reserve w/ Technology package in September 2016. Purchase price was $8k - $20k below comparable European and Japanese alternatives I have thus far driven the car about 2200 miles, about 80% highway driving and 20% city driving. Average MPG is around 40 - 42 mpg. Acceleration is adequate in most situations. The smoothness of the powertrain, well-tuned suspension, and the quiet cabin at highway cruising speeds really attracted me to this vehicle. Exterior appearance is impressive and fairly unique, but some of the exterior trim pieces are made of low quality plastic. Quality of interior materials is very good - particularly the wood trim and leather upholstery. ADAS features including adaptive cruise, accident avoidance, blindspot monitoring, backup-assist and lane-keep assist are very useful in day-to-day driving. Lincolns driver assistance features are unobtrusive until really needed. The on-board infotainment system is light years ahead of Toyota and BMW in terms of usability, but the Sync 3 system has bugs around IPod indexing, accuracy of on-board clock, Android Auto compatibility, and stability of mobile apps. One bright spot in Sync 3 is Lincolns NAV system coupled with Sirius traffic information, which is a real godsend for avoiding heavy traffic at rush hour. Unfortunately, the stability issues Ive encountered in Sync 3 appear to extend to other vehicle subsystems. I presently suspect electrical gremlins are lurking in the interior lighting system and the sound system, although all installed equipment is performing normally for the moment. As long as reliability holds up, backed in part by Lincolns long base warranty, I expect I will remain satisfied with this vehicle. I would recommend this vehicle to a friend or a family member, with reservations noted above regarding reliability.

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  My Outstanding 2000 Lincoln Continental - 2000 Lincoln Continental
  By AlHa - August 21 - 6:30 am

  Purchased at at 56,000 miles and now at 77,000. Excellent ride quality (NY potholes become laughable), ride comfort (drove 250mi. to NY and back to PA numerous times without stopping), no service issues whatsoever, vast array of interior features (except cupholders, I have spilled a few drinks in a turn or quick stop), solid frame (no weird noises and doors close solidly), great Alpine system. I love the straight line acceleration from a stop and on highways but forget about any white knuckle excursions around back roads. Over-the-top interior and trunk space (Ive seated 4 fully grown adults in the back seat). 2 negatives: fuel consumption and fun factor

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  Luv my Lincoln - 2004 Lincoln LS
  By ThadRN - August 18 - 10:16 pm

  Lincoln did a wonderful job when developing the LS. It is a shame it will be discontinued by the end of 2006.

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  More than satisfied - 2011 Lincoln MKZ
  By johnnyshea3 - August 18 - 8:21 am

  I have almost nothing but good things to say about this car. Base model comes very well equipped with virtually everything you would hope to have in a entry level premium sedan. As a technology junkie, the Microsoft-powered Sync interface (standard), is absolutely top shelf. The ride is quiet and supple, with the V6 supplying plenty of power as well as fuel economy. Handling is a tad underwhelming, but that is really my only beef. The cabin is well laid out, and both fit and finish and interior materials are very good. I find the seats to be very comfortable, and rear legroom is satisfactory. Even without A or Z plan, my sign and drive lease payment was under $400 a month. Recommended!

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  Excellent Ride! - 2002 Lincoln LS
  By JNE - August 16 - 10:20 pm

  I purchased this car used 2 yrs. ago with 34000 miles on it, it now has 62000 miles on it and I have never had a single problem with it. I have a V8 that is so fast and smooth whenever I need it to be, I love it. I wish they were still making them so I could get a newer version.