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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  comfort city - 2003 Lincoln Town Car
  By ronny - June 7 - 10:00 am

  THE TOWNCAR IS DEFINITELY A CLASSIER VERSION OF THE BASIC ENTRY LEVEL GRAND MARQUIS. IF YOU LIKE LOTS OF ROOM, COMFORT, SAFETY, CLASS, EXTENDED WARRANTIES AND FREE MAINTENANCE PLUS A REASONABLE PRICE WITHIN THIS CLASS, THEN THIS IS THE CAR FOR YOU. THE CAR IS NIMBLE, AND REASONABLY FAST FOR SUCH BULK... THE DESIGN COULD USE SOME UPGRADE AS WELL AS THE FRONT DASH, BUT OVERALL THE CAR IS WORTHY OF THE CONSUMER REPORTS RECOMMENDED LIST. BY THE WAY I NOT AN OLD TIMER AND I HAVE HAD MY SHARE OF SMALL TO MIDSIZE UPSCALE FOREIGN CARS, FOR THE PRICE, VALUE, SAFETY AND THE FUN OF DRIVING A BIG BOAT (CRUISER) YOU CANT GO WRONG.

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  Looking to buy my third - 2005 Lincoln Navigator
  By bernermom5 - June 6 - 11:19 pm

  I ordered my first Nav sight unseen, 1999...first year of production.. My only disappointment was the second row did not fold flat. Loved the color, cashmere. PERFECT color...never looked dirty. Next 1 folded flat, was a 2005. Had to settle for a lighter color, French Silk...FABULOUS Navigation system...the first was great and the second even better. Intuitive. Not enough cupholders upfront, really wonderful ride. We have 128,000 miles on it as we drive back & forth from South Carolina to NY and its always a pleasure. It doesnt get more comfortable. Also love the 6 CD player. New models only have single. Whats up with that??? Now in the midst of negotiating my 3rd. LOVE IT! (obviously):)

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  Fun Car but TERRIBLE Build Quality - 2003 Lincoln LS
  By cap223 - June 6 - 10:59 pm

  How are there not more negative reviews? I owned this car until it was 8 years old and sold it. Right around the 80-90K mark, the Transmission gave out. I parked it for several months looking into the problem and found dozens of forums out there with hundreds of people reporting the same problems as mine: loss of 2nd gear and overdrive. I talked to many mechanics and they all had seen plenty of these cars come in because of a poor design by Ford, Lincoln, Mercury. These transmissions were used in the LS, Aviator, Mustang, and several others. The design is 2 servo pistons (steel) that go through the Transmission case which is soft Aluminum. Over time the opening gets bigger, losing 2 gears.

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  Best car I ever had and Edmunds helped me find it! - 2006 Lincoln Town Car
  By Jeffrey Bautista, AIG Financial Representativ - June 6 - 2:22 pm

  The car was thousands below original asking price. Bought it after Thanksgiving at Crown Lexus, Larry and Rose from their internet department held the car for me until I arrived. Paid it in full so the price I got was the only price I paid for. Edmunds.com gave me a $200 prepaid visa card which arrive in about 10 days. What more can I ask for. Love Edmunds.com! I will use Edmunds.com again.

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  Better than Mercedes - 2010 Lincoln MKT
  By Calgirl - June 5 - 6:53 am

  Comfort....luxury......fun to drive.... FAST. Love it. Leg room is ample in all three rows. Love the double moon roof.

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  Great car with terrible software - 2011 Lincoln MKX
  By kazolar - June 4 - 11:39 pm

  How can Ford release a car without actually driving it. It seems to me that you drive the car you notice that the in dash system plain doesnt work. Ive seen tons of ads pimping all the great techy aspects of the Sync system -- they must be using a different system in some test bed, because on real cars its an exercise in futility and frustration. Talking to it is like talking to a developmentally challenged child -- so when it gets something right my wife and I hi-five. Indexing music is like having a root-canal. GPS cuts out loose track of you on an empty road with clear skies and no trees. Too many irritating popups. Not recommended!!!

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  Good sports car - 2005 Lincoln LS
  By Eddie B - June 2 - 2:50 pm

  I purchased this 2005 LS used with 23000 miles on it. So far its been a fairly nice car to drive. I was however, expecting a bit more from a Lincoln. Im 60 years old and basically have always owned a sports car......3 T-birds in a row...... I wanted to move up to a more comfortable riding vehicle. The Lincoln doesnt ride as well as I would like it to. It is the best handling car Ive ever owned though and Ive had a few Corvettes in my time. All in all, for the price, its been very good so far.

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  Needs to Improve - 2005 Lincoln Navigator
  By ubgoofy2003 - June 2 - 11:43 am

  I have owned Ford products before & this Lincoln has had more things go wrong with it than even a F-150 pickup that I owned previous to this. Too much plastic where strength is needed & the control center(information) is located in such a hidden place, it is almost impossible to read in daylight. The center armrest council is imposible to open, unless you use both hands, & turn your body towards it. It should lift from the side, where it can be done with one hand. For a LUXURY car, the grill is plastic & should not be. I believe a luxury car should be of more quality than this, not just added assesories. The only advantage of this car, over a Isuzu Rodeo, is size. Needs Quality !!!!!

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  Leak on top of Gem module - 2000 Lincoln Navigator
  By Tim L - June 2 - 2:00 am

  I traded in a 2001 an Elantra for a 2000 Navagator to pull a travel trailer. I can only hope I will have this vehicle in time to pull it. It has been in the shop now 4 times to fix a leaky windshild that allows water to drip onto the G.E.M. module and thus shortout the entire front part of the cars electrical system. Now the air suspension isnt working

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  Happy to have it - 1997 Lincoln Town Car
  By HH - June 1 - 10:00 am

  I agree with your overall review of the vehicle. I enjoy driving and riding in my town car. It insulates you from the outside world in comfort and luxary. I mainly drive on the highway and its rough keeping it under 70mph. Im getting 17mpg combined highway/town milage. I guess Im most impressed with the dealer service. No questions asked, its just fixed. Now I know what the Lincoln experience means.