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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  Value for the money - 2000 Lincoln Continental
  By Dave - May 18 - 8:40 am

  This is my second Lincoln, Gave the first one to my son who still drives it with no problems. I liked it so much I bought another one for myself. First time I ever purchased 2 of the same types of vehicles. I have nothing negative to say about them

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  Very nice Car - 2010 Lincoln MKS
  By schuhfly - May 17 - 1:50 pm

  The MKS is a very comfortable car , great electronics Sync is great, Leather seats are nice, the only (2) real beefs are that when you accelerate quickly the front end is a little sloppy I would think with AWD that this wouldnt happen, and #2 as this car goes around curves it is very loose in handling. , i would think that that would be a little smoother these days, and easier to handle around corners. Styling is great , cabin noise is acceptable, when using bluetooth phone the volume has to be adjusted every time and is not load enough

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  Great Car - 2008 Lincoln MKZ
  By rpickoff - May 17 - 1:06 am

  This car is a find. Well built, comfortable and great ride. Interior very well-appointed. Nice, thoughtful details. The nicest AWD sedan available in my view. I am getting around 26 mpg on the highway.

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  Not Bad - 1999 Lincoln Town Car
  By dwr1953 - May 14 - 2:00 am

  This is the first TC I have owned and like it pretty well. I travel some and enjoy the ride over the road (has the Touring Pkg). I also like the roominess both in the cabin and in the trunk although the low trunk floor can give problems getting the luggage out. Stereo is ok but could be improved. Integrated phone is not great either, especially the "hands free" functions.

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  Good Luxury Car with a few exceptions - 2009 Lincoln Town Car
  By Ed - May 14 - 12:36 am

  We actually rented a Signature Limited Town Car from Hertz for vacation. I have rented Town Cars in the 90s and thought I would rent a new one. It was just built in June of 2009 with 6000 miles on it. The engine had power but not the thrust of a Cadillac. The air conditioning also seemed not as cold as a Cadillac. The stereo had the Sirius satellite reception, but just had adequate sound. The seat had lumbar, which previous versions didnt, but the seat cushion on the bottom was flat and needed more cushion. The ride was a little harsh on bumps, I think the air suspension in the rear is to blame.

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  Great Vehicle! - 2007 Lincoln MKX
  By rlwillia - May 11 - 3:50 pm

  Leased my MKX in March of 2007. After 16,500 miles and three long road trips of 1400 miles round trip and driving back and forth to work every day, this is an outstanding vehicle. No maintenance issues, reasonable gas mileage for an SUV, great features and very comfortable interior, seats, and drive feel.

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  Owner - 2005 Lincoln LS
  By Dan Boone - May 11 - 1:23 pm

  Driven mostly on short trips and very satisfied with mileage in town, 20 MPG. On a 2550 mile trip this past summer we experienced 31 MPG. Ride is very comfortable.

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  Happy MKZ Owner (3 weeks w/ 1,400 miles) - 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid
  By rubesemi - May 10 - 10:59 pm

  I turned in a 2008 CTS-4 w/ the hotter engine, and enjoy the MKZ more so, albeit for different reasons. The vehicle is solidly built, w/ no glitches. The THX sound system is the equal to the CTS Bose, and the Bluetooth phone quality is outstanding. The Nav is also very nicely done. It is a very quiet ride, not too soft with reasonably good handling; I find it to be very responsive and stable in almost all conditions. I replaced the stock tires with Blizzak WS70s for MI winter driving, and the improved traction over the low rolling friction stock tires is noticable and welcomed. I managed 43.0 mpg in to work this am; 31.5 highway trip @ 75 mph w/ winter tires.

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  WHAT A GREAT LINCOLN - 2000 Lincoln LS
  By COBRAJ - May 4 - 1:53 pm

  I was looking for a mid-full size luxury car. Compared to BMW, Mercedes and Cadillac this was by far the best selection. Ten years later Im still overjoyed on my LS Sport. My friends who bought the Bimmer and MBs have already traded their cars in due to repair costs. Over the course of 10 years Ive only had $1200 in costs not associated with the normal wear and tear. Terrific handling, comfort and creature comforts make the LS a great buy. In fact Im looking for a 2006 Ultimate edition now! Great job FLM!

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  Small, hard, fatiguing seats - 2017 Lincoln Continental
  By Paul C - May 3 - 7:46 pm

  Lincoln Continental Town Cars and Mercury Marquiss of the past offered large, soft, deeply foam padded from seats. But this new 2017 Continental has small, hard, economy car like front seats. So this is not a comfortable long trip car like the Town Car was. The push button gear shift is dangerous because the buttons are not clearly marked or color coded - I ended up pushing Park when I reached for reverse and vice versa and once I even pushed Park when I intended to select Drive. The ultra-wide 19" wheels with 45 series tires detract from ride comfort as compared to the previous Lincoln Town Car. Road and tire noise is well suppressed, but exhaust noise is prominent. At idle, engine vibration is transfered to the steering wheel - yet another economy car like characteristic of this car. Directional stability at highway speeds is only fairly good so the driver needs to maintain attention to keep the car in his lane - yes still another economy car like feature. After renting this car for two days, I had no desire to own one.