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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  A Really Great Car - 2006 Lincoln Zephyr
  By Rudy - August 31 - 5:16 pm

  I have had this car for over six months now and everything about it has been great. It is fun to drive and is very comfortable. Just returned from a trip and averaged 26.8 MPG. I am glad to see that the American manufacturer has put out a quality product that is not only competitive when it comes to quality and style but also a true value for the price.

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  This car blows. - 2002 Lincoln LS
  By norminator - August 31 - 2:00 am

  It sucks. Its the B-team vehicle at the A-team price. Theres no interior storage room, its completely unreliable. It gets bad gas mileage. Its run out of gas on me twice indicating more than a third of a tank left. Shifting gears requires a 3 second wait time.

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  Pretty nice ride..... - 1998 Lincoln Continental
  By "Mr. Stubbs" - August 31 - 2:00 am

  Bought this used (hey -- Im a Ford man) cause I refuse to pay big bucks for this or any kind of car - beside, theres a lot of good used ones out there - so I found this super clean 98 Connie in pale gold with low miles (30K) and got the "whole enchelada" extended warranty. I love the ride of this pimpmobile! The 32 valve engine has a really sweet sound. One of the best cars Ive had.

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  4 improvements - 2003 Lincoln Aviator
  By mkmc - August 31 - 2:00 am

  So close to perfection but...I wish the rear seat was split-fold, I wish the second row could be heated and cooled,I wish the console could be optional in the second row so that my passengers could "pass through" like they do in a mini-van and avoid the hassle of sliding the seat forward, and I wish the gear shift and 4 wheel drive mechanisms where designed like on the old Expedition so that I had room for my purse on that center console in the front.

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  Shocked - 2015 Lincoln MKC
  By olekiller - August 30 - 3:44 pm

  This is my 1st cross over. I also own a 2014 volvo s60 t6 awd that I love dearly. But this car got me in the sweet spot and im a 27 year old. If youre looking for 0-60 times or engaging performance looks elsewhere. But if you want a car that can carry some bags and make driving after a long day the easiest thing in the world. This is your one of the best option. Sometimes during hwy driving I purposely take the longer route so I wont have to get out(no lie) its so easy to drive. I wouldve never looked at lincoln before. The only thing I hate is the placement of the gear change please give me a stick back.

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  solid,safe,&roomy - 2000 Lincoln Town Car
  By madman4.6 - August 30 - 3:26 am

  this car has plenty of room for six folks(try that in your camry/accord,etc)and plenty luggage.xtra smooth ride,good mpg(up to 26 hwy),very reliable powerplant, never failed to start. just hit 100k and just had air suspension blow out. (MUST turn OFF air bag switch in trunk before jacking it up!). converted it to a standard coil spring setup for approx 1/2 the price. couple sets of brakes and tires and thats about it in nearly 10 yrs. So far its given us less $$trouble than relatives foreign made supposed reliable cars like accord and maxima. They are in the process of replacing them and well just keep riding in safety and roomy comfort.RWD American luxurycars are unbeatable for reliability

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  An opportunity Ford/Lincoln screwed up! Dont buy! - 2000 Lincoln LS
  By totaljett - August 29 - 2:47 pm

  I purchased my Lincoln LS V6 with 67,000 Miles in 2003. I still have it today with 228,000 miles. The LS is like a beautiful lady, high maintenance and unpredictable. I will admit I cringe when looking at past repair bills but hey, whats done is done. My LS is still gorgeous and I intended to get my money back out of it. Yet Ive warned people who admire it that they had better not get one. Ive repaired things on this Ive never had to deal with before. My other car is a 2000 Infiniti Q45. Ive replaced the struts on it and egr valve.......thats it.

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  Dont buy a MKC Black Label - 2017 Lincoln MKC
  By Debby Marler - August 28 - 4:08 am

  SYNC doesnt work with our iphones, back seat area has NO leg room at all, having all kinds of issues, worst car I have ever bought.

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  Many thumbs up for my Black Beauty w/chr - 2005 Lincoln Aviator
  By VTMoon - August 27 - 7:50 pm

  I very satisfy with the purchase of my Lincoln Aviator. I could not ask for a better mid-size SUV. Yes, gas mile is poor but if you can afford the vehicle you can afford the gas. Looks good, rides good, sounds good, This is my 1st SUV and 1st american made purchase since 1994. (Im a Lexus man but this aviator is tranforming me in to a Lincoln-SUV man). I am shock that the Aviator does not get better reviews. I did a lot of research and the Aviator is the best in appearance and power and it not just a jacked up station wagon like many of the other Mid-size so call SUV.

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  Lincoln Has a New Faithful Customer - 2010 Lincoln MKZ
  By J. Raw - August 27 - 7:00 am

  I bought my MKZ with Front Wheel Drive a Month ago. I am just under the 1000 mile mark and Love driving this Car. It has great handling and powerful on the highways. Im Looking foward to taking it on a nice long road trip. I was always into GM Cars and liked Caddys and Buicks, but The Grill of the MKZ caught my eyes. New York had 2 major blizzards so far and the Front wheel drive was more then enough to get me to work on time. Its roomy inside.I always Bought big flag ship GM models and never the smaller model.I looked at the 2010 La Crosse which I think is very Nice along with the CTS but I found that the Lincoln MKZ felt less confining. if You like USA cars the MKZ is a great choice.