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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  2011 MKZ 2100 miles on it now - 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid
  By robvee - October 18 - 7:01 am

  I purchased mine about 3 weeks ago. I purchased it under the X-Plan. In addition, the dealer was able to find other incentives. MSPR was at 42K, I got mine for 34K. Very nicely equipped. Im 6 and have plenty of legroom and with the adjustable seats, headroom is not an issue. I drive about 70% highway and 30% city. Am currently averaging 41.4 mpg on this tank. Have not gotten anything under 40 mpg. The car is very eye appealing and for that price, why get the sister car Ford Fusion? Even still, you can get one w/out the nav package for 34K. If you ask me 6K for the luxurious amenities is a no brainer. Great car, very satisfied with my purchase. Highly recommend.

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  disapointment - 2002 Lincoln LS
  By jonny blazer - October 17 - 10:00 am

  when i first bought this car, i thought its was an amazing car, but as time wore on, so did the quality and transmission. the LS had very little reliability, ihad to return my car to the daleship for repairs about six times- about three times to fix the ac, once for stuck windows, once for broken interior locks, and another time for engine problems. as a driver, i amvery disapointed in the build and quality of this car.

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  Lincoln LS is a dream - 2001 Lincoln LS
  By P_Visser - October 17 - 10:00 am

  My Lincoln LS handles excellently, has a very comfortable cockpit and all the extras a person needs. Acceleration is outstanding as is cornering and braking. It is a bit light on the back end but a bag of sand in snow makes it very responsive with the independent traction option.

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  My new MKS - 2010 Lincoln MKS
  By Chippy - October 16 - 4:00 am

  Trading in a 2000 Mercedes S430 with 109,000 miles and needing new suspension, we almost bought a LaCrosse and then a Genesis. Figured I would save some cash and went to look at the new Taurus, yet was steered to the Lincoln MKS first. I had never researched this or even seen one. Knowing I needed to trade my ailing S430, I wanted to do something that day. Even though I was still smitten with the Genesis, it came with no cooling front seats-a must for Arizona summers. The more I drilled down on the MKS, the more it appealed. This while not even hearing about Ecoboost which I never saw and feel is overrated/priced. This 2010 MKS is very very nice and a welcome addition post Mercedes !

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  linclon - 2004 Lincoln Navigator
  By momo16 - October 16 - 12:58 am

  the car has a lot of problems.the first one is the engine coils have to be replaced on a regular basis,the air suspention goes bad,most electical accessories go bad the car is a ticking time bomb.

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  Worth considering - 2008 Lincoln MKZ
  By Hunter - October 15 - 5:07 am

  In short, financed an 08 in Vapor Silver w/ AWD fully loaded with 39k back in 2012. Ended up having a cracked engine block which caused a cam sensor to fail, the steering wheel to lockup and the car unable to drive at 123k miles. Sad as I liked the car. I dont have any bad feelings toward the Lincoln brand as the car was reliable aside from that incident and I dont believe that every Lincoln will have this issues. Good highlighta, Loved the styling, powerful V6 engine, great compliments about the car from strangers, how reliable the car was, AWD was helpful, ventilated seats are awesome, THX II stereo was amazing, Sync/Nav system works better than Toyota products and the quality of the paint and leather are great. Areas of improvement The ride wasnt as smooth as I had hoped, the interior materials werent great Xenon headlights could have been positioned to aim higher up and project more light as the MKS does, No folding exterior mirrors, Gas guzzler, Seats arent wide and Im a slim guy. My engine issue aside, I encourage others to give this car a shot. Ita great car.

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  Lots of minor but expensive problems - 2000 Lincoln LS
  By lee tallent - October 11 - 4:36 pm

  This is a great looking car which is fun to drive and handles great. I bought mine used in 02 and it has been in the shop 12-15 times in the last 2 1/2 years. The extended warranty ran out 5,000 miles ago and since then I have had to replace 2 coils, Approx 180.00 each time and a third is now in need of replacement along with leaky gaskets ect (another 580.00 to repair) This is affordable luxury which I just cant afford. I am ready to trade because I wonder what is going to happen next.

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  Best car yet - 2008 Lincoln MKX
  By tom - October 11 - 8:06 am

  Brought the car while I was up in Virginia on a visit. Owned Fords and Lincolns for a long time. This one by far is the best. My wife drove it back while I drove our old Ford van back. She loved all the gadgets, I call them toys for adults. So far it preforms just like they say. I go for safety more than gas mileage.

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  Better than expected - 2016 Lincoln MKZ
  By Dennis Arkin - October 10 - 1:14 am

  WOW, went from Mercedes C class fully loaded to MKZ fully loaded. The MKZ outclasses the C class. I test drove the Mercedes E class and the Cadillac CTS. I chose the Lincoln MKZ for comfort and value. The MKZ has more than expected standard equipment and amazing options in reasonably priced packages. The 2.0 w/turbo engine is all I will ever need. I drove 2200 miles round trip in three days, both my passenger and I have never been more comfortable.

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  Decent Car - 1999 Lincoln Continental
  By Paul - October 9 - 4:50 am

  Tranny fluid must be changed at 50k mile intervals with new filter, not just flushed. Front seat backs have lousy lateral support. Nice inside & outside style. Suspension air bags way better than my 1990 Continental. Rear doors definitely are harder to open from outside than front doors. Compass and "Day-night" fluid in rear view mirror just failed. Top 1/2 of mirror is always bright & bottom 1/2 is dark. With 140k miles, no big repairs yet, although the air bag light is on since when I reclined the drivers seat all the way down - must have pinched a wire. Important: Wet sand the plastic headlight lenses with 1600 grit or finer to restore that new look.