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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  Id buy another but...... - 1999 Lincoln Navigator
  By Greg L - June 11 - 12:23 pm

  All and all it has been a pretty reliable SUV. I have put about $2000 in fixing the air suspension on the front and back of the vehicle. It is very spacious. The ride is a bit rough and the power could be improved. My major issue is the interior for a $50K vehicle it just completely came apart. I think everything is made of plastic and they all break. I like the new one but I may wait awhile to see some reviews...

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  cant wait to trade it in - 2005 Lincoln LS
  By lisa - April 11 - 6:56 pm

  The Lincoln LS looks very impressive. It gets a lot of attention and needs alot of attention. It has been nothing but a money pit ever since I bought it. Within one week I had two coils repaired( very expensive). From little things to more expensive stuff, its something every week. I recently stopped by an auto parts store (again) for help with the broken screws on the traction button that had broke. The men committed how the car looked nice. I replied, "want to buy it?" They laughed and said "NO WAY! Those are nothing but lemons!" Wish I had heard that before I made the mistake of buying it.

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  My Touch Sucks Indeed - 2011 Lincoln MKX
  By mattd42 - April 11 - 5:16 pm

  The issue I have is with the inability of the touch screen to respond to my touch command. Upon not doing so, I inadvertently applied too much pressure with my one finger and thereby broke the outer plastic. Thinking this would be a routine warranty issue I was shocked to find out from the Dealer that it was not and therfore necessitating me using my comprehensive insurance coverage to the tune of a whopping $1,900.00. As per Gomer Pyle, USMC of the old TV Series, Surprise! Surprise! Surprise!!!

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  My Touch\Sync dosent work - 2011 Lincoln MKX
  By thrassos - April 11 - 2:43 am

  I got my 2011 MKX AWD Limited edition six weeks ago, the in dash computer kept freezing up, called Lincoln was told that they are aware of the issue but no update available as of yet, finally after six weeks the came out an update, it took the dealer two days to update, picked up vehicle late in the day, in the morning the vehicle was DOA. I came out of a MKX 2008 which never had a problem, loved it. My question is, how can Ford ship a vehicle with a known issue???. The 2011 interior is a lot noisier in then the 2008.

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  wdavis - 2002 Lincoln LS
  By daviswj - January 15 - 2:00 am

  Terrible gas mileage. Exterior temperatur gauge and compass do not work properly and cannot be corrected. Autmatic wipers do not always work with rain on the windshield. Same for the "seat that remembers".

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  UNHAPPY WITH 2004 AVIATOR - 2004 Lincoln Aviator
  By odalys - January 5 - 3:46 pm

  Ive had the car for almost 6 yrs. This is the 3rd time that the applique on the back of car has cracked. Also, my extended warranty just expired. Now car is at dealer with oil leak and thermostat problem. In the past had to have transmission repaired, the driving gear fixed. Air conditioner problems. Not happy right now. Third row is useless. Small space. Also when third row up, now trunk space. Have 3 kids so its a problem, because not roomy.

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  ANEMIC - 2017 Lincoln MKZ
  By mkz1 - December 13 - 8:55 pm

  Good looking , nice graphics, and that’s it the engine and transmission is the worst I have driven in modern times—under powered- loud engine, cvt is anemic and hardly any downshift-- the most disappointing in power, ride is satisfactory but and appointments-lighting is great—the “leather” is awful- and way to light for every day use. Soon car manufactures will make only 1-2 interiors black and light and light will be filthy in a week-neither are for real uses. Avg 36 MPG

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  Headrests need to go back to the 2006 version. - 2011 Lincoln Navigator
  By lincolndude1 - December 10 - 9:07 pm

  Recently traded a 2006 Navigator for a 2010 model. The ride is very smooth and handling around corners is fine. As Edmunds has stated, sometimes the transmission cant seem to find the right gear. The biggest complaint is the drivers and front passengers headrests are way too hard causing this driver a headache. The 2006 Navigator had just the right headrest as it was more adjustable being able to pivot forward as well as up and down and was more cushioned. The 2010 can only move up and down with hardly any cushion. Its hard to understand why auto manufacturers dont stick with a good thing once its created.

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  Typical Ford Product - 2000 Lincoln Town Car
  By MackS - December 1 - 10:00 am

  Fit finish and decor typical to Ford products. Why pay for a Lincoln when you can own a Ford (e.g., Crown Vic) for MUCH LESS!! Problematic airbag system. Dealer has tried to fix many times to no avail and states this is a problem with all Town cars. Average gas mileage for size of vehicle. Depreciation unacceptable for type of vehicle. Very boaty ride. We should have bought a Cadillac and we will next time.

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  Lemon Drops - 2003 Lincoln Navigator
  By d mock - November 20 - 2:00 am

  Terrible reliability and dealer service. Needed new head gasket last year and new (rebuilt engine) this year.