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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  Great Car! Best one I have ever driven! - 2010 Lincoln MKT
  By misa786 - September 6 - 11:40 pm

  This car is great. I a historical Nissan buyer. But I chose this time around to look at american luxury based on my horrible experience with the Nissan Murano. This car has amazed me so far in terms of its features that come standard and its spectacular drive! It is really the smoothest/most flexible SUV I have driven so far. Looking forward to years of comfort in this car as long as Lincoln stays true to their recent reliability reputation.

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  vs. mercedes s class - 2004 Lincoln Navigator
  By bwnlaw - September 5 - 10:00 am

  great truck. feels solid. plenty of room in front for tall people. adequate room in back for shorter people. smooth. the navigation surpasses mercedes benz in ease of usage. also has more color and features. air condition seats work well - and do make a difference. fairly well insulated for its size. no concern in driving over damaged roads.

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  2014 Mkz with 5k driven miles - 2014 Lincoln MKZ
  By Russ - August 31 - 7:01 pm

  First off I got really lucky with finding a MKZ with everything I wanted with only 5000 miles on it. The other MKZs had over 20k on them. so far Ive had the car for 3 weeks and its been nothing but a dream its almost brand new the ride is super comfortable I came out of a Cadillac CTS and before that I had a Mercedes Benz 350 so I know what Comfort feels like in this MKZ is perfect when it comes to comfort and styling the interior is super quiet the exterior is strikingly beautiful. I love the I4 ecoboost engine gives you the power when you need it I feel like Im still in my V6 and when you go into sport mode it is really phenomenal on how it handles the technology package is not for everybody but I love it some of the older people dont like it they want knots and youll see the 2017 MKZ they went back to knobs but I prefer the Sleek styling that they have an in MKZ. You will not go wrong with a MKZ. Lincoln did a great job in this car..

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  my 2006 lincoln zephyr - 2006 Lincoln Zephyr
  By connie - August 30 - 12:46 pm

  styling id great, however the economy thus far does not live up to expectations. we average 22 mpg, even on experssway. cant this be improved?

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  1997 Lincoln Town Car - 1997 Lincoln Town Car
  By alhum - August 28 - 2:00 am

  Bought this car used in April of 1999. It had 15900 miles on odometer. Only thing that went bad was anti-thief alarm. Just routine maintance. It is the best car I have ever owned. Great on the road and considering the size gas mileage isnt that bad either. I plan to drive this car for a long time.

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  2000 continental - 2000 Lincoln Continental
  By clockwich - August 26 - 8:16 am

  This car is my second third Continental. Reliability is great. Dealer service is abobe average. This car has a powerful V8. If you can keep your speed at around 70 on a trip, the fuel economy will be 27 or 28 mpg. It is a real shame that 2002 is the last year of this fine automobile.

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  I love my new Lincoln - 2005 Lincoln LS
  By 4door sedan - August 24 - 3:53 pm

  Ive had this car for 9 months and it still feels like new. It is so responsive that driving it is pure pleasure. so far, no problems, no rattles, no regrets.

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  Wow - 2008 Lincoln MKX
  By Jason - August 20 - 9:03 am

  The more I drive it the more I like it. My MKX is epuipped with the Sync system which lets you tell it what youd like to hear or who youd like to call through Bluetooth. Ive got a 160 GB hard drive connected to the system and can voice command my entire music library which is absoulutely amazing. I actually like the firmer seats that some of the reviews reference as a negative. They feel very German (I had a BMW that had very firm seats). The interior is great. Materials are quite nice and the ride is very quiet. My neighbor that has a 2007 M-B ML 63 AMG wants to trade in for the Lincoln (Im not kidding).He cant get over the sound system and the Vista Roof. I would definitely recommend

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  Little more thought would go a long way - 2009 Lincoln MKS
  By daveh923 - August 19 - 11:16 pm

  I have owned this car for a few months now and have to say it was an adventure with good and bad sides. First off it takes a masters degree to learn to drive. The car is not simple and will surprise you with the abilities it has. For instance, you can set cruise control at 75mph and in traffic it will drive itself stopping and going. Technology wise it is brilliant. You can get traffic/weather on demand with the touch of a button. The power is unbelievable, but the downfall is that sport mode will jerk you around like a teenager learning manual. All in all, Im happy with my purchase and will probably buy another one in the future. Lincoln really did a wonderful job.

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  2003 Navigtor --Jaguar comfort in an SUV - 2003 Lincoln Navigator
  By bigsuv - August 17 - 10:00 am

  This is the 3rd Navigator that weve had and it is great. A big improvement over our 99 model. The seats are great and it can fit 8 people in comfort. The third row detroys the competition. The ride is wonderful and the DVD works great!!