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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  New owner - 2009 Lincoln MKS
  By dlsexec - November 25 - 9:23 am

  We recently took delivery of a loaded MKS. The first thing you notice is the seating position is upright and high like a crossover. This is fine but takes some adjusting. The ride is sometimes a tad bouncy but nothing serious. The FWD is tight, effortless and about neutral on under/over steer. We also own a Lincoln LX and 7 Series BMW. The MKS is between them but much closer to the LX in ride. Gadgets are more than normal and trim level is way above average for a US product. All in all not a bad deal, but a long way away from the 7 on drivability.

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  WOW - 2006 Lincoln Zephyr
  By 06zephyr - November 24 - 7:16 pm

  Simply an awesome vehicle...well worth the money incredible ride quality, comfortable and quiet Ford has really done this right, the foreign segments now have some decent competition

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  Lincoln - 2009 Lincoln Town Car
  By Jonathan Morris - November 24 - 4:50 am

  I purchased this vehicle last year with the input of my wife. Although it is a decent car, after shopping around I realize that my decision might have been ill advised. Not too long ago I took a look at the Acura RL. Offers over 300 hp from a V6 with all wheel drive. The interior quality is far superior as are the combination of 10 airbags, independent suspension and 200 k + Honda reliability. Its hard to believe but my Towncar uses a body on frame design and a live axle which makes for handling about as agile as a lumbering elephant compared to the Acura. My wife may not agree but with GM likely going under, the Towncars time has come and gone.

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  Brief losses of power - resolved - 2008 Lincoln Town Car
  By mclark - November 23 - 9:16 am

  In response to review Written by: Vance on 09/03/2009, I also experienced this same situation with my Town Car. After four trips to the dealer over a three month span, and several different attempted solutions, the fix was to replace the fuel pump / fuel float device. This change solved the performance problems, smoothed out the ride and improved gas mileage. To their credit, Lincoln never stopped trying to solve the problem and made me a happy customer and proud owner of this fine vehicle.

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  I Love This Car - 2005 Lincoln Aviator
  By Deann - November 23 - 1:13 am

  We have had it for almost a year now and its ran great. We had a problem with the steering wheel locking up. The car itself is very comfortable but the leather gets dirty very easily. We have had Lincolns for 13 years and they take care and own up on their warranties. We would have gotten the Navigator but it was just to big for us. Overall this car is the best Lincoln weve had.

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  Great SUV - 2008 Lincoln MKX
  By ANDREW - November 19 - 9:00 am

  The wife and I purchased our MKX about three months ago and love it. We also test drove Lexus, Infiniti, Acura and others, and found all of them to be over priced with no more features then the MKX. I was at first skeptical to buy a Ford product, but now I am glad I did. The MKX has met our needs with room, comfort, excellent ride and price. My wife loves the Sync system, NAV system and THX sound system.

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  Great car with bad looking sheet metal - 2003 Lincoln Town Car
  By don schwenk - November 18 - 8:06 pm

  Cannot figure out how Ford can neglect a great car by allowing its luxury cars exterior design get so out of date. Cadillacs Deville has not faired nearly as badly. Some of my friends have owned Lincolns for years and they now have Toyota Avalons or Lexus. From a quality, reliability,and premium vehicle standpoint, this is a fine product. Ford get with it. This is not a livery only vehicle.

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  Josies LS - 2000 Lincoln LS
  By josieb - November 18 - 10:00 am

  I have a 2000 Lincoln LS V8, Ivory Parchment color with taupe interior. After driving this car for 3 years, the performance is still excellent. I get great gas mileage and have had no mechanical problems. This is a "classy" vehicle & it has proven to be very durable. I found three negative aspects about this vehicle. One, the "blind spot" between the front and rear windows; two, the cup holders will only fit a regular sized container; three, the front passenger seat does not adjust beneath the knees. I love MY LS, this is a lease vehicle and my lease. I have not found another vehicle that I like more and will either purchase this one or lease a new one.

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  Owner - 2004 Lincoln Town Car
  By W. Wotan - November 18 - 10:00 am

  Lincoln Towncar has been a pleasure to own and drive. Only two repairs required since purchase, both minor, and fixed at no cost by dealer promptly.

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  EXCELLENT value - 2010 Lincoln MKS
  By jaybird777 - November 17 - 1:48 pm

  I recently bought a used, 2010 MKS Ecoboost. most of the reviews I have read have not been very flattering. However, in my opinion, the reviews are very short-sighted. First, it is extremely roomy. It is also extremely powerful, and very fast. Best of all, the fuel mileage so far is incredible! In fact, if there is another large, luxury sedan with this kind of performance, that also delivers fuel mileage near 30 MPG on the highway, Ive not found it. Best of all, the values on used, low mileage MKS cannot be beat. This is an excellent value for someone looking for a very nice, high performance, efficient, luxury sedan.