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, But........ - 2007 Lincoln MKZ
  By Richard Armstrong - May 2 - 11:06 pm

  My wife and I searched long and hard for an all wheel drive vehicle with class that could be serviced locally...this is it! However, the heated seats are not working and Lincoln says they wont even have the manual to the dealer until late December! I thought that a premium vehicle would get premium service! This is our only criticism so far, but its a big one! Wake up Lincoln, your competition is listening!

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  Love my Aviator! - 2003 Lincoln Aviator
  By Scott Davis - May 2 - 10:00 am

  I had no intention of buying this model when I walked in. That day I was only going to "look" at a few different models. When I drove the Aviator, I was amazed. The drive was like a caddy, with a comanding view of the road, and power to spare. The interrior was imacualte, and the sound system was a bonus. I was hooked. Since then I have enjoyed the car SO much. My two-year old son, LOVES the DVD, and it is a joy to travel in. The gas milage is the only draw back, but I knew that going in. With 300+ HP at your disposal its hard to complain... ;) Id give it a 10 out of ten if not for the gas milage. So a 9 out of 10 in overall satisfaction. LOVE IT.

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  A great car can be improved. - 2005 Lincoln Aviator
  By G. Plummer - May 1 - 10:50 pm

  Engine larger, and noiser, than necessary; RPM too high for moderate accelleration--a gas guzzler--Explorer better. Windows will not descend at 32-deg. or less. An A-trip & B-trip odometer would help. No gallons-used calculator. Info-center too obscure. Seats 1 1/2 inches too high(thick)--headbumps on entry. Rear seats dont fold flat. Manual puts too much emphasis on entertainment, rather than operating features up front. Manual not easy to use. Electrical schematic, simple, wouldhelp.

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  Nice Hybrid - 2012 Lincoln MKZ
  By tuko - May 1 - 6:55 pm

  Purchased 2012 MKZ Hybrid with around 30,000 miles off lease. Certified pre-owned with extended Lincoln warranty. Pros: Great gas mileage averaging 40.5mpg since purchase. Will get upwards of 50+mpg strictly city but "only" high 30s on the highway. Goes down in winter or with A/C on. Crystal white exterior with beige interior makes this a nice looking car. Ok ride on smooth roads but a little choppy on rough roads but Ive been spoiled with my old Town Car. Main advantage over a 2013 or newer MKZ Hybrid is the size of the gas tank. 2012 was last year for a 17.5 gallon tank which means I maybe fill it up once a month. Previously owned a 2013 Fusion Hybrid with only a 13 gallon tank so needed to fill up more often despite similar gas mileage. Cons: Battery does intrude on trunk space. No indicator on dash to tell you if head lights are on which is weird. Nav option, sun-roof and rear camera are nice options. Overall, wife and I like the car. If I need to haul lots of stuff, theres always my Town Car.

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  Traded 14 ESV for the L and loving it! - 2015 Lincoln Navigator
  By Phil Calendine - April 30 - 11:12 am

  Yes, we had a brand new 2014 Cadillac ESV Platinum. It was really crap. Transmission issues, electrical issues, upgraded seats were horrible, very uncomfortable. Ride was very poor compared to our previous air suspension 2003 ESV. Engine under powered. Vented seats sounded like a jet landing in the car. Heated/cooled cup holder worked great for the two minutes before it turned itself off. Remote start worked great as far away as five feet. 2015 Cadillac is just plain ugly and "fold flat" seats simply sit up on floor of car...wife literally couldnt reach into car without hitting the bumper. Thats not gonna work in Ohio winters. So we decided to cut our losses and try the Navigator-L. Got a fantastic deal on the outgoing 2015 which is essentially same as the new 2016. I did like the general appearance of the ESV platinum interior better, but the functionality of the Nav over the 14 or 16 ESV is way, way better. The entertainment/nav is infinitely easier and more intuitive than the grossly antiquated non Vue system we had in the 14, and I feel much better than the Vue system in the latest Caddy. Unlike the Vue, Lincoln maintains hard buttons where it makes it easier to use (volume, tuning, HVAC, etc) but still integrates those into its Sync system. The iPhone works seamlessly and intuitively. The old Nav had a grossly underpowered engine. The new ecoboost turbo rectifies that, and easily outperforms the 14 or 16 ESV. In addition, this smart 6 cylinder gets about 15% better gas mileage, which, comcined with the 33 gal tank vs 28 on the ESV, and you can go way further. The brakes are also much improved, and better compared to Caddy. The ride (we have the upgraded Reserve edition with comparable air suspension) has 3 very useful and noticeably different ride selections. The Sport setting is great around town, resulting in a very stable, nearly sway free ride. Hit the highway and select comfort and the road bumps are nearly unnoticeable. The ESV did neither. The back of the L has much easier to use auto down third row, which, by the way is 40/60 split, which means you can actually sit someone in the middle of the back row. Caddy 50/50 split resulted in our huge ESV being reduced functionally to a six passenger! Who wants to sit in a crack? So overall, from my perspective, the 15 or 16 Nav L is an easy winner over Caddy, which gives the feel of an over confident underachiever.

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  What an incredible car !!! - 2003 Lincoln LS
  By JoeL - April 30 - 2:00 am

  This car was made for me. It has every possible feature and gadget that Id ever wanted and its just the right size, big trunk, seats four, folding seats, and an near perfect safety record. But its real strength is its handling and performance. Plenty of power (especially at highway speeds) and very controllable, neutral handling. Nothing upsets this car. The 2003s upgrades read like a list of the items that I wanted addressed when I drove the 2001. Lincoln has really created a great car.

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  A great car made even better. - 2003 Lincoln LS
  By mrgdr - April 30 - 2:00 am

  This is my second LS. I also own a 2000 LS V8 Sport. Lincoln engineers have made a great handling vehicle even better by improving the NVH properties of the 2003 model without sacrificing the solid, razor -sharp feel of this car. Most people dont appreciate the superior properties of the platform the LS is built on. I have every confidence that my 2003 LS will be as dependable and thrilling to drive as my 2000 has been.

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  The encore is even better - 2003 Lincoln LS
  By jjmatt - April 30 - 2:00 am

  Just traded my 2000 LS Sport for a 2003. As much as I loved the original, it had its small but undeniable flaws (storage space, transmission minor hesitation). All these seem to have been addressed, and added more power to boot !! They listedned to their customers and have a real winner!!

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  Kick butt LS - 2003 Lincoln LS
  By DUKE of DUKES - April 30 - 2:00 am

  Been looking at the LS for several years, finally bought one. I wished I would have bought one sooner, the car is a lux hot rod. So far it has lived up to its billing. Just wished Lincoln would get the word out on this vehicle.

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  Love this Hot Rod Lincoln - 2003 Lincoln LS
  By alfire - April 30 - 2:00 am

  This car is so much fun to drive, that I look for places to go. The performance of the V8 is great, but the handling of this car is even better! I have added a K&N Filter and Magnaflow exhaust and just love the sound.