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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  Wonderful Automobile - 2010 Lincoln MKZ
  By Jerry - April 3 - 6:36 am

  I studied cars for two years before settling on this Lincoln MKZ. Ive driven it 2000 miles and am pleased with everything I can find with it (still figuring out all the synch features). I love the appearance, fit and finish, ride comfort and handling. I will probably keep this car six or seven years as I did my Lincoln continental.

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  Ups and downs - 2016 Lincoln MKX
  By David - March 29 - 12:25 pm

  The upsides to the car: Handles and accelerates beautifully. I have the 2.7L ecoboost and the 21 inch rims. Power if plentiful, ride is smooth, and it handles like a much smaller sedan. Its a drivers vehicle and oozes competence on the road. I like most of the tech features a lot, and after my last vehicle (A BMW), Im glad to be looking at a sensibly laid-out touchscreen. All the parking aids and such are wonderful and the stereo sounds great. Lincoln has also been great, and Ive been really happy with the dealer support. The downsides: Even with the 22-way adjustable seat (which actually only adjusts in 7 or 8 different ways), I just cant get comfortable. The seats crane my neck forward and the bottom seat bolsters dig into my thighs. The ergonomics of the car are kind of a mess - as an example, the seat controls are silly complex, with multiple pull down menus and four or five different buttons. The transmission controls are on the dash, but that doesnt wind up freeing up any usable space - you get this goofy under console shelf that is barely usable. And, too bad if you want to power your phone - the power source is at the bottom of the dash and certainly impossible to reach unless you stop the car and bend down low. Some of the features just dont work very well: waving your foot under the back bumper rarely opens the back the first time, and the air cooled seats arent really very cool. MPG is abysmal (although nobody lied to me about that one - I knew that going in) and the visibility out back is atrocious. Somewhere in the middle: The fit and finish overall is very good, and the materials are mostly nice. For example, the leather on the seats is high quality. But, there are some hard cheap plastics in the interior. Feels real upscale to me, but I never owned a Lexus or Mercedes. Im not entirely sure Lincoln has hit the lofty objective of competing with Lexus.

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  Great Luxury Car and Nice Performance - 1996 Lincoln Town Car
  By DG - March 28 - 9:40 am

  The Cartier is an exceptional value as a used car. The 4.6L engine has plenty of power and the car was bought in mint condition. The layout of the dash is exceptionally well done, there is plenty of passenger room, it handles nicely, has plenty of reserve power, lots of trunk space, seems very well made, has a distinctive look, and looks great on the road. I sold my restored Mercedes 380SL as I really wanted and needed a larger car. Nothing about the Cartier has disappointed me. All of my research shows it to be a reliable car. I do all of my own work on cars, so it is important to me that spare parts, reasonably priced, be available and that seems to be no problem. I love this car!

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  not a crossover, Awd Truck&Mustang - 2004 Lincoln Aviator
  By darthdaddy - March 25 - 9:54 am

  the best midsize suv in the bussiness , mine has been a complete pleasure since i bought it used in 08 with 111km.. now that she has 240k as if same as new i swear it (with some dash lights lit ). i do my maintanance tho , frequent oil changes is a must if you love her or she pings & cries . @ close to 185 to 200k my cats gave me all kind of symptoms like bucking and hesitating to accelerat witch set me on a long expensive adventure with plugs and more pluggs .. since the 3 catylytic change at 205k she has been great & never any other problem .. even the hypitch in the rear diff i bought it with, did go away by itself after some month of me racing the beast .. but also an awsome family truck

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  body parts - 2003 Lincoln Town Car
  By anthony spagnolia - March 24 - 3:30 am

  fender wells not fasten properly spoilers rattle when on highway from air at 65 mph & feel vib. on the floor.

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  CADDY NEXT TIME - 1999 Lincoln Town Car
  By BIG DADDY - March 23 - 2:00 am

  IT LOOK GOOD AT THE DEALER SHIP BUT BY THE TIME I GOT IT HOME I COULDNT STAND IT. IT IS WAY TO SMALL IN THE FRONT SEATING AREAS, WORST STEREO OF ANY CAR I HAVE EVER HAD. REAL CHEAP MATERIALS, CLEAR COAT SEEMS TO HAVE RUBBED OFF. JUST A VERY SORRY CAR IV HAD 2 TOWN CARS IN THE PAST 1985, 1992 THEY WERE A LOT BETTER THAN THIS ONE. I CANT WAIT TILL MY LEASE IS UP. CADDY DTS HERE I COME...........

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  So Far So Good! - 2008 Lincoln MKX
  By avgjo - March 22 - 4:03 am

  MKX quality far exceeds any that of the 2004 Saturn VUE I traded in. It is the perfect fit for my requirements; a versatile vehicle thats not too big with just enough extra convenience "stuff" to make it comfortable & fun. Great for country living with city style!

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  2004 Navigator - 2005 Lincoln Navigator
  By EngrJim - March 21 - 10:00 am

  After 12,134 miles in our Navigator we have had no problems, not even minor mechanical or electrical ones. The seats and ride are both very comfortable and the engine is more than adequate. On a 5,000 mile vacation drive to several areas of the west, we even took it on some 4 X 4 only roads meant for Jeeps and although a little wide in places it performed well and I used low range on it for the first time ever and it got us to some places with spectacular views. Very quiet inside and a comfortable ride!

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  Excellent - 2004 Lincoln Town Car
  By pamnn - March 21 - 10:00 am

  We love that the car sits higher than our last towncar. The engine purrs and is powerful.

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  Nice Car but beware - 1998 Lincoln Continental
  By valkarie - March 18 - 2:01 pm

  I bought my 1998 Continental with 100k miles on it. I love the way it handles and the gas mileage is not to bad average 22.9. Premium fuel is expensive. Beware of the suspension. Rattle in the rear end can cost you over 1200 bucks. I had to replace my AC, Charging system, Battery, Tire rod ends wiring harness, all the pulleys and belts about 3k worth of work in 45k miles. It does not hold an alignment well and eats tires. The resale is TERRIBLE. I have 146k on mine now and lucky to get $1700 bucks RETAIl. I had a Grand Marquis before this and I am picking up my Town Car tommorow. I am done putting money in a hole. Although you can buy these cheap beware they can get very expensive.