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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  Hard for this one to disappoint - 2006 Lincoln Navigator
  By Ryan - April 16 - 11:10 pm

  Just bought this about a month ago and have driven it about 1000 miles so far. Its a pleasure to drive and really is luxurious. My wife bought a new Lexus Rx330 last year, so I have been comparing both. On the whole, I like the Navigator better because of its size, but there are a few luxury items that the Lexus has that would be nice to have on the Navigator. Overall, I love this new Navigator, and Im glad I chose it over the Escalade. My friend has an Escalade that Ive driven, and I had serious reservations about some of its features. For my money, the Navigator is the best luxury full-size SUV out there, and nearly everyone I know really talks about how great it looks.

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  Give American made a chance, like we did. - 2016 Lincoln MKX
  By Carrie - April 15 - 8:25 pm

  We are very happy with our 2016 MKX Black Label, former Lexus/Acura owners of many years. Test drove Infinitis(multiple SUVs), Lexus RX, Acura MDX ... RDX, Mercedes GLK and GLE...also Audi Q5. We then decided to check out the 2016 Lincoln MKX. All the previously mentioned vehicles are very nice but found the MKX much quieter, a joy to drive and the REVEL sound system may be better then the Mark Levinson sound system found in the RX. The REVEL blew my mind at the pure sound. We were also very pleased with the softer ride and rarely any engine noise which were very noticeable in the RX, Mercedes and most especially the Infinit (QX50, JX60 and the small Infiniti SUV). The MKX is the most wonderful ride we have ever experienced. I rarely hear any rode noise or the sound of vehicle right next to us...due to the noise cancellation found thru-out the MKX. The seats in the Black Label are 22 way both driver and passenger side. The head room is great. My husband is 67" and this and the Mercedes were the roomiest and most comfortable for him. The back seat is quite roomy as is the cargo area. We have the new SYNC 3 which is very easy to operate and I find it easy to figure out and operate. My only complaint is the gas mileage which is normal for an SUV of almost 4500 lbs(18 miles to the gallon our tech informed us). I am a former Lexus GS sedan and there is quite a difference in gas usage. This vehicle is pure joy to drive. We find ourselves wanting to use it on weekends now versus my husbands truck.

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  Overall Overview - 1998 Lincoln Navigator
  By Pynna - April 15 - 10:00 am

  We had purchased a used 98 navigator and so far it drives so much fun. It takes off and have a lot of power. The downsides were the labor cost of this vehicle.

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  My 99 Town Car - 1999 Lincoln Town Car
  By TomR. - April 13 - 7:33 am

  Traded in a 96 Cont. for the Town Car to get a better ride and comfort level. I have owned 1 other Town Car and 2 Cont. This Town Car is nice to drive and is great when you need room for more then two people and luggage for long trips.

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  Cruising in the wind - 2006 Lincoln Zephyr
  By Crusin Zephyr - April 12 - 2:43 am

  Having owned this car for two weeks has been great fun. The black on black combination is a real head turner.The performance and handling both have exceeded my expectations. If Tiffany & Company sold cars this would definitely be a jewel in the blue box!

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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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  fun car to drive - 2004 Lincoln LS
  By mikelb - April 10 - 2:00 am

  great car to drive. nice wide comfortable seats, looks great

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  Great driving SUV - 2004 Lincoln Aviator
  By targa - April 5 - 10:00 am

  This is a fun car to drive. I test drove all the luxury SUVs and it was between this and the Lexus GX470. The selling point was the sound system in the Lincoln and the TGX470 had no heat controls in the back for my son! I looked at the Mercedes, Volvo, BMW and Durango. The Aviator won! but I hate the vibrating noise when the windows are open and the driver seat is a bit uncomfortable for me on long trips.