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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  Affordable Luxury - 2006 Lincoln Zephyr
  By FreeJohn - July 7 - 8:03 am

  Lincoln has a quality product in the 2006 Zephyr. Great ride, luxiourious interior and features such as Air Conditioned Seats, HID lamps, Navi, THX II Certified Audio and 17" Chrome rims for under $35K. Very quiet highway ride and surprisingly good handling on local winding roads. Local driving averaging about 21 MPG and the 12 month maintenance package with 50K warranty makes the Zephyr even more attractive.

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  Excellent - 2004 Lincoln Navigator
  By Tenevia Coleman - July 2 - 10:00 am

  The Lincoln Navigator is best SUV that i have driven in years and ive had my share of SUVs! I absolutely love it. Its comfortable, stylish, smooth, and reliable! Thanks Lincoln!! A satisfied costumer -Tenevia S. Coleman

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  Exceeds expectations in most areas - 2006 Lincoln Zephyr
  By Dan Guio - June 30 - 8:46 am

  The car is tight, solid, and quiet. Unlike the mushy accelerator pedal on many new cars, this one supports my foot. The cooled seats really work and feel better than I expected. Its fun to drive, easy to park, and has an interior that always gets compliments from first time guests. The THX entertainment system with 14 speakers was definitely worth the extra money. This may be the first car (out of 5) that I may buy at the expiration of my 3-year lease.

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  Comparisons - 2006 Lincoln Navigator
  By gallen - June 29 - 4:30 pm

  Best luxury SUV available. Cadillac gets worse mileage and has no auto rear seats. Hummer has no a/c seats, no auto rear door and no power with poor mileage. Nothing else comes close

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  Great New SUV! - 2007 Lincoln Navigator L
  By ggzobz - June 27 - 12:36 pm

  Missing are staple features in luxury cars. As stated, Bluetooth, backup camera specifically. Sirius radio is awesome! Love the seats and colors. Rear DVD is flawless and the Navi interface, rear controls and stereo controls are very easy to use, even without the 45 minute walk around from the salesman (I have no patience for such things and prefer to learn them myself). Finally, Bravo on the A/C seats (missing on the 2007 Yukon XL Denali, my ranch vehicle, but it has back up cam.)

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  Time to let her go - 2001 Lincoln LS
  By Ollie - June 27 - 7:26 am

  I purchased this car for my wife and for the first 3 years of owning the car it was great. Slowly things started going wrong which I guess is normal. CD quit working, passeger door lock quit opening, gas door stopped opening, that kind of thing. at 89k it developed a spudder when you stepped on the gas. After some research I realized it was either one of two fuel pumps or a coil. Pumps were $300 bucks a piece, coils were $50 a piece. I have replaced one coil already and I liken it to performing surgery, not fun to work on this car at all. Its a great car when it runs well but a nightmare to work on and very expensive to maintain when things start going bad. Trade in value is horrible.

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  My Zephyr - 2006 Lincoln Zephyr
  By Paul Lehman - June 25 - 4:46 pm

  The car is very easy to drive, it has a good turning radius. It gets as good and some times better then advertised gas mileage. I am over all very pleased with its looks and driveabilty.

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  2000 Lincoln LS - 2000 Lincoln LS
  By Jack - June 25 - 2:40 am

  Ride is great! Some items that have failed are not things I would have expected from a Lincoln. Headlamps, trunk leak, 3 window regulators so far, moonroof control button and seat back are main items that have failed. Brakes and tires wear quickly. Sorry to see it end its production. Hope new MKS will be just as exciting a ride. Lincoln needs a good Hot Rod.

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  Superb - 2002 Lincoln LS
  By Octavio - June 24 - 7:30 pm

  I tested the $55,000 BMW and decided to save $15K, is not worth to spend that kind of cash for a very similar vehicle.

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  Elephant Really Can Tap Dance - 2003 Lincoln Navigator
  By Ketsia - June 23 - 10:00 am

  Before purchasing my 2003 Navigator in 7/02, I read a review which ended with "This elephant can tap dance." I took it with a grain of salt but completed my purchase anyway. I decided to write this review after a truly great experience. It had been raining heavily today and I rounded a curve at about 40 mph to find myself right in front of a huge "pond". I had no time to break but just plowed into this pool of water. I expected the worst, but guess what? This baby just plowed through with not even a jolt to the steering wheel, straight ahead. The handling on this monster is comparable to a sportscar. I LOVE MY NAVIGATOR!!!