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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  Loving To Use Regular Gas - 2004 Lincoln Town Car
  By Tedd Dee Bear - November 16 - 10:00 am

  This car was great on our family trip to Chicago, Illinois from Buffalo, New York. In spite of the fact that it had the interior look of a senior citizens car, the ride was a dream. Five passengers were comfortable on the 12 hour trip!!

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  Wonderful car with great MPG - 2013 Lincoln MKZ
  By jimma - November 14 - 2:30 am

  2013 MKZh , Driving this for a year and half. Was very concerned about buying a Lincoln as I always drove Honda Accords coups (EXL) for last 20 years. I am completely satisfied with this car. I get 39 - 41 mpg , my 4cyl. stick Accord was getting 30. The car handles better than I thought and has enough power for any road situations , I drive turnpikes and large highways and have no trouble entering on ramps and passing large trucks. At 22,000 miles I still get a kick getting into the car.

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  2006 Lincoln Navigator - 2006 Lincoln Navigator
  By Bill - November 13 - 1:03 pm

  Good power, wonderful ride quality, great handling, easy to park even in tight lots. For its size the highway MPG is very good (about 20+). Great family car for trips especially with the spacious third row seating. Luxury and quality throughout. Excellent towing capacity.

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  Big car works for big man - 2003 Lincoln Town Car
  By Gerry - November 12 - 3:10 pm

  This is my first car in about 10 years, but my third TC. I am 69" and about 300lbs and have the leg room and head room in this car that I need. I had an Expedition before, nice vehicle, but no Town Car. Really enjoy the drive. I just took a 17 hour trip from Michigan to North Dakota and was amazingly fresh after being in this smooth rider for so long. Great car and I got over 25 mpg on the trip.

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  Dont waste your money!!!! - 2000 Lincoln LS
  By cgoodwin - November 10 - 9:43 pm

  A headache is all you will get from this car! So far, the transmission, 3 window motors, air conditioning valves, 2 thermostats, water container, and center control console have all been replaced. The chrome around the door handles are peeling off, control buttons are falling off....the car is the most expensive piece of crap Ive ever owned. I had a rental car for the entire 03 summer because they couldnt fix the problem. Ford has terrible customer service!! They do not stand behind there product at all. When the thermostat was replaced 2 months in a row, Ford quickly claimed, "Ford does not warranty the parts. It is preventative maintenance."

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  our best car yet - 1997 Lincoln Town Car
  By Lewis102090 - November 10 - 10:00 am

  This is our first Lincoln, I have had Cadillacs and a Grand Marquis. I would like to say that I believe weve reached the top , even though it is a used vehichle this car beats our gr. marquis (and it was new). However, the gr. marquis did save me from harm in a serious accident, I was rear-ended and pushed into on-coming traffic and hit head-on. All I had were bruises. I hope that I never have to test this vehichle in that manner. although I have no doubt that I will be completely safe. Thank you for my wonderful car. Mrs. Sheryl Lewis

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  2003 Aviator - 2003 Lincoln Aviator
  By Shady - November 9 - 10:03 am

  We bought this used with 24,000 miles. So far it has been pretty good. Only issues are seat climate controls that keep failing, a loose drivers seat, and a bit of corrosion on the top, inside edge of the rear liftgate (same spot as our 98 Explorer). The brake rotors also seem like they need replacement. Control illumination is amazingly high-tech looking, but some knobs and controls dont feel smooth when operated. Overall a well built SUV with a lot of nice features. We were most impressed with the innovations, like thicker windows, that reduce noise. It has many features that make it a much improved version of the Explorer, which is what we owned previously

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  Perfect but Pricey - 2001 Lincoln Navigator
  By lepruchan - November 9 - 9:40 am

  Fantastic car, very safe feeling driving because its so big and weighs so much. All the bells and whistles. Captains chairs in second row provide absolute comfort for passengers. You can live in this car. Sad about resale value. My car lost $21K in 13 months? The car lacks nothing, but good gas mileage. Hurricanes could blow around this car and you wouldnt hear or feel them.

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  All I need - 2002 Lincoln Blackwood
  By TC - November 7 - 2:56 am

  Big, roomy, dependable, attention grabber, etc. etc. I have 40k miles and have had zero problems. Guest love the back seats. Its just a heavy, well contructed and cool truck.

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  Great car so far - 2007 Lincoln MKX
  By Rick Andrewartha - November 6 - 5:06 pm

  This car seems to be built with great quality and care. We have been driving Town cars for the last few years. The ride of the MKX is sure not in the same class, but has a great ride of its own. My wife is the primary driver and she just loves this car.