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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  A Great Luxury SUV. - 2004 Lincoln Navigator
  By L QJack - March 17 - 10:00 am

  The Navigator is the finest luxury SUV I have driven; the ride is exceptional and the driving experience is wonderful. I was going to buy an Escalade, that is until I drove the Navigator. The Ultimate series has it all. Lincoln must be doing something right to greatly improve this vehicle from the earlier model years. All-be-it one mans opinion.

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  WHAT I FEEL ABOUT MY LINCOLN - 2003 Lincoln Navigator
  By DIRTYRED - March 17 - 10:00 am

  I THINK FORD MOTOR COMPANY DID AN EXCELLENT JOB ON THIS CAR AND I THINK ITS LIGHT YEARS AHEAD OF THE PREVIOUS VERSION.

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  New to the Lincoln Brand - 2006 Lincoln Navigator
  By Miami Vice - March 17 - 9:56 am

  My wife and I just leased a Navigator and so far we are thrilled. We looked at Acura, Infiniti, Nissan, Lexus, and Mercedes. The Lincoln makes you feel "PIMP" It is very comfortable and the interior is very well layed out. I never thought I would drive a Lincoln, but I am very happy I decided to go with the Navigator. So far so good.

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  2007 Navigator Elite - 2007 Lincoln Navigator
  By business owner - March 17 - 8:26 am

  I love this truck it has a lot of power. Traded in my Safari for this huge difference. ItÂ’s the ultimate SUV. It has power towing and room and comfort. I get about 13.8 in the city and 19.4 on the highway. Better then my Safari which got 12.5mpg and had a Durango Hemi that gave 7.2mpg that was insane. The interior feels like a luxury sedan. Drives like a car. Lots of legroom in the third row. Im 6-2" and I just sit fine. My family loves this SUV.

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  ALL prior model drawback have gone away!!!! - 2016 Lincoln MKX
  By Bob - March 15 - 9:45 pm

  This one has all of the technology available on all luxury SUZ on the market at far less price. The quality is excellent. All of the drawbacks of the prior version have been fixed.. Now has much smoother ride, better steering/handling, update look, comfortable drivers seat and steering wheel positions and adjustments. 360 degrees cameras, collision alerts, blind spot alerts, cross traffic alerts and adaptable cruise control are all musts in my judgment. And for those who like "toys", the ambient interior lighting choices are a fun thing. I have never like a vehicle as much. Seeing is believing....LOL, I sound like a Lincoln salesmen, but the car is just that good!!!!

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  great car - 2006 Lincoln Town Car
  By RICHARD TURNER - March 15 - 4:23 am

  i have always wanted to buy a lincoln towncar i had a 2002 continental this 2006 towncar is a dream come true. its like riding in your jet plane. thats for a great car

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  The "AUTO TO OWN" for 2007! - 2007 Lincoln MKZ
  By SGuill - March 14 - 6:26 pm

  Traded our 2004 Jaguar Sport Model w/1200 miles for this new Ford product. This is one of the BEST purchases we have ever made in an automobile. The appearance is beautiful and the car really attracts attention.

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  Love Our Zephyr - 2006 Lincoln Zephyr
  By Retired Teacher - March 10 - 2:00 pm

  We love the design and maneuverability of our Zephyr. We recently drove it over 2000 miles to Florida and back, and the only thing we found a little lacking was the seat comfort. Having owned three Lincoln Continentals prior to the Zephyr, we think there could be a little more padding in the seat bottoms. Other than that, we were very impressed with it -- as were our six nephews and nieces, all "30 something young urban professionals." Many people driving beside us caused traffic backups because they slowed down to have a look at the Zephyr. One person speeded up to look at the front, then dropped back beside it, and then pulled in back to check out the rear design.

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  Great Ride! - 2017 Lincoln Navigator
  By K.F. Chow - March 6 - 12:09 am

  The last time bought a Lincoln was in 1977. Through the years all cars have improved in maintenance and ride comfort. Before purchasing this Navigator, I have driven 2 Tahoes for 21 years. My first drive in this new Navigator I notice the quietness of the interior cabin. The ride is very smooth. I am also surprised by the turbocharged engine. The acceleration is smooth and quick. Confidence builder! The only think I felt lacking is the instrument panel. It is on the small side. The font size of wording is too small for my eyes to read quickly. The pinkish lighting color on the word just makes it even harder to read. Other than that I am very happy with the purchase.

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  Excellent Value, Enjoyable Drive - 2011 Lincoln MKX
  By david2506 - March 5 - 8:51 am

  Great ca, enjoyable drive, nice tech stuff, but a glitch with the radio antenna. Turns out Linc. received a series of defective ones for the MKX from 2011 forward. Finally fixed by replacing the defective one with an antenna from Edge-same part numbers but different. I drove a 2013 model during the final replacement. Its antenna was worse.