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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  Why did I buy a Linclon? Why? - 2004 Lincoln Aviator
  By Jack Melvin - October 29 - 10:00 am

  Right now I have this Linclon stinkyator, a Honda CRV, and a Subaru Outback. the Honda CRV is 5 years old with 120,000 miles on it and had no problems. The Subaru Outback is 8 years old with 155,000 miles with no problems and tgis 7 month old Linclon with 5,000 ,miles has been in the shop twice. This car doesnt handle well and has the worst gas millalige ever.

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  So/So - 2005 Lincoln Navigator
  By Lisa - October 20 - 9:06 am

  After major rebates and 0% financing, car is still upside down after two years of payments. Rattles and clanks noticed from the beginning, service cannot fix. Aftermarket upgrades sold by the dealership installed too low and rattle. When rattle fixed, screw tore interior sunroof fabric. Aftermarket dealership DVD unreliable and not upgraded to play DVD Rs or RW. A nice vehicle but market value dropped after purchase.

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  Buyers Remorse - 2013 Lincoln MKZ
  By pacman2044 - September 30 - 7:11 am

  So I needed a new business car before my trip to Asia and I didnt do a lot of research or comparison shopping. I had heard that Ford had improved their vehicles and so i bit the MKZ because I loved the way it looked. What a mistake. I purchased the FWD with the 2.0 engine and 19 wheels. The front wheel drive is not smooth and luxurious. You can feel every bump in the road. When you press hard on the gas you hear the engine make high pitched sounds. Already had the "check adaptive headlights" and less than 3k miles. The turn single control is flimsy and already broke. Now granted the loaner MKZ they gave me was loaded with AWD and the 2.0 engine.. much better ride then the FWD

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  Value? Well see - 2000 Lincoln LS
  By Fred S. - July 4 - 2:00 am

  Having been in the auto industry its no secret that there is no better value then a couple year old lincoln. Neighbors think you paid 40G, but beware make sure there is plenty left on your warranty. We have six monthes of warranty left and were starting to get a bit nervous. Headliner drooping, headlight covers leaking, airbag light always coming on, both rear wheels needed bearings, numerous vibrations and rattles. But I paid 45% under MSRP, the engine has been solid, my wife is happy! and it cost me less then a Taurus.

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  Makes H3 look like a Prius - 2007 Lincoln MKX
  By bashmyshell - May 27 - 3:13 pm

  I admit, I purchased this car expecting at least 17/22 MPG based on the listed 19/25 sticker. After casually driving for 200 miles, I have noticed one thing. This car has never gotten higher than 11.8 MPG. And this was after I decided to drive like a grandma. Mileage is more like 10/11 after 2000 miles. very disappointed! 90% of my driving is on the freeway with no traffic! But it definately is comfortable and plush while draining the gas down. I would have never made the purchase had I known the mileage was so low.

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  Lincolns lost their build quality - 2003 Lincoln Town Car
  By Virginia - May 9 - 10:00 am

  With 21 years and 400K miles driving Lincolns, I loved them and bought the 03. More annoying issues with this car than Ive had in 20 years. Vibration at idle is built-in and cant be corrected. Compared to older Lincolns,the car has poor acceleration from low RPMs with poorer gas mileage and a smaller gas tank.Contrary to the manual-duplicated pages-doesnt have DSP.Left out an AM filter so the AM reception was a return to the 50s. With a fix,dash now rattles. Gas tank cover wouldnt open. Lincoln wont communicate. Comparing features, Lincoln designers have done next to nothing in 10 years. I take that back-- they took the quality out.

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  Nice Car, But Quality Control Problems - 2009 Lincoln MKS
  By EEG - May 7 - 5:23 am

  The 2009 MKS has a lot of technology within the vehicle, but suffers from Ford/Lincoln quality. My new MKS has several issues which should have been detective by the dealer. First, paint is missing on the rear bumper cover seams, one side of the bumper cover is not flush with the 1/4 panel. There is a bur/bump on the edge of the trunk by the rear window. Also, there is some beige splatter underneath the clearcoat on the front fender and a crooked spreaker grille on the front dash. Having owned Acura, Lexus and Mercedes and all have been flawless, this is a huge letdown. The dealer now has to repaint/realign all these issues and the paint option was an additional $590. I will stick to the imports

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  Stinkin Lincoln - 1999 Lincoln Continental
  By Sokratez - March 27 - 10:00 am

  In the two years that I have owned this pre-owned car, I have had nothing but headaches. Luckily the car was under warranty when the A/C went up. Now the warranty has expired, I am up the creek with no paddle having to get a transmission that doesnt have 65K, on it rebuilt. This is a sorry excuse for quality. This is my first American car, and it will definitely be my last FORD. FORD motor needs to get their priorities in order. This car is a good- looking hunk of junk.

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  This is luxury??? - 2005 Lincoln Aviator
  By Mandi Rinard - January 27 - 4:46 pm

  This car has been a lot of trouble. Every time I start to like it again something else breaks. We have had problems with the windows rolling down half the time they dont work; neither does the radio or the keyless entry. We have had the gear shift replaced. The car is very noisy on the road. Seatbelt housing makes a lot of noise and back window squeaks all the time!!! The blower fan on the AC had to be replaced and the heated and AC seats quit working. The panel on the rear window cracked too. For the most part I would like to run this car into a wall most of the time.

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  You take the good, you take the bad... - 2009 Lincoln MKS
  By sully77 - January 21 - 6:04 am

  I purchased my 2009 MKS approximately one month ago. Thus far Ive had mixed reviews on it, but overall Im happy with it. I took it to the Appalachian Mtns of Virginia where I encountered 6" of snow. The front-wheel drive handled it without any issues or problems.