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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  1997 Lincoln Continental - 1997 Lincoln Continental
  By dbel - June 26 - 11:36 am

  Nice car....bought recently with low miles 76k....idles extremely smoothly....lots of power....great gas mileage...22.7 average..mostly highway....cruises well at 74mph....very pleased so far with the car.

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  Poorly built and noisy - 2004 Lincoln Navigator
  By Fresno - June 25 - 10:00 am

  Looks nice and handles well, but fairly noisy. The decorative panels on the doors just fell off when the vehicle was only 9 months old!

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  Door Lock and Brake Problems - 2009 Lincoln MKS
  By SBU - June 24 - 9:30 pm

  I enjoy the design and comfort of the new MKS but it seems that there are still some mechanical issues to be worked out. I have driven only 800 miles in my new car and already have had to have the front brake lining replaced due to poor initial installation. The drivers side electronic door lock has also broken and the replacement part to fix the problem has not even been built yet (according to my dealer). I must now manually unlock the door each time - not fun.

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  A GOOD WORK IN PROGRESS - 2009 Lincoln MKZ
  By workingschmo - June 18 - 7:48 pm

  Bought my Lincoln used and got a great deal on it thus my high marks on value. However, would never buy this new because I believe Lincoln couldve done better compared to the competition. First off is the trunk problem that many complain about. Poor design - you can live with it though. Second - the interior is definitely more Ford than lincoln and could use some more upscale touches. The OEM Brakes are a bit mushy but replacements improved that drastically. Now the good - car feels solid and handles wonderfully with a nice ride and quiet interior. The navigation and SYNC work flawlessly and make this car a true pleasure. 70K miles and no problems whatsoever.

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  Too many problems - 2005 Lincoln Aviator
  By Lolaj42 - June 14 - 7:23 am

  Our Ultimate AWD Aviator has been in the shop every month since weve owned it, mostly due to overall quality (or lack thereof). The most recent being a steering wheel vibration/pulsation that occurs when turning the wheel to full lock when parking. Weve been given a host of excuses over the 3 service visits on this issue, the latest being that its a "design feature" and we have to live with it. To date, weve had the transmission control module replaced, since the one it was originally shipped with was for the Ford Explorer and as a result, we were unable to put our AWD system into a full-time locked mode until it got replaced. Entire NAV system replaced. Too much trouble. Never again

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  my town...house - 2001 Lincoln Town Car
  By gogirl - June 10 - 1:53 am

  huge car, fun to drive, great to just go cruising

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  Great car except for transmission shift points - 2006 Lincoln LS
  By fordblueblood1 - June 7 - 6:25 am

  Bought a 2006 LS in Dec of 2011, It had 62K on it and Ive put about 5K on it to date (9/2013). I like the car. I wanted to buy and American RWD sedan and there werent many choices. We already own a V8 Charger and I wanted something different. It was a Pontiac G8 or this. G8 would not accommodate my 15 y.o. in the back seat. More cramped. I did have to replace the heater control valve near the radiator. It was blowing hot air from the A/C. A disappointment on a car with only 67K on it. Ive had no other issues with the car. It runs well and has lots of power and handles very well. It has a nice firm ride. Fun around off ramps. Very nice THX stereo too. If it wasnt for the trans, Id be 5s

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  Not so great - 2000 Lincoln LS
  By Pamela Daniel - June 2 - 10:00 am

  I bought the LS with 48,000 miles on it in 2006. Beautiful car. Within a year, I had to replace both rear window motors. The next year, I had to replace both front window motors. One of which went out during a move to another state during a snow storm. Then I had to replace one of the rear window motors again. Have had to replace the coil packs. The CEL light came on within 2 weeks of purchase and will not stay off after repeated "fixes". On top of what I originally paid for the car, Ive spent approximately $5,000 on repairs not associated with normal maintenance. Still, I love the way the car drives. Now the seat motors are dying. Guess its time to say goodbye.

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  Luxury Workhorse - 2006 Lincoln Navigator
  By Charles Robertson - June 2 - 10:00 am

  This beast has been a pleasure. It has hauled our family of seven on several trips to Florida, hauled boats and jet skis, and innumerable trips to Home Depot, while making the trips to the grocery store and school functions with ease. The 4WD/AWD makes it feel very safe in bad weather, and although we havent needed much in the way of service it was easy to get worked on, no matter where we were (not so much with our BMW!) The power rear seat and video options made this a kid cruiser without equal. This isnt a practical vehicle for everyone, but it was a wonderful choice for us. 40k miles, no regrets.

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  Solid Truck - 2006 Lincoln Mark LT
  By Gravy - June 2 - 6:46 am

  Bought this truck new and other than maintenance it was in dealer one time for rotors at 7K. Overall very happy with it and I am not a gentle driver. Gas could be better getting 9.5 in this heatwave.