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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  It Could be Better - 2005 Lincoln Aviator
  By Dave - November 4 - 10:23 am

  Ive put 14,000 miles on my Aviator and it has run well except for a few problems. The steering shudders badly while making left turns at low speeds on level ground. Dealer says pretty much "theyll do that". Says its caused by power steering sucking air while turning on incline. Been to the shop twice and it improved the first time for a month, then came back. DVD player ate DVD within first 3 months. Parts had to be back ordered. They never have a Lincoln for you to use when your is in the shop. I did get 19.5 mpg on a 1300 mile trip averaging 75 MPH.

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  fordwarrior - 2005 Lincoln Navigator
  By Mike Smith - November 2 - 3:43 am

  I have been a satisfied Ford product owner for 50 years. I have owned a 2004 and a 2005 Navigator and have been very disappointed in their fuel economy and the quality of construction. The 2006 has had transmission problems from the day it was delivered and it took 17 months for the dealer to get the problem corrected. The brake rotors had to be turned at 7,000 miles, replaced at 10,000 miles, turned again at 27,000 mile and replaced at 30,000 miles. This is on a vehicles that has 95% highway mileage on it. The master brake cylinder had to be replaced at 32,000 miles. The 2006 model is much noisier than the 2005 in terms of wind noise and engine/road noise.

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  Not up to date! - 2017 Lincoln Continental
  By Eduard Emil - October 27 - 7:05 pm

  I think I purchased the first one sold in wisconsin. Its a beautiful smooth car with two problems. Using the push button shifter, its very easy to mistakenly push the Reverse button instead of the Park button. That could cause a serious accident if you dont double check which button you pushed before taking your foot off the break. Second annoyance is that the GPS is out of date because it doesnt accept addresses that my 3 year old Tom Tom in my truck or my PCs Mapquest does. It also displays out of date speed limits i.e., I-43 in Wisconsin is 70 mph, the GPS says its the old 65 mpg changed two years ago. I noticed this on other roads too, completely not up to date. I am sure they figured on this for a future upgrade for $400 in a year or so as they did with my old 2010 MKS. I complained about this to the dealer and they basically told me "what you got you got," I called the Lincoln company and they sent me to a website where I could have spent the next two years of my limited life trying to figure it out. I think for $74,000 they should take care of it!

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  Jury still out on this one! - 2009 Lincoln MKS
  By TK - October 22 - 1:53 am

  With 8000 miles this one so far has had brake problems and acceleration issues that the dealership cannot seem to fix properly. Pretty scary when you need the power and its not there for you and when you need to stop quickly and get a crunching noise!

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  In the shop to much - 1998 Lincoln Town Car
  By Bry - October 17 - 2:00 am

  5 heater cores in 3yrs. No one can fix the root problem. Ford has spent every dime of profit in repairs on my car. Up to $8000 now. My list of misc. repairs is absurd.

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  Lincoln LS - 2000 Lincoln LS
  By sjsjsjsjsjsj - October 17 - 2:00 am

  I have had several electrical problems with this vehicle. When I step on it, the transition is VERY rough. It jerks into the next gear.

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  A Great Deal! - 2003 Lincoln Town Car
  By john596 - October 15 - 10:24 pm

  I bought my 2003 Executive used with 68,000 miles on it. It is pearl white with tan leather interior. I had trouble with water leaking in through air intake under passenger wiper. I repaired with automotive adhesive glue and sealed the joint with undercoating spray. That fixed it. I also had trouble with hesitation. I took it to the local Lincoln dealership and for just under $500, a tune-up and transmission fluid made it drive like a new car. I am at 143,000 miles and plan to keep it at least 90,000 more miles (new Michelins). I added in-dash navigation, satellite radio, and bluetooth. This is my fifth Lincoln and fourth Town Car. I will have another, no doubt.

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  Great All Around SUV - 2005 Lincoln Aviator
  By Chuck - October 10 - 6:00 am

  We could not be happier with our Aviator. We are the original owners and have had little trouble since our purchase. I wanted a luxury AWD SUV to last us 8-10 years. Well we are half way there and still love it. The fuel mileage is pitiful but we were aware of that at time of purchase. Thats what you get when you put a Mustang engine in a heavy SUV. Duh? The AWD and Traction Control are excellent. I feel that my wife is safe in a heavy, well built American SUV. The comfort and ride is totally "Lincoln." The THX sound system is fantastic too. I just put new tires and brakes on. Also updated the Navigation DVD and purchased the extended warranty through Ford. Were keeping it!

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  Overall - 2004 Lincoln Navigator
  By Phil Axt - September 24 - 2:00 am

  Add the wood grain dash and you got yourself an SUV with beauty!

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  Black is beautiful. - 2006 Lincoln Mark LT
  By Jim G. - September 19 - 4:53 pm

  I just completed a five week, ten thousand mile "road test." This is the finest large vehicle Ive ever owned. Its also the best looking truck on the market.