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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  my hot rod Lincoln - 2009 Lincoln MKZ
  By chuck s - September 18 - 10:21 pm

  Bought used with 74,000 miles. Have driven for 5,000 miles with no problems. Very comfortable. Handles well in part to AWD. Could use a little more power. Difficult to see controls below the radio. Very small and not intuitive. Climate control works very well but would be easier to use with a knob to turn and set highway temp. We drive 85% highway and get 21.5 mpg. I use a mobility scooter and it breaks down and fits in the trunk with room left over.

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  Poor Material Parts - 1997 Lincoln Town Car
  By Herb Berger - September 17 - 10:00 am

  I have maintained this auto beyond specs suggested by Lincoln. However, at 89,000 miles the plastic intake manifold melted causing the car to overheat and needing to replace the engine. Upon further investigation found out this is a common problem. P.S.Lincoln denies any responsibility.

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  Nice car with seating and technology shortcomings - 2017 Lincoln MKX
  By STUART BARNETT - September 16 - 9:36 am

  Very nice SUV with many good features. Noticeable shortcomings are very short front seats with not much leg support. Front headrest does not have much range of motion adjustment. Driver assistance function for maintaining lane will stop functioning when lines are yellow. Adaptive cruise control works very well.

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  MARK LT - 2006 Lincoln Mark LT
  By benroyal - September 14 - 10:53 am

  The best vehicle I have ever owned! It is a real "head turner". Pretty truck inside and out. Could easily be used to attend a black tie affair. The only drawback is fuel economy so I still spend a lot of time in my work truck.

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  will not buy a lincoln product again - 2009 Lincoln MKS
  By lap - September 10 - 7:50 pm

  Puchased car brand new from dealership and within 10 months of owning it .I had to bring it in to the shop 11 times.for about 5 different problems with this vehicle.Called lincoln/ford about the frustration that the brand new expensive car i purchased was always at the shop.The way they looked at it was the car was only there 5 times .I had to bring the car for the problem and they would look at it and then i would have to bring it back agian when the part gets in.Had lots of problems with front sensors always beeping when i was in a parking lot with around me within 100 yards.Stirring column cover making noise when retracting,dore locks not functing correctly,brakes grinding.

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  inherited - 1996 Lincoln Town Car
  By flamermuskego - September 10 - 2:00 am

  smoothest ride ever. feel like I could live in this car if necessary. have a difficult decision to make re keeping this car or putting it up for sale. Id love to keep it for the weekends only. I feel special when driving it.

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  no problem - 1999 Lincoln Town Car
  By queenbbv - September 10 - 2:00 am

  Car runs very quite. Had problem with the auto windows but they were still under warranty. Took extended care. Guess that the only way to go but you still have to pay $100. service each time you go in. Heated seats are well worth the extra in the winter.Does not heat up interior or windows very fast.Easy to handle on highway and city.

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  Love my Zephyr, but ... - 2006 Lincoln Zephyr
  By MarcusG - September 8 - 8:40 pm

  Bought the Zephyr out of auction in 2008 and really have had very few issues with this car and have driven almost 60,000 miles in two years. Very comfortable, great AC, handles well (except in snow), love the heated and cooled seats (thought the cooled seats make you feel wet) and the gas mileage is not bad at all. Have had very few issues with this car with the exception of finding tires that work and dont make a ton of noise, and tires for snow. This car does not do well in the snow without snow tires. Turning radius is horrific, though. My wifes huge SUV has a better turning radius. Im surprised there arent more complaints. Otherwise, totally satisfied.

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  Very nice mid-size auto - 2008 Lincoln MKZ
  By Dave - August 25 - 4:50 pm

  A nice mid-sized car with a very smooth ride. The MKZ has a very nice interior except for the color of the wood trim--too light. The telescoping steering wheel is a nice touch and the THX stereo system with the navigation is really great.

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  Good, and the reason for 2 speedos - 2003 Lincoln Town Car
  By Hugh - August 17 - 5:16 pm

  I have had 6 S Class MBs whilst living in Asia and Europe. The last one was an S320 diesel which had to go back 13 times to the dealer. This is my 2nd Town Car whilst living in the USA. And its great, good gas mileage and reasonably reliable. The "new" 2003 redesign is a reasonable job. It rides better than an S Class, as quiet too. Not so good at going round corners. I love the 2 speedos for when I go to Toronto - change the digi one to kmh