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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  Good car - 1997 Lincoln Continental
  By ale11 - June 11 - 4:25 am

  I got this care used with 350,000 KM on it as I needed a cheap car for a new driver in my family. Paid just1,000 bucks for it. The engine still runs like a clock, tranny is still OK; hope the tranny will last for couple of more years... Evrything (except drivers eat not being heated and the rear window) is working in this 14 year old car!!! It has lots of power and cruising nicely on the highway. My family loves this car and prefers to drive it to a much newer ones! Ive had to fix the rocker panels as they were rusted through, painted the car and it looks very good now. I know it is old, but I still cant think of it as a clunker... Gas milege in the city is a pain of course with gas $

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  aviator bad experience - 2004 Lincoln Aviator
  By enrique gioni - May 31 - 10:00 am

  i have a problem with the differential.It is whinning starting at 45 miles and hour and increasing up to 75.They change the part at 3600 miles and now(6300 miles)i experience the same problem.Dealer says there is not a solution and that Ford is working on it but dont know how long will take.Too bad.

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  Poor seat design - 2004 Lincoln Aviator
  By tinsoldier - May 31 - 3:56 am

  Front seats are very uncomfortable. Lincoln should have copied the seat design from its big brother the Navigator. Rear cargo area is not flat when the third seat is layed down. Poor fuel economy.

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  styling big time - 2004 Lincoln Aviator
  By ron b 1 - May 25 - 2:00 am

  I love the inside and the detail of the seats and the dashbroad the way it lights up at all times. Great color of the dove gray.

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  Appears to be a good segment choice - 2009 Lincoln MKZ
  By DGeorgia - May 24 - 7:23 am

  So far so good after a couple of days. Was considering Mercedes C300, Nissan Maxima, BMW. The MKZ is by far the most bang for the buck. Standard features top all others, uses 87 octane, and inexpensive to maintain with good warranty coverage. Only quirks so far are the reflection of light dashboard onto windshield in direct sunlight and the dash clock makes a funky little sound as it operates ( why? ) Solid road feel, quiet, comfortable, sharp looking.

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  Love my Town Car - 2003 Lincoln Town Car
  By djunkins - May 20 - 7:46 pm

  This is my second TC. My first was a 1997 model. Both produced a smooth, comfortable ride, especially on long trips. I also use the car for long (100 mi) work trips each week. Yes, style is dated but the car has so many positive features, like good gas mileage for a large car, cavernous trunk, easy to read dash display, automatic climate control, back-up sensor, heated seats, more. Small problems crop up now & then, but I expect that with so many luxury features available. Plus, the car is no spring chicken. Things break.

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  A hidden jaguar - 2002 Lincoln LS
  By roman_capps - May 19 - 5:38 pm

  A great friend of mine has a 2002 Lincoln LS but the engine is the 4.0 jag engine which isnt compatible with the transmission which holds up surprisingly. The person before us was a complete idiot of putting a jag engine in it. But it is B-E-A utiful it rides like a calm sea current they interior is greatly put together some cracks in the seats and window controls blemishes it. I have never , never have found such beauty in a car much rather something built by ford. I automatically feel in love with it when I drove even though it was stuck in over drive 1. lovely just lovely, but always get a car fax report when making a used car purchase you may never know what you find !

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  Appealing to the eye - 2003 Lincoln LS
  By tonyat - May 4 - 3:40 pm

  I purchased my car 2 months ago with 80,000 miles on it. The day after I got it, it wouldnt crank. I thought it was the battery. I got a jump and it worked with no problem. It did the same thing the very next day. I tried to get a jump but it wouldnt start. Found out the alternator was bad. I got that fixed. So now Im noticing that sometimes when I put in in drive, it takes a while to shift and move. I dont know whats going on. I dont know anything about cars but that seems like something dealing with the transmission. After reading some of the other reviews, Im starting to get worried.

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  Great Car, But........ - 2007 Lincoln MKZ
  By Richard Armstrong - May 2 - 11:06 pm

  My wife and I searched long and hard for an all wheel drive vehicle with class that could be serviced locally...this is it! However, the heated seats are not working and Lincoln says they wont even have the manual to the dealer until late December! I thought that a premium vehicle would get premium service! This is our only criticism so far, but its a big one! Wake up Lincoln, your competition is listening!

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  A great car can be improved. - 2005 Lincoln Aviator
  By G. Plummer - May 1 - 10:50 pm

  Engine larger, and noiser, than necessary; RPM too high for moderate accelleration--a gas guzzler--Explorer better. Windows will not descend at 32-deg. or less. An A-trip & B-trip odometer would help. No gallons-used calculator. Info-center too obscure. Seats 1 1/2 inches too high(thick)--headbumps on entry. Rear seats dont fold flat. Manual puts too much emphasis on entertainment, rather than operating features up front. Manual not easy to use. Electrical schematic, simple, wouldhelp.