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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  great car - 2004 Lincoln Aviator
  By stacey t - March 10 - 10:00 am

  I had always driven a BMW 528i - what a change! I love how this car handles and how much room we have. Gas milage is ok, but what can you do.

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  Remarkable Truck - 2006 Lincoln Mark LT
  By Don H - March 9 - 7:36 pm

  This is by far the best truck I have ever seen (and I live in San Antonio, TX). Gets comments everywhere I go. Power and fuel mileage are extremely good for a truck this large. Plenty of room inside and out for how I would use a truck. Stereo even impresses the kids -- the subwoofer will make the cars around you shake. The real wood trim is so smooth, you have to look twice to realize what they are. The chrome running boards look great with the rest of the truck, and are very functional with the rubber inserts.

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  Lincoln lt performance - 2006 Lincoln Mark LT
  By RON HALVIN - March 9 - 10:23 am

  Our 3000 mile trip from florida to michigan and back was in style, comfort, easy handling, gas milage and dependibiltiy, this truck is a sure winner. Pulling a large tandem trailer, it still performed beyond my expectations. Truck pulling fully loaded tandem trailer, averaged 16.5 Mpg.

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  Awesome SUV! I love this car! - 2005 Lincoln Aviator
  By jd1017 - March 5 - 12:53 am

  Ive read a lot of the comments concerning the 2003 AWD Aviator and feel very fortunate. I havent experienced anything but pleasure from this SUV, the power and comfort is second to none. Im in sales and stop start this car ten plus times a day, no troubles. The rear hatch surrounding the glass did split, fiberglass fracture is what the dealship referred to it as. They replaced it, out of warranty, free of charge. So far with over 50,000 miles on the vehicle I really cant complain about anything! I still think this is the best bang for the buck!

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  High Class - 1996 Lincoln Town Car
  By Mea - March 4 - 9:50 pm

  I went from driving a very Large Chevrolet conversion van to driving my Lincoln Town Car. I love how smooth it drives and how you dont hear any clinking in the engine. Its a pleasure to drive.

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  I LOVE the Aviator!!! - 2004 Lincoln Aviator
  By azurlee - March 4 - 7:20 pm

  I bought the 2004 Aviator brand new, almost 9 years ago. It has been the most reliable of any car Ive ever had (and Ive had many). It feels luxurious on the inside, even after all of this time. Lincoln got the fit/finish on this one right. It has been such a gem to own. I will drive it until it dies. I really wish Lincoln still made them. I would buy another after this one is done. Thats how much I love it. Ive owned many other SUVs and never had one this dreamy and reliable. Cant say enough good stuff about it.

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  Lincoln-Ford Got it right - 2000 Lincoln Town Car
  By Del - March 4 - 4:33 pm

  Ive allways held true to ford.. When they built this car they got it right. Some say its a Grandpa car I say NO! Rides down the road better then any cadi Ive ever owned. And to my surprize when I manually shifted threw the gears and held the "pettle to the metal I grabbed rubber in 2nt grear. Not bad for a full size 205 hp car!! talk about fun when you hit 2nt gear then the tires "churp" and then get her a little sideways, when getting on the freeway I was thinking of buying a crown vic but I bought this insteed about the same car but a little more style. and the millage is not bad concerting how big the car is about 22 in town and 28-32 on the road. the 4.6 is a great motor

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  love my lincoln - 2005 Lincoln Town Car
  By bee - March 4 - 1:43 am

  have owned a lot of vehicles in my time but the lincoln is the only car that makes you smile on long trips and you know you are going to get there in reliability without having to stop by the bank for fuel money, buy used mine had 25,000 miles on it was just broke in good have 75,000 on it now still just like new

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  Simply a great car!!!! - 2011 Lincoln MKX
  By fordlincoln - March 3 - 12:22 pm

  This is my 3rd consecutive Lincoln - just sold my 06 LS and bought the 11 MKX. This car is fantastic. I did compare this with Cadillac SRX and it was really no comparison at all. The Lincoln simple had more standard features that I wanted. The new looks and the highly advanced technology really sold me on this vehicle. IMO, the new front grill and the new taillight design are BIG improvements over the previous MKX. The MyLincoln Touch sync system is unbelievable. I am far from a techie, but I do like new technologies and the MyLincoln Touch system is great. If you are not very proficient with new technology you may have a longer learning curve, but it is well worth it. I am still finding new things out and I have had the car for almost 3 weeks. I actually like the the touch screen technology more than the voice recognition. It is very similar to using a smartphone.

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  AMERICAN EXCITEMENT - 2003 Lincoln LS
  By FLOYD TURLEY - March 3 - 10:00 am

  I LOVE DRIVING THIS CAR. IT SIMPLY MAKES ME FEEL GOOD WHEN IM BEHIND THE WHEEL. THE STYLE IS NICE, THE EXHAUST NOTE IS SWEET, THE HANDLING IS GREAT.THE DOWN SHIFTS ARE A LITTLE SLOW HOWEVER. ALL AND ALL IT IS A GREAT CAR. IF I WAS TO DO IT OVER AGAIN I WOULD SAVE UP THE EXTRA FUNDS TO BUY THE V8 MODEL. THE V6 IS STILL GREAT FOR MY BUDGET.