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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  Very Happy With my Choice - 2010 Lincoln MKT
  By MKTHappyOwner - January 5 - 10:33 am

  We looked at the Q7, XC-90, MDX, Enclave and the MKT. The closest equal was the Q7 and Im happy to say the MKT is a much better car. The Eco boost engine is the way to go. Almost 100 HP more than the Q7 and still better mileage than that car. Interior space is much better with the MKT. The Sync system is top notch. The ability to plug my IPod into the USB and control it via the touch screen is great. THX sound system is off the charts. Sync/Nav/Voice Recognition etc. is very well thought out and the level of integration is impressive. I went into this purchase heavily leaning to the Q7. After I drove the MKT, it was an easy decision. Very happy to buy American over the Audi.

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  Lincolns are junk! - 2000 Lincoln LS
  By EJ - January 3 - 4:00 pm

  I bought the car from the original owner with 63000 miles. I loved the look of the car and the way it drove. It was priced at $13,000 and ended up only paying $9000. Things that went wrong with it for the year in a half that I owned it:1. Thermostat went out 2. Transmission slipped (had to have software downloaded on transmission) 3. Rearview mirror broke in shade mode 4. Air bags went out 5. Air bag wire went out 6. Battery was low and was causing the whole car to go wrong, stereo wouldnt work very well, alarm would not beep when locked, and transmission jerked when put in drive. 7. Gas lid broke, would not open. 8. Car started to die when taking off in the morning and stutter. 9. I got 12 on premium.

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  2003 Aviator - 2003 Lincoln Aviator
  By gary rogers - January 3 - 11:36 am

  Great motor, good towing, gets a lot of looks, very functional, good people vehicle

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  The best - 2004 Lincoln Aviator
  By nnn - January 2 - 10:00 am

  The car combindes luxury, power, and off road capabilties better than any suv out there. Simply the best.

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  Reliability? - 2000 Lincoln LS
  By jimboh - December 31 - 10:00 am

  Should I keep? Car was great for first 8 years (purchased new in 2000) no maintenance issues. In the last couple of years had differential rebuilt at 100k ($1000), new rack and pinon ($650) new front ball joints ($450) broke while driving car and car slammed down onto street-luckily was going slowly and no damage to car or driver. Replaced a couple of coils and valve cover gaskets ($850). On current trip (am in pa.- alternator went bad ($390.) luckily was a few miles from a Lincoln dealership in okla. City car now has 130,000 miles and has been fine since those few repairs so hope for the best. Am very careful about maintenance do transmission, radiator every 50,000 and (now) will now do differential also

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  Betsys LS - 2000 Lincoln LS
  By Betsy - December 26 - 10:00 am

  Front seat configuration not suitable for larger person. Only problem with car occured when heat gage pegged for about 8 minutes and annunicator indicated power was being reduced. Subsequently a factory fix has replaced the thermostat.

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  I did my homework! - 2008 Lincoln MKX
  By porsche7 - December 26 - 9:33 am

  I love this car. Looked at Lexus ES350, Mercedes E-Class, Audi. I kept coming back to this car for its overall value, fun factor and genuine interest in how Lincoln could put all of this in such an affordable package. I can use this as a family car or just go out for a ride by myself. I do my homework when it comes to cars and I feel I was well rewarded.

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  Great Car - 2017 Lincoln Continental
  By Carlos - December 24 - 7:13 pm

  I just got the car from my dealer. First of all the Dealer experience was above the expected service. They delivered the car to me in a pristine conditions. Fit and Finish is great, the seats are out of this world, I had a Mercedes E350 and the comfort and ambience this Continental has is way above the Mercedes. The power of the engine and the way it is delivered to the 4 wheels. Its feel in a category above. The only thing I would criticize is the fuel economy, if you get to happy with the engine revs then the fuel economy goes down...sad because the engine is a silky machinery that calls to be pressed.

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  Thanks for not bailing out Ford - 2010 Lincoln MKZ
  By antrocks1980 - December 24 - 12:03 pm

  Im so glad I didnt go with an import too. Yeah they are made in Mexico and yes they contain foreign parts and assemblies. And yes the thing was based off of a Mazda 6. BUT Im glad to be contributing to FoMoCo (American Holdings) who continues to improve leaps and bounds over the competition. Its my first nice car and is very comfortable for my long legs. Nice smooth-quiet ride. Im happy with it. Lots of nice features. I owned an 07 Taurus and it was a great car so I decided to give FoMoCo another go and Im glad I did. Beefy car.

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  Great car, but needs more polish - 2009 Lincoln MKS
  By LIZARDGIZZARD - December 22 - 8:23 pm

  I have had the car since Dec 2008 and love it. The car has great appeal, good power, roomy, with a great nav and Sync system and overall very comfortable. However, I have to agree that the opening to the truck is small, considering the size of truck is so enormous. In addition, I have had some issues that are annoying, but do not deter me for my love of this vehicle. The transmission is a little rough around the edges and would shift harshly depending on the throttle input. In addition, this car does not like the cold. Every time the temperature is below 20F, I am unable to get sound from my radio or the media center, until the car warms up.