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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  2003 Lincoln Navi - 2003 Lincoln Navigator
  By Alexander - March 23 - 3:50 am

  My 2003 Navigator is awesome- Bought with 28000 miles - Problems started at 65K, head Gasket a well known problem for the Cylinder head on these vehicles. In addition, Beware of the radiator assembly. The Transmission cooling system runs thru the radiator and when it comes apart, all oil from transmission cooling system will contaminate your antifreeze. Side mirrors crazy, and windows do not close at highway speeds. The car is awesome though, turns heads even after 6 years.

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  Somethings Missing - 2006 Lincoln Zephyr
  By RBS - March 20 - 10:10 pm

  Came out of an LS to the Zephyr. I know we are comparing apples and oranges but Lincoln really missed the mark if trying to retain customers who came to the brand for mid performance. LS was tight and confident. Zephyr is not even close. Zephyer is luxury inside while the vehile is in park. Awesome interior, no mechanical issues, great looks and finish. Step on the gas and it ends here. Loud unrefined engine noise, unremarkable ride, major torque steer. This is a Fusion at best with a better interior. Nothing wrong with this except why pay for luxury and get a common auto mobile. After 7 weeks I traded it out.

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  Not for Winding Roads or steep grades - 2008 Lincoln MKX
  By aes - March 18 - 2:33 pm

  We live on a mountain with a 15% grade for 4 miles. Our last car, a Montego, performed excellently with a CVT. It lacked power and was noisy so we wanted the same car with a Lincoln trim. The MKX seemed like the best answer and they market the 6 speed transmission as barely perceptable shifting. The CVT is no longer available. Since all of the Lincoln dealers shut down near our house we bought this 50 miles away without a test drive on our hill. Big mistake! It is truly wonderful as all other reviewers say on normal roads but the transmission hunts horribly on our hill. The L setting shifts from 2nd to first abruptly when slowing around blind corners and you have to go back to D to 2nd.

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  Great looks & performance...poor quality - 2000 Lincoln LS
  By skparker - March 18 - 10:00 am

  This is a great looking car...lots of power and super handling. But it had just too many problems to list...transmision, rear end, front suspension, it ate tires (3 sets in 72k miles...mostly hiway!). The service mgr at the dealer once told me I just had to accept the shimmy in the front end. Trim pieces (back of seats, door panels) kept falling off, the CD player would quit after a couple of hours. I just got tired of leaving it with the dealer. By the end of the lease, I couldnt WAIT to get out of it.

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  Great SUV --after a slow start - 2004 Lincoln Aviator
  By Bahnanderson - March 12 - 2:00 am

  We bought this car last September. Had trouble initially with the fit and finish -- many of the panels were not installed very well, resulting in a disturbing squeak from the rear lift glass. The dealership was great however, and now my car is perfect. We just drove it over the mountains in the snow and loved every minute. Very quiet, very comfortable, very powerful, and most important--very safe. Even my wife felt comfortable driving it in a snow storm--and she really hates driving in the snow. Great performance on the highway, and a snap to maneuver downtown with the boosted power steering. It handles like a much smaller vehicle.

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  Great Car But... - 1996 Lincoln Town Car
  By Jeff Bazell - March 11 - 10:00 am

  Like other reviews, incredible drive, better handling over previous years. Two expensive problems so far; load leveler compressor kaput, cost $500 to replace. Ford products have history of light bulbs blowing out alot. PRNDL light went out at 16K miles. Lots of other people complain of same problems. Prefer my fun car, 1998 Honda Prelude Type SH. Town Car good gas mileage.

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  Now a happy customer - 2006 Lincoln Mark LT
  By Now a happy customer - February 28 - 4:23 am

  I recently purchased a new Mark LT 2006, my first experience with a lincoln (ford) product. i was very hesitant because of the ford reputation of breaking down all the time. The first day with my new truck the entire electrical system went out, and the interior started to fall apart. I called the dealer, and they came and picked me up 35 miles away!!! Then gave me the the option of fix my truck, money back or to pick a different Mark LT of my choice. I selected a different model and though it runs great the quality of the plant needs work. It is missing moldings on both sides. I am pleased with the MARK LT, the attention to detail from the plant is really poor.

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  2003 Lincoln Navigator - 2003 Lincoln Navigator
  By cldawson - February 15 - 10:00 am

  Vehicle is still new but has been a pleasure so far. Gas mileage is poor, it has not even met the window sticker estimates yet. Ride is very comfortable, but road noise intrudes into passenger compartment.

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  Very Good, but not Great - 2013 Lincoln MKZ
  By muncie_in - February 13 - 5:24 am

  Purchased this car 4 weeks ago. On a 4-hour highway trip averaged 38 mpg. Same in town. Car is very comfortable to sit in for long distances. Interior is classy and exterior paint looks great. Complaints include fuel efficiency leaves display difficult to determine how efficient you are at that moment. Windows look great, but difficult to see oncoming traffic when backing up on a slight curve. Most disappointment was/is with Lincoln itself. They offered a $1000.00 rebate if your car was from a competing manufacturer, but not if you were a loyal Ford owner! Ive never been penalized for loyalty.

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  I love it - 2001 Lincoln LS
  By Brundogg - February 10 - 10:00 am

  I love my car, I wish that the radio controls would light up at night though. I feel that is a flaw, however, there isnt a car on the road that looks as stylish as a Lincoln LS