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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  I Love This Car!!!! - 2000 Lincoln LS
  By Lolaj42 - October 7 - 10:00 am

  While being totally practical with room for 4 adults AND a Child safety seat, this car is an EXCELLENT sports sedan. The handling is phenomenal, and the Select Shift Transmission is great for negotiating twisting mountian roads. Power is more than adequate with passing power in abundance. Ive had absolutely no trouble in over 2.5 years of ownership and the build quality is as good as Ive ever had (15 years of prior Asian brands). This car is an absolute joy to drive hard!

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  Lincoln Gator - 2005 Lincoln Navigator
  By PJ - October 3 - 6:43 pm

  I have owned 2 Jeep Grand Cherokees and a Ford Expedition. The Nav drives better than any other. It should, the gas mileage overall is a bit disappointing 13mpg. The comfort factor and quite ride standout. It does not handle like most SUVs I enjoy the sound system.

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  Awesome Vehicle - 2006 Lincoln Zephyr
  By TYLER STONE - October 3 - 12:16 am

  Finally a domestic manufacturer can hold up to the imports. This vehicle competes with the Acura TL, Lexus ES, and BMW 3-5 series. The Zephyr is far superior to the imports offering great gas mileage and performance. Highly recommended

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  J C Miller - 2006 Lincoln Zephyr
  By J C Miller - October 1 - 8:23 am

  I have driven BMW and Mercedes they are both nice cars this car is just as nice and more affordable. The suspension is tuned just right it has a smooth ride but handles well on the back roads. The seats are comfortable and fully adjustable. The heated and cooled seats are a nice touch you cant find on more expensive cars.I find myself looking for excuses to drive this car it is truly a joy to drive.

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  Happy Wife / Happy Life - 2016 Lincoln MKX
  By Dan H - September 27 - 12:02 pm

  My wife didnt like the exterior/interior combinations on dealer lots so we ordered our MKX and waited 7 weeks for delivery. We ordered Allure Blue w/ cappuccino interior. We are glad we waited. We drove Acura and Lexus before selecting Lincoln. We loved both the Acura RDX and MKX. Not so much for the Lexus 350. We selected the Lincoln based on two bad experiences with Honda products. My daughter hopped a curb while pulling away from a bank ATM and did $3500 damage to her Accord and my son totaled his RL without hitting anything by running off a highway into the median. Ive done similar things with Ford products without any damage to suspension systems. My wife is driving the MKX and I have taken her 2001 Toyota Sienna and made it my work car. Our MKX is fairly tricked-out. The features I especially love are: adaptive cruise control (wont buy another car without it), 360 degree backup camera (Toyota calls this birds eye view and I wont buy another car without it), rain sensing wipers, automatic on/off-high/low headlights, 2.7L engine (very smooth at moderate acceleration). My wife loves the power tailgate, seat adjustment capability (we have premium seats that allow increasing/decreasing the length of the lower cushion that allows adjustment to shorter/taller people) and the automatic synchronization with her iPhone that plays her playlist music (she is a classical pianist) anytime she enters the car rather than defaulting to the radio. We recently drove from Charleston, SC to Baton Rouge, LA. I historically hate drives longer than 10 hours. That drive, I think I could have continued to Houston. We will be taking the car in for its 5000 mile service next week. My wife and I typically expect 250,000 miles from a car so well be driving this one for a while. The only option that I didnt get that I might consider next time is the adaptive steering - I have to hold the steering wheel with two hands when nailing the throttle. Either the adaptive steering or AWD might help with the torque steer.

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  Near Perfect - 2000 Lincoln LS
  By OSCN - September 26 - 12:00 am

  A pleasure to drive, quick when needed and handles like a sports car. Comfortabe on long trips, reasonable mileage (25 mpg hwy) for engine (V8) and performance. Only "problem," I have had to replace plug/coil assemblies. I question some of the negative comments above/below and cannot help but wonder if regular maintenance and reasonable care had been taken. My opinion, best car from Detroit in years!

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  HUGE leaps in build quality - 2003 Lincoln LS
  By dt1963 - September 25 - 2:00 am

  The 03 LS represents major improvements in build quality. The interior materials are VASTLY better. The increased HP in the V8 is quite apparent. I traded in my 02 so was able to compare the new model back-to- back with the old. Quite impressive!

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  I repectfully disagree on smoothness.... - 2007 Lincoln MKZ
  By Discodug - September 19 - 1:30 am

  Unless the 05 Towncar makes some improvement over the 04, I must disagree with the comment about smoothness coming up short of the Town Car. At slow street speeds, I do feel the Towncar is SLIGHTLY quieter though. I did have an initial hi freq "buzz" at highway speeds, put a pit in my stomach as I drive 98 miles each way to work and I cant STAND noise. Isolated the problem to the triangular plastic between the RV mirrors and the door frame. Took it back, dealer sealed it, no more buzz. I looked at numerous Zs on the lot and many had same symptom...EASILY fixed, so if it happens to you, get it fixed. This was the only thing that kept me from giving a 10 to exterior & build. I love this car!

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  2001 NAV - 2001 Lincoln Navigator
  By APRIL - September 19 - 12:13 am

  This is a great suv especially if theres kids involved. Love the space and the tv console to keep them quiet or to play the ps2...Ive had no problems as of yet.. April atlanta,ga

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  Pleasantly Surprised - 2006 Lincoln Zephyr
  By Led Zephyrlin - September 18 - 12:13 pm

  My first American Luxury car. Considered Acura TL/TSX, Infinity and Lexus offerings. Price point and design made Zephyr most appealing, no cookie cutting. Exterior design jaw dropping gorgeous. Classy name and interior styling. Very solid build with a quality interior makes driving quite enjoyable. Love the AC in the seats (gets hot here in GA). Plesant experience at the dealership. Very quiet ride even at 70 mph interstate speed. Positive feedback in the corners, secure feeling from brake system. Overall Zephyr is well balanced when compared to competing models.