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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  Town Car - 2002 Lincoln Town Car
  By john - October 20 - 3:13 am

  Very reliable, gets 22.3 MPG average in winter. Have replaced breaks and tires due to normal wear. Best interior room around, very large trunk, very comfortable ride. Found it had better knee room than DeVille. Automatic mirrors seem erratic, but may need to be reset -not sure. Very satisfied -but wish they would upgrade gas tank to 20 gallons and improve gas tank safety for rear impact, although it is pretty reasonable now. Great seat warmer, or as I refer to it prostate warmer. Paint did tend to scratch easily on the plastic parts -perhaps some insufficiently durable water based paint used on those parts?? Very reliable and comfortable after 3 years of use.

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  Extremely Poor Reliability - 2003 Lincoln Aviator
  By Rsmith - October 16 - 2:26 pm

  Enjoy the vehicle, plenty of power, comfort and overall utility. However, with only 75,000 miles, the following maintenance issues have developed. On three wheels the bearing failed,$1,600, the number eight cylinder is bad, requiring over $4,000 in repairs, transmission failed, over $3,000 repair, driver side window motor failed, $350 in repair, back window hatch cracked, and now the shift lever is bad. The dealer did not treat me as a valued customer, but tried to gouge me and stated that I should get rid of the vehicle. This is by far the most unreliable vehicle that I have ever owned. Wil never purchase another Lincoln or so called American car.

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  Never Again...... - 2003 Lincoln LS
  By stinkinlincoln - October 15 - 3:16 pm

  I bought the car with 23000 miles on it. After I had the car six weeks, it was in the shop. I had to replace a coil package...$800. I was told my warranty would not cover it?? I have replaced oxygen sensors (twice), ignition coils, and wheel bearings. The check engine light STAYS ON as well as the ABS light. It is now currently in the shop for ETC FAIL SAFE MODE. I will NEVER buy another Ford product!!!!!!

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  Best Luxury Car for the Money - 2006 Lincoln LS
  By Wallzilla - October 15 - 10:56 am

  Lincoln has always been one of the stronger US brands. The LS is an amazing car. I test drove the GS300 and the Infiniti M35. When equally equipped, each car has a similar sticker price. BUT, the most I could get off of a Lexus or an Infiniti was 3- 5%. I was able to get almost 40% off a new LS. The car is not worth its sticker, but what car is? When you factor in the discount, this is the best car for the money. The resale hit is non-exsistent when you make the right deal. Highly recommended.

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  Unbelievable - 2003 Lincoln LS
  By Carlover147 - October 15 - 10:00 am

  I never thought I would be a lincoln customer at the young age of 26 but my mind was changed after I test drove a 2003 Lincon LS. Before my purchase I tested both the BMW 3 & 5 series and mercedes benz c class. The lincoln was the last test drive and by far my favorite. With 2300 miles on it so far I have not had one regret.

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  Best SUV Yet - 2007 Lincoln Navigator L
  By Mohamad - October 15 - 1:46 am

  I bought this car a couple of months ago after recently selling my 2003 Navigator because we thought we needed a more room because we are family of 7 and we always said we would get a bigger car. We tried the Escallade ESV and the GMC Yukon EL but when it came to it, the Navigator was best. I have 2 teenage kids who are really tall and love the room only in the Navigator because of our last one. This car is really good for travel. My family and I went on a 14 hour trip to Tennesse from Tampa and we went none stop with all 7 of us and also we took my nephew and all of our stuff that hit to the roof in the truck. It drove nice and smooth and it was even raining and I put alot of weight. Perfect!

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  Passed the ultimate safety test! - 2007 Lincoln MKX
  By Saved our lives! - October 14 - 2:00 pm

  We had our MKX for 6 days when we were in a terrible rollover accident. A woman ran a stale red light and we hit her going about 30-40 mph. I had a 15 month old and 3 1/2 year old in the back seat. We had a terrible impact and then rolled upside down and spun around. We were all able to escape through a rear door with only minor scratches and bruises. The firemen at the scene said that my MKX saved our lives and for the severity of the accident, the car took an amazing impact and stayed intact. We have even had inquiries from local responders on the scene to confirm what kind of vehicle we were in because they would like to buy the same car for their families. Way to go Lincoln!

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  Lincoln Towncar Cartier 4dr - 1996 Lincoln Town Car
  By carl schoonover - October 10 - 11:00 am

  Overall this has been a great car. A few things quit working after 3-4 years. The cruise control stopped working and would cost $400-$500 to fix. Also, there has been a problem with the speed sensor in the right front wheel which affects the braking, although the braking is still safe it makes a groaning noise and sometimes pulls to the right. This has been fixed a couple of times, but persists. Otherwise, the car has be superb.

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  My Lincoln Now - 2006 Lincoln Zephyr
  By scott luckey - October 8 - 10:26 pm

  Highway cruising great, gets lots of looks, only improvement would be transmission. Starting off is sometimes clumsy due to accelerator and response.

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  Great Car - 2003 Lincoln Town Car
  By Randall - October 5 - 11:00 pm

  Great car. Some problems with the A/C. The power of a Mustang with top of the line luxury. Would recommend to anyone.