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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  2014 Lincoln MKZ 3.7L AWD - 2014 Lincoln MKZ
  By TrevorP - February 28 - 4:47 pm

  This is my second winter owning the car. Last winter I had few issues with the power decklid not opening and closing automatically. It would still pop the trunk but my auto closing switches didnt work so i had to open and close it manually. No big deal. This winter, it wont even pop the trunk. I am locked out of the trunk of my vehicle unless I fold down the back seats and pull the emergency release. Then I had a dead battery....Once I got the vehicle started, it displayed several warnings (Service TPS, hill start not available, Service steering system) but the car was running. I realized i had a problem when I was unable to turn the steering wheel. If you live in cold climates, this is a terrible car. Everything is electric. Other than this issue, its a great car to spend time in and drive. I absolutely love it during the summer when everything works.

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  Very good value - 2005 Lincoln LS
  By dick v - February 15 - 11:16 pm

  Very good value for luxury car. Very good handling and acceleration. I traded in a 2000 LS Sport with 98000 miles.

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  Highly Recommend T/C - 1995 Lincoln Town Car
  By Wulfspring - February 14 - 10:00 am

  Very reliable, very luxurious, gets 24+ mpg on highway trips, freshened exterior for 1995 with mostly new interior, only routine maintenance, decent power as Sign. Series has dual exhaust.... Dont wait until your old to own a T/C, I know I sure didnt, drive what you want to drive!

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  2006 Navigator, my 4th - 2006 Lincoln Navigator
  By hilnavigator - February 10 - 10:36 am

  After having a 1998, 2001, 2003, and now a 2006 Navigator, I must say the 2003 overall ride/performance was the best. The 2006 engine noise is more on hard acceleration, the 6 speed transmission still has shift issues, especially in slow traffic, lots of clunking and ruff shifts. My 06 now has only 18,000 miles. Need for premium gas is a negative when gas was running 4 plus bucks a gallon. Could have better ride on rough roads, original Michelin tires ride not as good as Continentals. Replaced with Pirelli 20 in, as supplied on 2007s, nice riding tires, & looks great with 07 rims, but a noisy bumpy ride for first 10 minutes till they round out, but great in snow. Lower radiator hoseclamp failed

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  Lots for Less - 2008 Lincoln MKZ
  By TW - February 4 - 4:33 pm

  Car offers just about every option in the book for a reasonable price. The SYNC system is outstanding and provides the bluetooth capability some reviewers were asking for. On the other hand there are a lot of things that say Ford/Mercury and not Lincoln. The floor mats define cheap. The seats are not comfortable for long periods. The center console is too far rearward to rest elbow when driving. Transmission sometimes gives very sudden/harsh down shifts. And worst of all, there is a very annoying powertrain vibration/resonance at 2000 rpm that produces both an audible noise and tactile feel in steering wheel/gas pedal.

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  DR REVIEW - 2004 Lincoln Aviator
  By DR234 - February 4 - 10:00 am

  GOOD LOOKS GREAT INTERIOR LACKS POWER TAILGATE AND POWER TILT ON SEATS AND DIMMING REAR MIRROR ANTI ROLL SHOULD BE STANDARD FOR ITS PRICE RANGE

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  Lincoln ls v8 - 2003 Lincoln LS
  By eazylee1 - January 26 - 8:58 am

  so i was 9 years old when I first noticed this car ever since then i loved it the look of it the interior everything! fast forward some years and i was 16 looking for my first car i wanted something with v8 speed,wood grain,and nice black leather so thats what i got i bought a 02 ls v8 from a lawyer in ATL with 107xxx and drove it back to Florida where i lived. on the way home a coil went out causing it to misfire a little which was a eazy cheap repair but it was caused by the gasket letting oil into the coils causing them to foul out after that it was all good untill i hit 139xxx ...engine threw a rod and now im out of a car with no resale value

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  Superior Value to BMW530 or BMW540 - 2003 Lincoln LS
  By ASteinb - January 21 - 2:00 am

  Its sad that so much is spent on BMW 5 series, when the top of the line LSV8 premium sport with navigation is such a better value. I shopped BMWs extensively. To match what I bought (leased) ased on $42K ($47K MSRP) would have required the high 50s for a similarly-equipped BMW.

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  Drives Great - 2003 Lincoln Navigator
  By BlackGator - January 21 - 2:00 am

  Pluses- Drives and Looks Great. Interior well laid out. Seats are very comfy. Minuses - Mileage is 12 MPG in mixed driving. For that poor of gas mileage Id expect better performace. More torque please. There is no replacement for displacement. Some of the interior fit and finish is cheap looking and feeling. And when are Lincoln dealers going to learn how to prep a vehicle? I think they used a garden hose and an old sock to wash it.

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  New Navigator - 2003 Lincoln Navigator
  By mzangari - January 16 - 10:00 am

  Just picked up my new 2003 Navigator...I love this truck, from the great exterior design to all of the amenities on the inside, this thing is top notch....I went all out and got the ultimate with all available options (navigation, dvd entertainment, chrome wheels, etc...). I was also pleasantly surprised with the navigation system, it is different than what is shown in the published book and much easier to use, all touch screen, no silly knobs to deal with. I really love this truck.