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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  Seats are Hard - 2004 Lincoln Aviator
  By Jferrell - September 24 - 2:00 am

  The vehicle seems ok with the same style as a Ford Explorer. But once you get in, the comfort level is minimal. The layout of the dash is fine, but the flip down cover for the stereo is kind of cheesy. The seats are the most uncomfortable I have ever sat in. The sides are hard and hit right in the thigh. No matter how I turned, I was not able to find a comfirtable position. For a luxury SUV, they did not put a good effort into the seating. There is also a hesitation when stepping on the gas to get on a freeway which could be improved (1 to 1 1/2 seconds)

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  What a Rip Off - 2012 Lincoln MKX
  By mkxripoff - July 30 - 10:19 am

  I traded my Lincoln Navigator for the new MKX due to the gas mileage it advertised. 20 city and 29 hwy. I drive hwy miles 90% of the time and never ever once got over 20mpg. I actually did 65mph for over a month to see if it was my driving and it never changed. I hate the car from every aspect. I wish I had never traded in my Navigator since I got an average of 15mpg and it was a much better vehicle. I feel like I was taken advantage of by Ford. Every manufacturer to step up and do what Hyundai is doing and to reimburse owners and correct their estimates. I am stuck with this car for another two mieserable years. Hate it!

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  Nothing but problems! - 2000 Lincoln Navigator
  By LaceyP - May 21 - 5:23 am

  I would NEVER buy another Navigator. I have had nothing but problems with mine. The air suspension went out and is NOT cheap to fix. Also Ive had transmission problems. Something in the transmission gets too hot and causes the seal to break and the transmission fluid to leak so transmission had to be rebuilt. The only positive thing about this vehicle is the room and seating but unfortunately I cant keep it running long enough to even enjoy that. If you have a ton of money to fix on ongoing repairs then this car is for you! These vehicles are bad for their suspension and transmission problems...I wish I would have known this before I wasted money buying mine.

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  Do not buy - 2012 Lincoln MKT
  By zaabby - April 8 - 8:35 pm

  I am very disappointed with this car. It is my fault I bought it howeverÂ…. It is very uncomfortable on long trips as it is too narrow. The two zone comfort system is a fake; as there is only one fan. Thus the zone with the greatest different controlÂ’s the fan. The safety system is silly; it beeps and you get a message on the screen telling to look around. Plus it has lots of other poor design choices. When the wind blows it will whistle, also when someone pass you when the wind blowing it will whistle

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  Next time Ill look past the new - 2011 Lincoln MKZ
  By cudaowner - April 8 - 8:25 pm

  I am sorry I did not drive this car for a few hours before we leased it. After the first road trip I knew I had made a mistake. Undersupported seats make for a miserable ride. You cannot get the air from dash vest off of you. The radio is rediculous and the wind and road noise is awful. The sloppy shifting transmission newer knows what gear it wants. The memory seats have a short memory. I sure dont see any value or luxury in this MKZ.

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  Love / hate relationship - 2003 Lincoln LS
  By Ronster7 - March 17 - 2:00 am

  Purchased a 2001 LS V8 Sport with almost all of the options. I have had non-stop problems with this car. Anywhere from non-start conditions (still happening after many repair attempts), leaking oil, suspension problems, fuel filter problems, many computer updates, radio replacements, etc. Poor quality after 27k miles my suspension is fading way too much. I take care of this vehicle and it simply is poor quality. Lincoln customer service is terrible for the class of this vehicle.

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  Lincoln Navigator is a Lemon - 2003 Lincoln Navigator
  By eallen - March 7 - 10:00 am

  The Lincoln Navigator is a lemon. since shelling out $53,000 for this vehicle, I have had nothing but one problem after another. From the cheap plastic exterior pieces falling off, the gimmicky automated functions screwing up, to being stranded with my children due to not only power steering leakage and transmission problems, but also engine trouble. This vehicle is a Ford Expedition that was retro-fitted with gimmicky features the computer programmers completely miscalculated. It uses cheap import parts. If you buy this vehicle after reading this, you deserve the lemon that you will get.

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  DONT BUY THIS VEHICLE! - 2003 Lincoln Navigator
  By petedeb1 - December 2 - 1:14 am

  We have 89,000 miles on this vehicle and have taken excellent care of it over the years only to find out it needs about $5,000 work of engine repairs. It is ten years old so we have decided to trade it in on a new vehicle. We certainly expected to get more miles out of this vehicle than 89,000! Come on people, this is a high-end expensive vehicle and we only got 89,000 miles out of it. What a useless piece of junk!

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  Nothing but problems... - 2003 Lincoln LS
  By I hate this car - November 9 - 2:00 am

  I hope that I can just save people from wasting their money of this car. It has been nothing but troubles since the beginning. By the second week that I had the car it was in the shop for almost a month. They then gave it back to us, still not working properly, and then went back in for repairs for another 3 weeks. I just cannot tell you all of the aggravation and stress that this car has caused me. It has been the WORST car that I have ever purchased. I cant wait to get rid of it - also, Lincoln has been miserable to deal with and very unhelpful!

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  2009 MKS - A bad mistake - 2009 Lincoln MKS
  By tgeorge1241 - October 30 - 2:35 pm

  I bought this car, loaded, used in the summer of 2012. Since it only had 17,000 miles on it I really thought it would be a good car I could drive for several more years. I sold it 7 months later. As far as Im concerned Lincoln(Ford) builds nothing but junk. The acceleration was terrible; pokey and jerky. Id be at a stop light with no one near me for miles and the side assist warning system would starting beeping. Two months in and part of the drivers seat fell apart and a piece of the grill fell out. Gas mileage was terrible and in the rain the MKS drove skidded all over. Ill never buy a Lincoln or Ford again.