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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  After two years - Still Great - 2002 Lincoln LS
  By sawmill - May 21 - 10:00 am

  Bought the LS non-sport V8 in February, 2000. Although the dealer experience was the worst anyone could possibly imagine, the Execs at Lincoln fixed the problems. The car had its own set of early-build quality problems - which also were all couteously repaired by a different dealer. But now, for about a year and a half, the car gets better and better as the tranny and engine wear-in. The car is still silent as a tomb inside, gas mileage improves with age, and the Firestone Firehawk tires hold up and hold on to the road beautifully. Paint still looks showroom- new, and the cars styling standout in Beverly Hills as well as the desert highways.

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  GREAT SUV - 2002 Lincoln Navigator
  By DTBJKB - May 21 - 10:00 am

  AWESOME TRUCK, HARD ON GAS, BUT IT IS FUN TO DRIVE AND MY WIFE FEELS VERY SAFE DRIVING OUR CHILDREN IN IT.

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  Much better than Cadillac - 2003 Lincoln Town Car
  By Malcolm - May 21 - 10:00 am

  Very good vehicle, best Town Car to date

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  2008 MKZ AWD - 2008 Lincoln MKZ
  By J Betten - May 21 - 4:03 am

  I drive more than 40,000 miles per year. I chose this car over all other premium sedans, which I did test drive. Im very pleased with everything about the car and feel its under-priced compared to other luxury sedans. Handling is great! Interior is very quiet. Power is good for a v6 awd Comfort and ride quality are excellent. THX Stereo is Fantastic! GPS is somewhat intuitive, but interactive system is great. The only drawback is the lack of blue tooth phone, which may come later. I coincidentally bought one of the first off the assembly line. I found that this car is the best for the money - $10000-15000 price difference to other makes.

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  Should help the Lincoln brand - 2017 Lincoln MKZ
  By Mrpushrod - May 21 - 12:13 am

  I test drove many vehicles. When it came down to it I liked the interior, ride and comfort better in the MKZ. And for $55k it is hard to find a creamy smooth 400HP engine. The other midsized luxury vehicles felt inferior. As if the Lincoln had a higher-end quality interior. Multicontour seats well thought out, leather and padded surfaces felt soft and supple. It feels like the Lincoln brand is trying harder since they have to thwart off the sport of American brand bashing that is constantly read in publications such as Consumer Reports. Furthermore, I test drove and ordered a MKZ with the Drivers Package that has dynamic torque vectoring which intelligently applies power to the rear wheels when driving aggressively. With the package on a test ride (not pushing to limits) I did not feel any torque steer or that much understeer typically associated with FWD and some AWD vehicles. And to boot in my opinion the road isolation & ride felt better in the Lincoln than a Caddy, Mercedes or BMW. Looking for true compromise, I passed on the summer only tires this time around. So if there is some impact from having AWD vs RWD it will most likely only be noticed at the track or by very aggressive drivers. That said 99.999999% of the audience buying these vehicles today are not going to the race track. They are looking for stable good grip on a variety of road conditions along with easy control and sure footed steering feel. That’s what the average Joe wants behind the wheel and Lincoln delivers. The AWD with torque vectoring does its job and keeps torque steer under control and steering feel is precise; easy to thread the car through a needle. BTW, I am not an ignorant just looking to be the expert and to hear myself speak. I know the difference between the Lincoln and a true sport sedan and opted for the Lincoln. My other vehicles are; a Corvette, Pontiac G8 GT (RWD 6 liter), F150 and Road Glide. The only cons besides the Lincoln name: scant rear head room, smaller rear seat than some, and weight distribution with AWD (not 50-50% front and rear like a RWD sedan). One more comment. Consumer Reports issue with the push button gear selector is really a joke. Anyone that is off the baby bottle will not mind the change. I actually think it makes a lot of sense to free up the console. Hope other brands do the same. A common solution amongst brands through committee would be best

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  Love it! - 2007 Lincoln MKZ
  By Chris - May 20 - 7:33 am

  I bought this car four days ago after researching it and the Zephyr for about a year. So far, I am in love. Everyone coments on how nice the car is. It really turns heads! My only complaint so far is that the trunk can be awkward to close without leaving a huge hand print on the glossy black paint.

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  Great SUV - 2010 Lincoln MKX
  By jschartz - May 19 - 1:01 am

  I like my 2010 Lincoln MKX. I have not had any problems with the full size vehicle. With the back seats down, the vehicles holds so many suitcases and bags for vacation. The A/C works exceptionally especially in humid weather conditions. It has plenty of power and the braking system is great as well. I own a 2001 Ford Escape and wanted an upgrade to the Lincoln. The MKX is a sturdy well built vehicle.

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  Couch on Wheels - 2004 Lincoln LS
  By sanger92 - May 16 - 2:00 am

  Is the most comfortable car I have ever driven. Never get tired of being in it. Almost drives itself.

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  love it - 2004 Lincoln Navigator
  By cool man big car - May 16 - 2:00 am

  i had 2 navigators and my new one is amazing best one ever better than the cadillac esv.

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  King of the road - 2006 Lincoln Town Car
  By MR. HAMEL - May 15 - 1:46 am

  Very very plush ride, ive had em all and the town car tops the deville, avalon, 300c and anything thing else that matches up with it.