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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  The Best Yet - 2004 Lincoln Town Car
  By tbrecheen - February 16 - 6:13 am

  This is my 7th Towncar since 1992. It is superior to my 92,95,97,96,99 and 01.All it take is just a little maintenance and they will last seemingly forever. All my others were great and we still have 3 in the family. I have also had 5 Mark VIIIs which were also fine cars. The greatest single description I believe is the dependability. Cant be beat.

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  Worst bang for the buck - 2012 Lincoln MKX
  By traci8 - February 15 - 9:21 pm

  I purchased this vehicle brand new loaded. At 5K miles I had to have the thermostat changed due to vehicle having a short and not starting. At 10K miles the power steering went out and took the vehicle to "Lincoln dealership for repairs and they had to fix the "power steering" over 6 times but would not classify the vehicle as a LEMON as they have experienced Lincoln advisors at the disposal of the service techs. well my car in the shop yet again for the same thing and they had my car for over 2 weeks and I just received a call that I will just have to live with the slight whining noise in the vehicle. Are you kidding me. Lincoln doesnt stand behind their products so please stay away.

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  A Misanalyzed Great Car - 2009 Lincoln MKS
  By Dave - February 13 - 12:56 pm

  We just purchased an MKS AWD model for my wife - she absolutely loves it! She loves the comfort, spaciousness, handling, performance, and level of luxury. Although not a techni, she finds the Sync system a user-friendly and awesome capability. Her car came with almost every option - it had suggested price of 45K, we paid 41K. I think the Edmunds reviewer needs to be taken with a grain of salt. He wrote a review based on what HE expects and wants from the car. My wife doesnt WANT his handling or performance; SHE likes "lower-level" handling (not crisp) and "less" performance (he calls it "lackluster"). Depending on what YOU want in a car, this is a great luxury car worthy of a look!

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  Lincoln LS V-8 Sport: Plenty OK! - 2002 Lincoln LS
  By Bigfoot - February 13 - 10:00 am

  This ties with my Taurus SHOs as the best all-around car I have ever owned. And, I have owned Model T, MG TC, Triumph TR-2, Mazda RX-2, Ferrari Dino 246GT, 3 Taurus SHOs and many other fun cars.

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  Love it! - 1999 Lincoln Navigator
  By karmdy - February 13 - 10:00 am

  I absolutely love this vehicle. and it is so much fun to drive.

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  continental - 2000 Lincoln Continental
  By golfiowa - February 13 - 10:00 am

  worst thing Lincoln could do is drop this line!

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  the car is great - 2001 Lincoln LS
  By pg021400 - February 13 - 10:00 am

  i bought this car after working for a lincoln dealership and it was everyt hing i had hoped for. i read all of the other reviews and people are rating this car bad because of the dealership and that has nothing to do with the actual car. if you want to down the dealership call lincoln division and let them know dont down a great car

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  The best car ever! - 2004 Lincoln LS
  By TimK - February 13 - 12:10 am

  Ive driven a lot of different cars in my lifetime and this by far is the most comfortable, exciting and fun to drive car Ive ever owned. Took a road trip this summer to Vegas and didnt feel like Id just drive 500 miles. Extremely comfortable. Very nimble too, handles like a premium German automobile (Mercedes M-Class, BMW 5- series). Too bad this car is going the way of the dinosaurs in a couple of years (after the 06 model year I believe). I think the boys at Lincoln need to rethink their stand on that and continue to produce this premium luxury sports car. Id love to buy another Lincoln luxury sports car. Hope I dont have to settle for a Caddy CTS on my next car purchase.

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  Never buy again - 2003 Lincoln LS
  By VALENCIA EPPS - February 7 - 3:53 pm

  I also made the mistake of buying this car and had continuous problems from the brakes to the a/c unit. My car stayed in the shop, and I was told it would be replaced because of so many problems. The car was never replaced. So I was stuck with some problems never being fixed and some additional problems later. Parts coming loose was devastating. I will never buy another Ford or Lincoln from this experience. My automatic lights are not working properly at this time among some other things.

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  Actual experience - 2008 Lincoln MKZ
  By don - February 6 - 9:13 am

  Traded in a 2004 TL automatic. MKZ has a better ride by far. Sync works much better than the TL voice system, seats are more comfortable, more adjustable, trunk is bigger back seat more comfortable and the air conditioned seats are by far the best thing going. Long drives they come in real handy.