1995-2002 Lincoln Continental Full Review - Consumer Guide Automotive

Our in-depth review covers everything you need to know about this generation Lincoln Continental. Get the latest news, find a local dealer, and get a free price quote for this generation Lincoln Continental.

1995-2002 Lincoln Continental Review

Still front-wheel drive, a redesigned Continental 4-door sedan debuted late in 1994, featuring a new V8 engine with dual-overhead camshafts. Less-conservative, contemporary styling now resembled the Mark VIII coupe. Developing 260 horsepower, the 4.6-liter V8 drove a new electronic 4-speed automatic transmission. Standard equipment included dual airbags, antilock braking, automatic climate control, and an air-filtration system to trap dust and pollen. A redesigned instrument panel displayed virtual-image graphics. The driver could adjust ride quality and steering assist from dashboard buttons.

Year to Year Changes

1996 Lincoln Continental: Continental's formerly optional antitheft alarm became standard for 1996, and a Remote Emergency Satellite Cellular Unit (dubbed RESCU) became optional. It consisted of a voice-activated cellular phone, two emergency buttons mounted in the overhead console, plus a global-positioning satellite receiver in the car's trunk. One button summoned roadside assistance; the other, police or medial assistance.

1997 Lincoln Continental: Traction control (formerly optional) became standard. Lincoln abandoned the front air springs in favor of ordinary steel-coil springs.

1998 Lincoln Continental: Continental gets a minor restyling but continues with the same mechanicals. It's almost exactly the same size as the model it replaces, but new proportions give the '98 Continental a shorter nose and longer tail. The restyled cabin has bird's-eye maple trim and one inch less rear leg room.

1999 Lincoln Continental: Changes for '99 included standard front side airbags and a 15-horsepower boost, to 275, for the 4.6-liter engine. Additionally, a leather-and-wood steering wheel, 10-spoke alloy wheels, and a 2-tone leather interior were new options.

2000 Lincoln Continental: Three new safety features went into 2000 models: rear child-seat anchors; a manual emergency release inside the trunk; and Belt Minder, a chime and warning light to encourage buckling up.

2001 Lincoln Continental: All Lincoln's got free regularly scheduled maintenance for the first three years/36,000 miles starting in 2001. Discontinued was RESCU, Lincoln's satellite/cell-phone-based emergency assistance service.

2002 Lincoln Continental: Lincoln announced that 2002 was to be Continental's final model year and did not make public any plans for a direct replacement. Added midyear was a special-trim Collector's Edition option for Driver Select models.

1995-2002 Lincoln Continental Road Test

Pros	Cons

Acceleration	Fuel economy

Passenger and cargo room	Noise

Instruments/controls	Electronic steering and suspension

Antilock brakes	Climate controls

Consumer Guide® Road-Test Evaluation

Helped by its new V8 engine, this Continental is a lot quicker, a bit more agile--and loaded with electronic gadgetry. In acceleration, the newly energetic Continental can match a Cadillac Seville SLS. At 16.3 mpg, gas mileage has not improved and premium fuel is recommended. Despite its multiple adjustments, Lincoln's high-tech electronic suspension/steering fails to succeed fully. High mode makes the steering stiffer, without increasing feel; Low mode leaves the steering rather light and vague. The suspension also works best in Normal, as the other two modes have little effect on absorption of bumps. Interior space is great. Occupants have plenty of leg space front and rear, while head room is adequate for 6-footers, even with the optional moonroof. Storage space is fine. The Continental's trunk is wide, deep, and long. Reflecting off a mirror above the instrument cluster, the dramatic virtual image gauges are strikingly bright at night, but hard to read in bright sunlight. Controls are plentiful, and most are handy, but climate controls and seat heaters are recessed into the dashboard and hard to reach.

Value for the Money
Lincoln evidently attempted to make the Continental both a sports sedan and a traditional luxury car. It's not quite either, but worth a look anyway. Because sales have been tepid, used-car prices may be appealing.

Consumer Guide® Road Test Ratings

Lincoln Continental	Rating

Performance	5

Fuel Economy	3

Ride Quality	6

Steering/Handling/Braking	4

Quietness	6

Controls/Materials	6

Interior Room	6

Room/Comfort (rear)	4

Cargo Capacity	4

Value within Class	5

Total:	49

Each vehicle report contains one rating chart for representative model. Consumer Guide® rates in ten key areas: Performance, Fuel Economy, Ride Comfort, Steering and Handling, Interior Noise, Controls and Materials, Driver Room, Passenger Room, Cargo Capacity, and Insurance Costs. These ratings compare the particular vehicle rated to ALL other vehicles, not a vehicle's standing in a particular class. In the ratings table, "1" is the lowest rating and "10" is the highest rating.

1995-2002 Lincoln Continental Reliability

Trouble Spots

Consumer Guide's® Auto Editors have scoured repair bulletins and questioned mechanics to search for commonly occurring problems for a particular vehicle. In some cases we also give possible manufacturer-suggested solutions. In many instances these trouble spots are Technical Service Bulletins posted by the manufacturer, however, we have our own expert looking at additional vehicle problems.

Air conditioner: Air conditioner output may be low or nonexistent because of a problem with the compressor clutch. (1995)

Hard starting: The engine may be hard to start or may stall after hot soak due to the idle-air control valve sticking (1995-96), or a poor connection at the crank position sensor. (1995-97)

Heater core: Installing a restrictor in the heater inlet hose may repair heater cores leaks. (1995-2002)

Steering noise: The steering grunts or groans after making right hand turns, requiring replacement of the steering gear. (1995-97)

Suspension noise: Clunking from the front end may be due to premature wear of the sway-bar links. (1995-97)

Consumer Guide® Estimated Repair Costs

This table lists costs of likely repairs for comparison with other vehicles. The dollar amount includes the cost of the part(s) and labor (based on $50 per hour) for the typical repair without extras or add-ons. Like the pricing information, replacement costs can vary widely depending on region. Expect charges at a new-car dealership to be slightly higher.


Item Name	Repair Cost

A/C Compressor	$435

Alternator	$510

Automatic Transmission or Transaxle	$870

Brakes	$320

Constant Velocity Joints	$470

Exhaust System	$540

Radiator	$290

Shocks and/or Struts	$1,165

Timing Chain or Belt	$795

NHTSA Recall History

1995-96: "Autolamp" control module may fail.

1996: Vehicle can move even though indicator shows Park.

1998: Text and/or graphics for headlamp aiming instructions, provided in owner guides, are not sufficiently clear.

1999: Fuel-rail crossover hose was damaged during assembly, allowing fuel leakage.

1999-2000: Due to defective airbag sensors, the driver and/or passenger airbag might deploy as a result of minor bumps in the road and such. Dealer will inspect and recalibrate all defective sensors.

2000: Due to incorrectly formed pin shaft in seatbelt retractor, switching mechanism could become nonfunctional in some circumstances, preventing seatbelt webbing from being extracted.

2000-01: A switch located in the plastic cover of the wiper-motor gear case could malfunction and overheat, potentially resulting in loss of wiper function or fire.

1995-2002 Lincoln Continental Prices

Prices	Good	Average	Poor

1995
Continental	$2,300-2,800	$1,700-2,000	$400-500

1996
Continental	$2,700-3,300	$2,000-2,500	$600-700

1997
Continental	$3,100-3,700	$2,400-2,900	$700-900

1998
Continental	$3,700-4,400	$3,000-3,600	$1,100-1,300

1999
Continental	$4,400-5,200	$3,700-4,300	$1,500-1,800

2000
Continental	$5,300-6,100	$4,600-5,200	$2,200-2,500

2001
Continental	$6,500-7,400	$5,700-6,500	$2,900-3,300

2002
Continental	$8,200-9,200	$7,400-8,300	$4,200-4,700

This chart details a range of prices in year-by-year listings for vehicles in three condition levels:

Good: a clean low-mileage, solid-running vehicle that needs little or no repair.

Average: a car with normal miles on the odometer, perhaps a few scrapes or dings; engine might need a minor repair or two, but runs acceptably well.

Poor: might have potentially dangerous problems with the engine and/or body, or abnormally high mileage; definitely in need of mechanical attention. Valuations reflect wholesale prices paid by dealers at auction, and retail prices on used-car lots. Each range covers all trim levels and engine types for a vehicle with a typical amount of equipment--usually an automatic transmission, air conditioning, stereo, etc. Fully loaded vehicles may cost more. Average mileage is 12,000 miles per year. Keep in mind that these are guidelines only. Actual selling prices vary- especially from region to region.

1995-2002 Lincoln Continental Specs & Safety

Vehicle Dimensions

Specification	4-door sedan

Wheelbase, in.	109.0

Overall Length, in.	206.3

Overall Width, in.	73.3

Overall Height, in.	55.9

Curb Weight, lbs.	3911

Cargo Volume, cu. ft.	18.1

Standard Payload, lbs.	--

Fuel Capacity, gals.	18.0

Seating Capacity	6

Front Head Room, in.	39.1

Max. Front Leg Room, in.	41.8

Rear Head Room, in.	39.0

Max. Rear Leg Room, in.	39.2

Specifications Key: NA = not available; "--" = measurement does not exist.

Powertrain Options and Availability

All Continentals had the same powertrain: a 260-horsepower 4.6-liter V8 engine with dual-overhead camshafts, driving a 4-speed automatic transmission. In 1999, engine revisions netted an addition 15 horsepower and 10 pound-feet of torque.

Engines	Size liters / cu. in	Horse- power	Torque	Transmission: EPA city/hgwy	Consumer Guide Observed

dohc V8	4.6 / 281	260-275	265-275	4-speed automatic: 17/25	4-speed automatic: 16.3

Specifications Key: NA = not available; "--" = measurement does not exist.

NHTSA Crash-Test Results

Vehicle crash test information not available at this time.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) tests a vehicle's worthiness in front- and side-impact collisions and rates its resistance to rollovers. Front-impact crash-test numbers indicate the chance of serious injury: 5 = 10% or less; 4 = 10-20%; 3 = 20-35%; 2 = 35-45%; 1 = More than 45%. Side-impact crash-test numbers indicate: 5 = 5% or less; 4 = 6-10%; 3 = 11-20%; 2 = 21-25%; 1 = More than 26%. Rollover resistance numbers indicate the chance for rollover when the vehicle leaves the roadway: 5 = Less than 10%; 4 = 10-20%; 3 = 20-30%; 2 = 30-40%; 1 = More than 40%.

Built In: USA

Drive Wheels: transverse front-engine/front-wheel drive

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Also in the 1995-2002 Lincoln Continental Review:

Lincoln Continental

Lincoln Continental Road Test

Lincoln Continental Reliability

Lincoln Continental Prices

Lincoln Continental Specs & Safety

Lincoln Continental Photos

Lincoln Continental Full Review