2003 Lincoln LS - Consumer Guide Automotive

Category	V6 Premium Rating (See All Ratings)	Premium Midsize Car Average Rating

Acceleration	5	6.5

Fuel Economy	5	4.5

Ride Quality	7	7.1

Steering/Handling/Braking	6	6.7

Quietness	7	6.8

Controls	7	6.6

Room/Comfort/Driver Seating (front)	7	7.2

Room/Comfort (rear)	6	5.5

Cargo Room	3	3.9

Value within Class	3	5.7

Total Score:	56	60.5

Ratings: Maximum 10 points per category

2003 LINCOLN LS BUYING RESOURCES

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2003 Lincoln LS Review

More power, revised styling, and available curtain side airbags update LS for 2003. Lincoln's near-luxury sedan shares a platform with the British-built Jaguar S-Type, but differs in styling and equipment. It offers a Ford V6 with an extra 12 hp for 2003, and a Jaguar-designed V8 that gains 28. Both engines use a 5-speed automatic transmission; the V6 no longer offers manual transmission. V6 LSs come with 16-inch wheels, V8s with 17s and a sport suspension. Front side airbags, ABS, and traction control are standard. An antiskid system is optional. Optional head-protecting curtain side airbags were added midyear. Also optional for the first time are heated rear seats, navigation system, and xenon headlights. Power-adjustable pedals and one-touch power front windows are newly standard. Heated and cooled front seats are standard on all but the base V6 model. Lincoln says noise levels are reduced with more-effective sound insulation. Styling changes include revisions to nose, tail, and wheels. The cabin gets some bright trim.

Competition

This hotly contested segment has its benchmark in the Lexus ES 300. It blends comfort, style, luxury, and sport into an efficient package at an affordable price. ES 300 manages to offer a little more luxury than others in the class.

We Recommend the Acura TL, Audi A4, and new Infiniti G35. All offer comfort, speed, and nimble handling at attractive prices. The sporty and Euro-flavored BMW 3-Series is Recommended as a rear-drive alternative. The "3" has enough bodystyles and engine choices to suit anyone. At the other end of the near-luxury spectrum is the posh and comfortable Buick Park Avenue--an old-school luxo-cruiser from Detroit.

News

A private "tuner" company now sells a sporty supercharged LS, leading some to speculate that Lincoln may offer its own such package in the near future. We think that unlikely, as Ford Motor Company has just begun inching back to profitability and has a long way to go. Still, you never know in the car biz.

Meantime, a redesigned LS on an updated platform is still apparently on track for 2005 or '06. An LS-based sedan/SUV hybrid and a cut-down 4-seat convertible were rumored for 2006, but their current status is unclear. However, sources do expect a high-power sedan to be added for 2007, which may be fueling talk of a factory-built supercharged model.

The LS got off to a respectable sales start, but has since declined, dropping 22 percent year-to-year in calendar 2001 and another 5.5 percent in the first nine months of 2002. It'll be interesting to see whether the revised 2003 models can reverse the trend.

2003 Lincoln LS Road Test >

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