Lincoln Continental: a used buyer's guide to the 2017–2020 sedan and earlier generations

By CarWhere Research · Updated

The modern Lincoln Continental is a full-size luxury sedan sold for the 2017–2020 model years. It offered a 3.7L V6, a 2.7L twin-turbo V6 and a top 3.0L twin-turbo V6 that came only with all-wheel drive, all with a six-speed automatic. EPA rates the 3.0L at 16/24/19 mpg. Production ended in 2020 with no direct replacement.

Type
Full-size luxury sedan (2017–2020), FWD or AWD
Powertrains
Continental 3.0L twin-turbo V6, Continental 2.7L twin-turbo V6, Continental 3.7L V6
Current generation
Tenth generation, 2017–2020

Lincoln Continental engines, horsepower and mpg

These are EPA figures, shown for FWD where it was offered. AWD lowers them to 17/25/20 for the 2.7L and 16/24/19 for the 3.7L. EPA lists the 3.0L only with AWD, and it rates the 2019–2020 Coach Door version separately, at 16/24/19. Lincoln is no longer selling the Continental, and we could not open a Lincoln source for its horsepower ratings, so output is left blank here.

Lincoln Continental powertrains with Lincoln-rated output and EPA fuel economy (city/highway/combined)
VersionEngineHorsepowerTorque (lb-ft)TransmissionDriveEPA mpg (city/hwy/comb)
Continental 3.0L twin-turbo V63.0L twin-turbo V6[1][2][3]——6-speed automaticAll-wheel drive16/24/192020 MY[2]
Continental 2.7L twin-turbo V62.7L twin-turbo V6 (2.7L EcoBoost V6)[4][5]——6-speed automaticFWD or AWD18/27/212017 MY[4]
Continental 3.7L V63.7L V6[6][7]——6-speed automaticFWD or AWD17/26/202017 MY[6]

Output is as rated by Lincoln; fuel economy is the EPA estimate. "—" means no official figure was found.

Engine guides (shared with Ford): 2.7 EcoBoost

2017–2020 Continental engines by EPA rating

All three engines use a six-speed automatic.[6][7][4][5][2]

2017–2020 Continental engines by EPA rating
3.7L V62.7L twin-turbo V63.0L twin-turbo V6
DriveFWD or AWDFWD or AWDAWD only
EPA mpg FWD (city/hwy/comb)17/26/2018/27/21—
EPA mpg AWD (city/hwy/comb)16/24/1917/25/2016/24/19
Years2017–20202017–20202017–2020
  • The 2.7L is the most efficient Continental engine.
  • The 3.0L always came with AWD and matches the AWD 3.7L's EPA rating.
  • Every engine uses the same six-speed automatic.

Which 2017–2020 Continental engine to look for

The 3.7L V6 is a non-turbo engine offered with front- or all-wheel drive. EPA rates it at 17/26/20 mpg with FWD. The 2.7L twin-turbo V6 is the most efficient choice, at 18/27/21 with FWD and 17/25/20 with AWD.

The 3.0L twin-turbo V6 was the top engine and always came with all-wheel drive, rated 16/24/19. All three engines use a six-speed automatic controlled by push buttons beside the touchscreen, with paddle shifters standard.

  • 3.7L V6: 17/26/20 (FWD), 16/24/19 (AWD)
  • 2.7L twin-turbo V6: 18/27/21 (FWD), 17/25/20 (AWD)
  • 3.0L twin-turbo V6: 16/24/19, AWD only
  • [6][7][4][5][2][3]

Trims, Black Label and the Coach Door Edition

The 2017–2020 Continental came in Premiere, Select, Reserve and Black Label trims. Black Label cars had coordinated themes, including Chalet, Thoroughbred and the Continental-only Rhapsody Blue.

For 2019 and 2020 Lincoln offered a Coach Door Edition. A qualified Ford modifier converted a standard Continental with a longer wheelbase and rear-hinged rear doors, and the car came with Black Label trim and the 3.0L AWD powertrain. EPA lists it as a separate model, the Continental Coach.[3][8]

Buying a used 2017–2020 Continental

These are the newest Continentals and the easiest to find with modern safety and infotainment features. Run the VIN through NHTSA. Recall 19V077 covers door-latch pawl motors on 27,609 2017–2019 cars, and 22V644 covers cloudy 360-degree camera lenses on 2017–2020 models.

Production ended in 2020 and Lincoln did not replace the full-size sedan. For a large Lincoln with a similar layout, the alternatives are a used MKZ (smaller) or a 1998–2011 Town Car (rear-wheel-drive V8).[14][15][16][3][17]

Lincoln Continental generations by year

Every US Lincoln Continental generation with model years and engines, newest first
GenerationUS model yearsEnginesNotes
Tenth generation2017–20203.7L V6, 2.7L twin-turbo V6, 3.0L twin-turbo V6 (AWD only); 6-speed automaticReplaced the MKS and was built at Flat Rock Assembly. It rides on an extended version of Ford's CD4 platform and has E-Latch electronic doors and push-button gear selection. The trims were Premiere, Select, Reserve and Black Label. Coach Door Editions with rear-hinged back doors were made in small numbers for 2019–2020.[1][8][3]
Ninth generation1995–20024.6L V8, 4-speed automatic, front-wheel driveA front-wheel-drive V8 sedan. EPA rated the 1995 at 15/23/18 mpg. After 2002 the Continental name went unused until 2017.[9][10][3]
Eighth generation1988–19943.8L V6, 4-speed automatic, front-wheel driveThe first front-wheel-drive Continental. EPA rated the 1988 at 15/23/18 mpg.[11][3]
Seventh generation1982–19875.0L V8; 2.4L turbodiesel six (1984–1985); 4-speed automatic, rear-wheel driveA mid-size rear-wheel-drive sedan. EPA rated the 1984 5.0L at 14/20/16 mpg and the 1984 2.4L turbodiesel at 20/28/23.[12][13][3]
Earlier Continentals1940–1980V12 and V8 engines (varied by era)The nameplate began with Edsel Ford's 1939 prototype and the 1940–1942 and 1946–1948 cars. It continued through the 1956–1957 Mark II, the 1958–1960 cars, the 1961–1969 suicide-door sedans and convertibles, and the large 1970s models. These are collector cars rather than everyday used cars.[3]

Lincoln Continental problems and recalls

The most important recall for a used 2017–2020 Continental is 19V-077, which replaces all four door latches on 2017–2019 cars because the electronic latch motors may not fully engage. Other recalls cover a 360-degree camera lens that can turn cloudy, rear camera software, a 2017 driver air bag and early 2017 HID headlights.

Documented Lincoln Continental issues and NHTSA recall campaigns
IssueGenerationYearsType
Door latch motors may not fully latch (recall 19V-077)[18][19]Tenth generation (2017–2020) – 2017–20192017–2019Recall 19V077
360-degree camera lens can turn cloudy (recall 22V-644)[20][19]Tenth generation (2017–2020) – 2017–20202017–2020Recall 22V644
Rear camera software can blank or freeze the image (recall 25V-442)[21][19]Tenth generation (2017–2020) – 2019–20202019–2020Recall 25V442
Driver air bag may not fully inflate (recall 17V-123)[22][19]Tenth generation (2017–2020) – 20172017Recall 17V123
HID headlights built with incorrect lenses (recall 16V-731)[23][19]Tenth generation (2017–2020) – 20172017Recall 16V731

All 5 documented Continental issues and 5 recalls, with symptoms and pre-purchase checks →

More Continental research

See how a Continental was built at the factory.

Trim names and packages on a used listing are not always right. The CarWhere Lincoln build sheet reconstructs factory colors, options and packages from licensed VIN-level build data — availability is checked free, and it is $9.99 only when detailed build data is found for that VIN.

Lincoln build sheet by VIN

Frequently asked questions

What years was the modern Lincoln Continental made?

The tenth-generation Continental was sold for the 2017 through 2020 model years and built at Flat Rock Assembly. Production ended in 2020 without a direct replacement.

What engines did the 2017–2020 Continental have?

A 3.7L V6, a 2.7L twin-turbo V6 and a 3.0L twin-turbo V6. The 3.0L came only with all-wheel drive, and all three used a six-speed automatic.

What gas mileage does a Lincoln Continental get?

EPA rates the 2017–2020 Continental at 16–18 mpg city and 24–27 highway. The 2.7L FWD is the best, at 18/27/21, and the 3.0L AWD is rated 16/24/19.

What is the Lincoln Continental Coach Door Edition?

A 2019–2020 version with rear-hinged back doors and a longer wheelbase, converted by a qualified Ford modifier. It came with Black Label trim and the 3.0L AWD powertrain.

Does Lincoln still sell the Continental?

No. Lincoln.com lists only SUVs in the current lineup: the Navigator, Aviator, Nautilus and Corsair Hybrid.

Sources

Prices and output are as published by Lincoln for the model year shown; fuel economy is from the EPA. Equipment changes between model years, so confirm a specific vehicle against its original paperwork or build sheet.

  1. EPA fuel economy: 2017 Lincoln Continental AWD 3.0L — U.S. EPA / DOE (fueleconomy.gov)
  2. EPA fuel economy: 2020 Lincoln Continental AWD 3.0L — U.S. EPA / DOE (fueleconomy.gov)
  3. Lincoln Continental (history corroboration) — Wikipedia (secondary reference)
  4. EPA fuel economy: 2017 Lincoln Continental FWD 2.7L — U.S. EPA / DOE (fueleconomy.gov)
  5. EPA fuel economy: 2017 Lincoln Continental AWD 2.7L — U.S. EPA / DOE (fueleconomy.gov)
  6. EPA fuel economy: 2017 Lincoln Continental FWD 3.7L — U.S. EPA / DOE (fueleconomy.gov)
  7. EPA fuel economy: 2017 Lincoln Continental AWD 3.7L — U.S. EPA / DOE (fueleconomy.gov)
  8. EPA fuel economy: 2019 Lincoln Continental Coach — U.S. EPA / DOE (fueleconomy.gov)
  9. EPA fuel economy: 1995 Lincoln Continental — U.S. EPA / DOE (fueleconomy.gov)
  10. EPA fuel economy: 1999 Lincoln Continental — U.S. EPA / DOE (fueleconomy.gov)
  11. EPA fuel economy: 1988 Lincoln Continental — U.S. EPA / DOE (fueleconomy.gov)
  12. EPA fuel economy: 1984 Lincoln Continental 5.0L — U.S. EPA / DOE (fueleconomy.gov)
  13. EPA fuel economy: 1984 Lincoln Continental 2.4L turbodiesel — U.S. EPA / DOE (fueleconomy.gov)
  14. NHTSA recall 19V077000: Doors may open while driving, 2017–2019 Continental (Feb 2019) — NHTSA recall (DOT recall dataset 6axg-epim)
  15. NHTSA recall 22V644000: Cloudy 360-degree camera lens, 2017–2020 Continental (Aug 2022) — NHTSA recall (DOT recall dataset 6axg-epim)
  16. DOT/NHTSA recall dataset query: "Lincoln Continental" — U.S. DOT open data (data.transportation.gov)
  17. Lincoln vehicle lineup (lincoln.com home page) — Lincoln (lincoln.com)
  18. NHTSA recall 19V-077: Doors May Open While Driving — NHTSA
  19. DOT/NHTSA recall dataset (6axg-epim) full-text query: Lincoln Continental — U.S. Department of Transportation / NHTSA
  20. NHTSA recall 22V-644: Cloudy Camera Lens May Reduce Rear Visibility — NHTSA
  21. NHTSA recall 25V-442: Rearview Camera Image May Not Display — NHTSA
  22. NHTSA recall 17V-123: Frontal Air Bag may not Deploy Properly/FMVSS 208 — NHTSA
  23. NHTSA recall 16V-731: Incorrect Headlight Lenses/FMVSS 108 — NHTSA

More Lincoln tools

Independent reference compiled by CarWhere — not affiliated with or endorsed by Lincoln or Ford Motor Company. Lincoln, Black Label and the model names are trademarks of their owners.