The 2020 Lincoln Corsair marked a significant redesign and a fresh entry into the luxury compact SUV market, replacing the Lincoln MKC. For prospective buyers and safety-conscious drivers, understanding a vehicle’s safety performance is paramount. This comprehensive review delves into the safety ratings of the 2020 Lincoln Corsair, drawing upon rigorous crash tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). As a closely related model to the Ford Escape, the Corsair shares many structural and safety features, making these results highly relevant for anyone considering this vehicle.
Small Overlap Front Crash Test: Driver-Side
The driver-side small overlap front test simulates a collision where just the front corner of the vehicle impacts another vehicle or a stationary object. In this demanding test, the 2020 Ford Escape, representative of the Lincoln Corsair’s structure, achieved a Good rating, the highest possible.
| Evaluation Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Evaluation | G |
| Structure and Safety Cage | G |
| Driver Injury Measures | |
| Head/Neck | G |
| Chest | G |
| Hip/Thigh | G |
| Lower Leg/Foot | G |
| Driver Restraints & Kinematics | G |
The crash test data reveals minimal intrusion into the driver’s survival space, with key measurements showing only centimeters of intrusion at various points in the lower and upper occupant compartment. Critically, the dummy’s position post-crash indicated that the survival space was exceptionally well-maintained. Furthermore, both frontal and side curtain airbags deployed effectively, safeguarding the head from contact with hard structures or external objects. Sensor data from the dummy showed low risk of injuries across all body regions, from head and neck to lower legs and feet.
This action shot from the driver-side small overlap frontal crash test of a comparable vehicle highlights the forces involved in this demanding safety assessment, crucial for understanding the 2020 Lincoln Corsair’s structural integrity.
This image showing the dummy’s position after the driver-side small overlap crash test emphasizes the maintained survival space in vehicles like the 2020 Lincoln Corsair, indicating effective occupant protection.
The effectiveness of airbags in preventing head injuries is demonstrated in this image from the driver-side small overlap test, showcasing how the 2020 Lincoln Corsair prioritizes head protection.
This post-crash view from the driver-side small overlap test of a similar model underscores the minimal foot and leg injury risk in vehicles engineered like the 2020 Lincoln Corsair, thanks to robust structural design.
Small Overlap Front Crash Test: Passenger-Side
The passenger-side small overlap test mirrors the driver-side test but evaluates protection for the front passenger. The 2020 Lincoln Corsair again performed admirably, earning an Overall Good rating.
| Evaluation Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Evaluation | G |
| Structure and Safety Cage | A |
| Passenger Injury Measures | |
| Head/Neck | G |
| Chest | G |
| Hip/Thigh | G |
| Lower Leg/Foot | G |
| Passenger Restraints & Kinematics | G |
While the overall rating is “Good,” the structure and safety cage received an “Acceptable” rating in this passenger-side test, slightly lower than the “Good” in the driver-side test. Measurements indicated more intrusion on the passenger side compared to the driver side, particularly in the lower and upper occupant compartments. However, despite this, injury measures for the passenger dummy remained low across all body regions, and restraints functioned effectively. The slightly lower structural rating suggests an area for potential improvement but still indicates robust passenger protection.
Moderate Overlap Front Crash Test: Original Test
In the moderate overlap front test, a significant portion of the vehicle’s front end impacts a deformable barrier. The 2020 Lincoln Corsair achieved a Good rating in this test as well, demonstrating consistent frontal crash protection.
| Evaluation Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Evaluation | G |
| Structure and Safety Cage | G |
| Driver Injury Measures | |
| Head/Neck | G |
| Chest | G |
| Leg/Foot, Left | G |
| Leg/Foot, Right | G |
| Driver Restraints & Kinematics | G |
Measurements of occupant compartment intrusion were minimal, indicating a strong structure that effectively manages crash forces. Injury measures for the driver dummy were low across all areas, affirming good protection in this common type of frontal collision.
Side Crash Tests: Original and Updated
Side impacts are a significant concern in vehicle safety. The 2020 Lincoln Corsair underwent both the original and the updated IIHS side crash tests.
Original Side Crash Test
In the original side crash test, the 2020 Lincoln Corsair achieved a Good rating.
| Evaluation Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Evaluation | G |
| Structure and Safety Cage | G |
| Driver Injury Measures | |
| Head/Neck | G |
| Torso | G |
| Pelvis/Leg | G |
| Driver Head Protection | G |
| Rear Passenger Injury Measures | |
| Head/Neck | G |
| Torso | G |
| Pelvis/Leg | G |
| Rear Passenger Head Protection | G |
This test demonstrated good structural performance and low injury risk for both driver and rear passengers. Intrusion into the occupant compartment was limited, and injury measures recorded on the dummies were low across all critical body regions.
Updated Side Crash Test
The updated side crash test is more stringent, using a heavier barrier and higher impact speed to better represent modern side-impact scenarios, particularly involving larger SUVs and trucks. In this more challenging evaluation, the 2020 Lincoln Corsair received an Marginal overall rating.
| Evaluation Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Evaluation | M |
| Structure and Safety Cage | A |
| Driver Injury Measures | |
| Head/Neck | G |
| Torso | M |
| Pelvis | M |
| Driver Head Protection | M |
| Rear Passenger Injury Measures | |
| Head/Neck | G |
| Torso | A |
| Pelvis | A |
| Rear Passenger Head Protection | G |
This view of the vehicle just after the updated side crash test, which the 2020 Lincoln Corsair underwent, highlights the severity of the impact and the vehicle’s structural response.
This image showing the damage to the occupant compartment in the updated side crash test for vehicles like the 2020 Lincoln Corsair reveals the extent of the structural challenges in modern side-impact collisions.
Grease paint on the dummy’s head after the updated side crash test, as seen in this inset, demonstrates the critical issue of head protection for drivers in vehicles similar to the 2020 Lincoln Corsair.
In contrast, this grease paint mark from the updated side crash test shows effective head protection for the rear passenger in vehicles like the 2020 Lincoln Corsair, thanks to well-designed side airbags.
While the structure and safety cage achieved an “Acceptable” rating, and head/neck protection remained “Good,” the ratings for driver torso protection, pelvis protection, and driver head protection were all “Marginal.” The head protection issue was specifically noted: the driver dummy’s head slid past the side curtain airbag and struck the window sill. This near-miss scenario indicates a potential vulnerability in driver-side impact protection in more severe side collisions, suggesting an area of concern for the 2020 Lincoln Corsair and similar vehicles in updated side impact scenarios.
Roof Strength
Roof strength is crucial in rollover accidents. The 2020 Lincoln Corsair earned a Good rating for roof strength.
| Overall Evaluation | G |
|---|---|
| Curb Weight | 3,480 lbs |
| Peak Force | 19,700 lbs |
| Strength-to-Weight Ratio | 5.66 |
This strong strength-to-weight ratio indicates that the roof can withstand forces over five times the vehicle’s weight, providing good protection in rollover crashes.
Head Restraints & Seats
Whiplash protection in rear-end collisions is evaluated through head restraint and seat design. The 2020 Lincoln Corsair’s seats received a Good overall rating.
| Overall Evaluation | G |
|---|---|
| Dynamic Rating | G |
| Seat/Head Restraint Geometry | G |
Both dynamic testing and geometric measurements of the seat and head restraint indicate effective whiplash protection for occupants in rear impacts.
Headlights
Headlight performance is a critical safety feature, especially for nighttime driving. The 2020 Lincoln Corsair has two different headlight configurations, with varying ratings.
Reserve Trim with Reserve II Package: Acceptable Rating
The Reserve trim equipped with the Reserve II equipment package features LED projector headlights and achieved an Acceptable overall rating.
| Overall Rating | A |
|---|---|
| Low-Beam Type | LED projector |
| High-Beam Type | LED projector |
| Curve-Adaptive? | Yes |
| High-Beam Assist? | Yes |
These headlights provide good visibility on straightaways and curves with both low and high beams. While low beams created some glare, the high-beam assist feature compensates for some low-beam limitations, contributing to the “Acceptable” rating.
Standard and Reserve Trims: Poor Rating
Standard trims and the Reserve trim without the Reserve II package come with LED reflector headlights, which received a Poor overall rating.
| Overall Rating | P |
|---|---|
| Low-Beam Type | LED reflector |
| High-Beam Type | LED reflector |
| Curve-Adaptive? | No |
| High-Beam Assist? | Yes |
These headlights, despite having high-beam assist, suffer from excessive glare from the low beams and inadequate high-beam performance on left curves and straightaways, leading to the “Poor” rating. This highlights the significant difference headlight performance can have based on trim level.
Front Crash Prevention: Vehicle-to-Vehicle
Front crash prevention systems are increasingly important in mitigating or avoiding frontal collisions. The 2020 Lincoln Corsair has two available systems, both achieving Superior ratings for vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention.
Optional Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking (Lincoln Co-Pilot360+) – Superior
| Overall Evaluation | Superior |
|---|---|
| Forward Collision Warning | Meets requirements |
| 12 mph Test | Collision Avoided |
| 25 mph Test | Collision Avoided |
Standard Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking – Superior
| Overall Evaluation | Superior |
|---|---|
| Forward Collision Warning | Meets requirements |
| 12 mph Test | Collision Avoided |
| 25 mph Test | Collision Avoided |
Both the standard and optional systems successfully avoided collisions in both 12 mph and 25 mph tests and meet forward collision warning requirements, earning “Superior” ratings.
Front Crash Prevention: Pedestrian (Day)
Pedestrian detection and prevention systems are vital for urban safety. The 2020 Lincoln Corsair has both standard and optional pedestrian front crash prevention systems.
Standard Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking – Superior
| Overall Evaluation | Superior |
|---|---|
| Crossing Child 12 mph | Collision Avoided |
| Crossing Child 25 mph | Impact speed reduced by 22 mph |
| Crossing Adult 12 mph | Collision Avoided |
| Crossing Adult 25 mph | Collision Avoided |
| Parallel Adult 25 mph | Collision Avoided |
| Parallel Adult 37 mph | Impact speed reduced by 34 mph |
The standard system performs exceptionally well, earning a “Superior” rating by avoiding collisions in most pedestrian scenarios and significantly reducing speed in higher-speed scenarios.
Optional Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking (Lincoln Co-Pilot360+) – Advanced
| Overall Evaluation | Advanced |
|---|---|
| Crossing Child 12 mph | Collision Avoided |
| Crossing Child 25 mph | Impact speed reduced by 17 mph |
| Crossing Adult 12 mph | Collision Avoided |
| Crossing Adult 25 mph | Collision Avoided |
| Parallel Adult 25 mph | Collision Avoided |
| Parallel Adult 37 mph | Impact speed reduced by 20 mph |
The optional system also performs well, earning an “Advanced” rating, with collision avoidance in most scenarios and speed reduction in others, though slightly less effective than the standard system in higher-speed pedestrian tests.
Child Seat Anchors (LATCH)
For families, child seat anchor accessibility and usability are crucial. The 2020 Lincoln Corsair earns a Good+ rating for LATCH system ease of use.
| Overall Evaluation | G + Extra LATCH Positions |
|---|---|
| Number of LATCH positions | 2 complete, 1 extra tether |
The Corsair has two rear seating positions with complete LATCH hardware and an additional position with a tether anchor and the ability to borrow lower anchors, providing flexibility for child seat installation. The LATCH anchors are generally easy to find and use.
Conclusion
The 2020 Lincoln Corsair demonstrates strong safety performance across many IIHS crash tests, earning “Good” ratings in small overlap front (driver and passenger side), moderate overlap front, original side, roof strength, and head restraints & seats. Its front crash prevention systems for both vehicle-to-vehicle and pedestrian scenarios are also rated “Superior” or “Advanced.” However, the “Marginal” rating in the updated side crash test, particularly concerning driver head protection, and the “Poor” headlight rating for standard trims are areas of concern. Prospective buyers should be aware of these points, especially considering opting for the Reserve II package for significantly better headlights and understanding the implications of the updated side crash test results. Overall, the 2020 Lincoln Corsair offers a robust suite of safety features and strong crashworthiness, but careful consideration of trim levels and specific test results is advised for making an informed decision.
