The 2021 Lincoln Corsair, a luxury compact SUV, shares its platform with the Ford Escape and has undergone rigorous testing by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). This article provides a comprehensive overview of the Lincoln Corsair 2021 safety ratings, focusing on crash test performance to help you make informed decisions. As a content creator at cardiagxpert.com and an auto repair expert, I’ve analyzed the IIHS reports to present the key safety information in an accessible and SEO-optimized format for our English-speaking audience.
IIHS Crash Test Ratings for the Lincoln Corsair 2021
The IIHS evaluates vehicles in various crash scenarios to determine their safety performance. Here’s a breakdown of the Lincoln Corsair 2021’s performance in each test:
Small Overlap Front: Driver-Side
This test simulates a frontal collision where only a small portion of the vehicle’s front end (driver-side) impacts a barrier. It’s a challenging test that assesses the vehicle’s structural integrity and occupant protection in a severe crash.
Rating: Good (G)
The Lincoln Corsair 2021 achieved a “Good” rating in the driver-side small overlap front test, the highest rating possible.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Chest | G |
| Hip/thigh | G |
| Lower leg/foot | G |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
The test results show:
- Structure: The structure and safety cage of the Corsair held up well, maintaining the driver’s survival space.
- Dummy Kinematics: The dummy’s position after the crash indicated that the driver’s survival space was well-maintained.
- Airbags: The frontal and side curtain airbags performed effectively in protecting the driver’s head from hitting hard structures.
- Injury Risk: The risk of injuries to the driver’s legs and feet was low.
Alt text: Action shot of the Lincoln Corsair 2021 driver-side small overlap frontal crash test, demonstrating vehicle deformation and airbag deployment.
Alt text: Post-crash dummy position in the Lincoln Corsair 2021 driver-side small overlap test, showing excellent survival space maintenance.
Alt text: Airbag deployment in the Lincoln Corsair 2021 small overlap frontal test, highlighting head protection performance.
Alt text: Leg and foot protection in the Lincoln Corsair 2021 driver-side small overlap crash, indicating low injury risk.
Technical measurements from the test confirm the “Good” rating, with minimal intrusion into the occupant compartment and low injury measures recorded on the crash test dummy.
Small Overlap Front: Passenger-Side
This test is similar to the driver-side small overlap test but assesses the passenger side of the vehicle.
Rating: Good (G)
The Lincoln Corsair 2021 also earned a “Good” rating in the passenger-side small overlap front test.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | G |
| Structure and safety cage | Acceptable (A) |
| Passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Chest | G |
| Hip/thigh | G |
| Lower leg/foot | G |
| Passenger restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
While the overall rating is “Good”, the “Acceptable” rating for “Structure and safety cage” indicates a slightly lower structural performance compared to the driver-side test. However, passenger injury measures remained at “Good” across all categories.
Moderate Overlap Front: Original Test
This test involves a frontal collision with 40% of the vehicle’s width overlapping with a deformable barrier. It is a more traditional frontal crash test.
Rating: Good (G)
The Lincoln Corsair 2021 received a “Good” rating in the moderate overlap front test.
| 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 and dummy kinematics | G |
The Corsair demonstrated excellent protection in this type of frontal crash, with “Good” ratings across all structural and injury measures.
Side: Original Test
This test simulates a side impact from another vehicle.
Rating: Good (G)
The Lincoln Corsair 2021 achieved a “Good” rating in the original side impact test.
| 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 |
The Corsair offered robust side impact protection in the original test, with “Good” ratings for both driver and rear passenger injury measures and head protection.
Side: Updated Test
The IIHS updated its side impact test to be more challenging, using a heavier barrier and higher impact speed to better reflect real-world side-impact crashes, especially those involving larger SUVs and trucks.
Rating: Marginal (M)
In the updated, more stringent side impact test, the Lincoln Corsair 2021 received a “Marginal” rating overall.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | Marginal (M) |
| Structure and safety cage | Acceptable (A) |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Torso | Marginal (M) |
| Pelvis | Marginal (M) |
| Driver head protection | Marginal (M) |
| Rear passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Torso | Acceptable (A) |
| Pelvis | Acceptable (A) |
| Rear passenger head protection | G |
The “Marginal” rating is primarily due to:
- Driver Head Protection: The dummy’s head moved past the side curtain airbag and struck the window sill, indicating inadequate head protection for the driver in this more severe side impact scenario.
- Driver Torso and Pelvis: Marginal ratings were also given for driver torso and pelvis injury measures.
- Structure and Safety Cage: The structure and safety cage received an “Acceptable” rating.
Alt text: Lincoln Corsair 2021 after the updated side crash test, showing vehicle damage.
Alt text: Lincoln Corsair 2021 occupant compartment damage after updated side impact test, doors removed to show airbags.
Alt text: Grease paint on Lincoln Corsair 2021 driver dummy head showing contact with window sill in updated side crash test, indicating head protection issue.
Alt text: Grease paint on Lincoln Corsair 2021 rear passenger dummy head showing airbag protection in updated side crash test.
While rear passenger protection remained better, the updated side test highlights a potential weakness in driver protection in severe side-impact crashes for the Lincoln Corsair 2021.
Roof Strength
This test evaluates the roof’s ability to withstand forces in a rollover crash.
Rating: Good (G)
The Lincoln Corsair 2021 earned a “Good” rating for roof strength.
| Overall evaluation | Good (G) |
|---|---|
| Curb weight | 3,480 lbs |
| Peak force | 19,700 lbs |
| Strength-to-weight ratio | 5.66 |
A “Good” rating indicates that the roof is strong enough to protect occupants in a rollover accident.
Head Restraints & Seats
This evaluation assesses the front seats and head restraints in preventing neck injuries in rear-end collisions.
Rating: Good (G)
The Lincoln Corsair 2021 received a “Good” rating for head restraints and seats.
| Overall evaluation | Good (G) |
|---|---|
| Dynamic rating | G |
| Seat/head restraint geometry | G |
This “Good” rating signifies effective protection against whiplash injuries in rear impacts.
Headlights
IIHS tests headlights for visibility and glare. The Lincoln Corsair 2021 has two different headlight options.
Headlight Rating (Reserve trim with Reserve II package): Acceptable (A)
- Type: LED projector, curve-adaptive, high-beam assist
- Overall Rating: Acceptable (A)
These headlights provide good visibility on straightaways and curves, with high-beam assist compensating for some low-beam limitations. Glare is present but within acceptable limits for low beams.
Headlight Rating (Standard and Reserve trim): Poor (P)
- Type: LED reflector, high-beam assist
- Overall Rating: Poor (P)
These standard headlights have excessive glare from low beams and inadequate high beam visibility on the left side straightaway. High-beam assist provides some compensation but the overall rating is “Poor”.
Front Crash Prevention: Vehicle-to-Vehicle
IIHS tests vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention systems in two scenarios: 12 mph and 25 mph.
Rating: Superior
The Lincoln Corsair 2021, with both standard and optional Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking, earns a “Superior” rating.
- Performance: Avoided collisions in both 12 mph and 25 mph tests.
- Forward Collision Warning: Meets requirements.
Front Crash Prevention: Pedestrian (Day)
This test evaluates pedestrian front crash prevention systems in various scenarios during daylight.
Rating: Superior (Standard System) / Advanced (Optional System)
- Standard Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking: Superior
- Avoided collisions with crossing child and adult at 12 mph and 25 mph.
- Avoided collision with parallel adult at 25 mph, and significantly reduced speed at 37 mph.
- Optional Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking: Advanced
- Avoided collisions with crossing child and adult at 12 mph and 25 mph.
- Avoided collision with parallel adult at 25 mph, and reduced speed at 37 mph.
Both systems performed well in pedestrian crash prevention, with the standard system achieving a “Superior” rating, slightly better than the “Advanced” rated optional system.
Child Seat Anchors (LATCH)
IIHS evaluates the ease of use of LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren) systems for installing child seats.
Rating: Good+ (G+)
The Lincoln Corsair 2021 has a “Good+” rating for LATCH ease of use.
- Number of LATCH positions: 2 rear seating positions with complete LATCH hardware, and 1 additional position with tether anchor and ability to borrow lower anchors.
- Ease of Use: Lower anchors are easy to find, not too deep in the seat, and easy to maneuver around. Tether anchors are also easy to locate.
Conclusion: Lincoln Corsair 2021 Safety Performance
The 2021 Lincoln Corsair demonstrates strong safety performance in most IIHS crash tests, achieving “Good” ratings in key areas like frontal crashes, roof strength, and head restraints. It also boasts “Superior” ratings for vehicle-to-vehicle and pedestrian front crash prevention with its standard system.
However, the “Marginal” rating in the updated side impact test is a point of concern, particularly regarding driver head protection. Prospective buyers should be aware of this result, especially if side-impact safety is a top priority.
Overall, the Lincoln Corsair 2021 offers a solid level of safety, particularly in frontal and rollover crashes, and with its crash prevention technology. When considering headlight options, opting for the Reserve trim with the Reserve II package will provide significantly better headlight performance compared to the standard headlights. Always prioritize safety features and understand the nuances of crash test ratings when choosing a vehicle.
