The 2022 Lincoln Corsair, a compact luxury SUV, shares its foundational design with the Ford Escape, but distinguishes itself through elevated luxury and enhanced features. For prospective buyers and safety-conscious drivers, understanding the safety performance of the Lincoln Corsair 2022 is paramount. This article delves into a comprehensive analysis of the Lincoln Corsair 2022’s safety ratings, drawing from rigorous crash tests and evaluations to provide a detailed overview of its protective capabilities.
Unpacking the Crash Test Ratings for the Lincoln Corsair 2022
The safety evaluations for the Lincoln Corsair 2022 are derived from tests conducted on the closely related Ford Escape, specifically models from 2020-2025. It’s important to note that the ratings directly apply to the Lincoln Corsair due to its shared engineering and structural similarities with the Ford Escape. These tests encompass various frontal, side, roof strength, and head restraint assessments, providing a holistic view of vehicle safety.
Small Overlap Front: Driver-Side Evaluation
The small overlap front test simulates a collision where only a small portion of the vehicle’s front end impacts a barrier, a scenario particularly challenging for vehicle structures.
| 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 |
This test on the Ford Escape, which directly informs the Lincoln Corsair 2022’s rating, resulted in a “Good” overall rating. Key findings include “Good” ratings across all driver injury measures, indicating robust protection for the driver in this severe crash type. The structural performance and safety cage integrity also earned a “Good” rating, highlighting the Corsair’s ability to maintain occupant space during a collision.
Action shot from the driver-side small overlap frontal crash test of a Ford Escape, representative of the Lincoln Corsair 2022 performance, demonstrating structural integrity.
Post-crash dummy positioning in the driver-side small overlap test for Ford Escape/Lincoln Corsair 2022, showing excellent maintenance of survival space.
Airbag deployment effectiveness during the driver-side small overlap frontal crash test in a Ford Escape, relevant to the Lincoln Corsair 2022, showcasing head protection.
Driver’s side footwell integrity post driver-side small overlap crash test in Ford Escape/Lincoln Corsair 2022, indicating low risk of leg and foot injuries.
Technical measurements further support these ratings, showing minimal occupant compartment intrusion and low injury measures for the driver.
Small Overlap Front: Passenger-Side Evaluation
The passenger-side small overlap test assesses protection for the front passenger in a similar offset frontal collision.
| 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 and dummy kinematics | G |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Chest | G |
| Hip/thigh | G |
| Lower leg/foot | G |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
The Lincoln Corsair 2022 also achieves a “Good” overall rating in the passenger-side small overlap test. While the structure and safety cage rating is “Acceptable,” all passenger and driver injury measures are rated “Good.” This suggests a high level of protection for both front occupants in this type of crash.
Moderate Overlap Front: Original Test
The moderate overlap front test involves a larger portion of the vehicle’s front impacting a barrier at a moderate speed, representing a common type of frontal collision.
| 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 |
In the moderate overlap front test, the Lincoln Corsair 2022 again earns a “Good” overall rating. All evaluation criteria, including structure, safety cage, and driver injury measures for head/neck, chest, and legs/feet, are rated “Good.” This consistent “Good” performance across frontal crash tests underscores the robust frontal impact protection offered by the Corsair 2022.
Side: Original Test
The side crash test evaluates the vehicle’s ability to protect occupants in a side impact scenario. This original side test represents an older standard, while an updated, more stringent test is also performed.
| 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 Lincoln Corsair 2022 receives a “Good” overall rating in the original side crash test. Both driver and rear passenger injury measures, as well as head protection, are rated “Good.” This indicates effective side impact protection under the original testing parameters.
Side: Updated Test
An updated side crash test, with a more severe impact, provides a more challenging assessment of side impact protection.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | M |
| Structure and safety cage | A |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Torso | M |
| Pelvis | M |
| Driver head protection The dummy’s head moved downward past the side curtain airbag and struck the window sill of the driver door hard, while the head was in proximity to the intruding barrier. Although the barrier did not hit the dummy’s head in this test, this near miss indicates that only slightly different crash circumstances could produce a direct hit to a person’s head. The head protection is inadequate. | M |
| Rear passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Torso | A |
| Pelvis | A |
| Rear passenger head protection | G |
In the more rigorous updated side crash test, the Lincoln Corsair 2022 achieves an “Marginal” overall rating. While structure and safety cage are rated “Acceptable,” and rear passenger protection remains strong, driver torso, pelvis, and head protection are rated “Marginal.” The test notes inadequate driver head protection due to the dummy’s head moving past the side curtain airbag and hitting the window sill. This updated test reveals an area for potential improvement in driver-side impact safety.
Vehicle condition immediately after the updated side crash test, relevant to Lincoln Corsair 2022 side impact performance evaluation.
Side airbag deployment and occupant compartment damage visible after the updated side crash test for Ford Escape/Lincoln Corsair 2022.
Grease paint on the window sill indicating driver dummy head contact past the airbag in the updated side crash test, highlighting a head protection issue for Lincoln Corsair 2022.
Grease paint showing rear passenger head protection effectiveness from side airbags in the updated side crash test for Ford Escape/Lincoln Corsair 2022.
Roof Strength
The roof strength test measures the roof’s ability to withstand forces in a rollover scenario.
| Overall evaluation | G |
|---|---|
| Curb weight | 3,480 lbs |
| Peak force | 19,700 lbs |
| Strength-to-weight ratio | 5.66 |
The Lincoln Corsair 2022 achieves a “Good” rating for roof strength. With a strength-to-weight ratio of 5.66, the roof demonstrates significant resistance, indicating good protection in rollover accidents.
Head Restraints & Seats
Head restraints and seats are evaluated for their ability to protect against neck injuries in rear-end collisions.
| Overall evaluation | G |
|---|---|
| Dynamic rating | G |
| Seat/head restraint geometry | G |
The Lincoln Corsair 2022’s power leather seats and head restraints receive a “Good” overall rating. Both dynamic performance and seat/head restraint geometry are rated “Good,” signifying effective whiplash protection in rear impacts.
Headlights
Headlight performance is critical for nighttime visibility and accident prevention. The Lincoln Corsair 2022 has been evaluated with different headlight variations.
Projector LED Headlights (Reserve & Grand Touring with Packages)
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Low-beam headlight type | LED projector |
| High-beam headlight type | LED projector |
| Curve-adaptive? | Yes |
| High-beam assist? | Yes |
| Overall rating | A |
For Reserve and Grand Touring trims equipped with specific technology packages, the Corsair 2022 features LED projector headlights that earn an “Acceptable” overall rating. These headlights provide good visibility on straightaways and curves, with high-beam assist compensating for some low-beam limitations.
Reflector LED Headlights (Standard, Reserve, Grand Touring built after April 2022)
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Low-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
| High-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | Yes |
| Overall rating | P |
For standard trims and all trims built after April 2022 (with reflector LED headlights), the overall headlight rating is “Poor.” While visibility is generally good on straightaways, excessive glare from the low beams is noted as a significant issue.
Reflector LED Headlights (Standard, Reserve, Grand Touring built before May 2022)
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Low-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
| High-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | Yes |
| Overall rating | P |
Headlights on models built before May 2022 with LED reflectors also receive a “Poor” rating, primarily due to excessive glare from low beams, similar to the later production models with reflector LEDs.
Front Crash Prevention: Vehicle-to-Vehicle
Front crash prevention systems aim to mitigate or prevent collisions with other vehicles. The Lincoln Corsair 2022 offers two variations of its front crash prevention system.
Optional Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking (Superior)
| Overall evaluation | Superior |
|---|---|
| Forward collision warning | Yes |
| 12 mph test | Avoided collision |
| 25 mph test | Avoided collision |
The optional Pre-Collision Assist system earns a “Superior” rating. It successfully avoided collisions in both 12 mph and 25 mph vehicle-to-vehicle tests, demonstrating robust performance.
Standard Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking (Superior)
| Overall evaluation | Superior |
|---|---|
| Forward collision warning | Yes |
| 12 mph test | Avoided collision |
| 25 mph test | Avoided collision |
The standard Pre-Collision Assist system also achieves a “Superior” rating, with collision avoidance in both low and higher-speed tests. This indicates that even the standard system provides excellent vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention.
Front Crash Prevention: Pedestrian (Day)
Pedestrian front crash prevention systems are designed to detect and react to pedestrians in the vehicle’s path. The Lincoln Corsair 2022 has two pedestrian detection system ratings.
Standard Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking (Superior)
| Overall evaluation | Superior |
|---|---|
| Crossing child (12 mph) | Avoided collision |
| Crossing child (25 mph) | Impact speed reduced by 22 mph |
| Crossing adult (12 mph) | Avoided collision |
| Crossing adult (25 mph) | Avoided collision |
| Parallel adult (25 mph) | Avoided collision |
| Parallel adult (37 mph) | Impact speed reduced by 34 mph |
The standard system earns a “Superior” rating for pedestrian front crash prevention. It avoided collisions in most pedestrian scenarios and significantly reduced impact speed in more challenging situations, offering excellent pedestrian protection.
Optional Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking (Advanced)
| Overall evaluation | Advanced |
|---|---|
| Crossing child (12 mph) | Avoided collision |
| Crossing child (25 mph) | Impact speed reduced by 17 mph |
| Crossing adult (12 mph) | Avoided collision |
| Crossing adult (25 mph) | Avoided collision |
| Parallel adult (25 mph) | Avoided collision |
| Parallel adult (37 mph) | Impact speed reduced by 20 mph |
The optional system is rated “Advanced.” While still effective, it shows slightly less collision avoidance and speed reduction compared to the standard system in pedestrian tests.
Child Seat Anchors (LATCH)
Child seat anchors (LATCH) are evaluated for their ease of use and effectiveness in securing child safety seats.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | G + extra LATCH positions |
| Vehicle trim | Reserve |
| Seat type | leather |
The Lincoln Corsair 2022 receives a “Good+” rating for LATCH system ease of use. It features two rear seating positions with complete LATCH hardware and an additional position with a tether anchor and borrowed lower anchors, offering flexibility for child seat installation.
Conclusion: Lincoln Corsair 2022 Safety Performance
The Lincoln Corsair 2022 demonstrates a strong safety profile, particularly in frontal, roof strength, and head restraint evaluations, consistently achieving “Good” ratings. Vehicle-to-vehicle and pedestrian front crash prevention systems also perform admirably, earning “Superior” and “Advanced” ratings.
However, the “Marginal” rating in the updated side crash test, specifically concerning driver head protection, highlights an area where the Corsair 2022’s safety performance is less robust and could be improved. Additionally, headlight ratings vary significantly by trim and production date, with reflector LED headlights receiving “Poor” ratings due to glare issues. Projector LED headlights offer better, though still only “Acceptable,” performance.
For prospective buyers of the Lincoln Corsair 2022, understanding these safety ratings is crucial. While the vehicle offers excellent protection in many crash scenarios and boasts strong crash prevention technologies, the marginal performance in the updated side impact test and headlight limitations should be considered. Choosing trims with projector LED headlights and being aware of the updated side impact test results will empower informed decisions regarding the safety aspects of the Lincoln Corsair 2022.
