Safety Ratings Demystified: How Lincoln SUVs Measure Up

One way a Lincoln SUV distinguishes itself apart from other brands is through its exceptional safety features. Let’s see how these features hold up when put to the test by the industry’s top safety organizations.

Safety Ratings Demystified: How Your Lincoln SUV Measures Up

Ratings From the NHTSA

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of Transportation. Since 1978, they’ve been crash-testing vehicles to improve safety. They rate cars for each test and give them an overall score, with five stars being the best you can get.

What They Test

The NHTSA runs four major tests to measure how well a vehicle protects its occupants. First, there’s the frontal crash test, where they simulate a head-on collision. Then, the side barrier crash test checks how well it handles an impact from the side.

The side pole test measures what happens when it slides sideways into a fixed object like a tree or a pole. The final test is the rollover resistance, which estimates the risk of tipping over during sharp turns.

How Lincoln Cars Stack Up 

Before we get into the ratings, it’s important to note that not all Lincoln models are tested by the NHTSA. However, the ones that are checked out are a good indicator of how seriously the brand takes your protection.

For 2025, the NHTSA examined the Corsair and the Aviator. Both earned a five-star overall rating, five stars for frontal and side crash, and four stars for Rollover.

Ratings From the IIHS

The other key player in safety ratings is the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Backed by a group of insurance companies, IIHS uses real-world crash data to assess vehicle safety.

Since these companies aim to reduce accidents and injury claims (may use these data to set rates), their support ensures that IIHS tests are highly relevant, making their scores a trusted indicator of real-world protection. Ratings are given as Good, Acceptable, Marginal, or Poor.

What They Test

The IIHS checks how well a car handles crashes and avoids them in the first place. They do this with eight key tests, like the small overlap test( where just a corner of a car takes a hit) and the moderate overlap test (about 40% of the vehicle is involved).

They also test side impact, headlights, vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention, pedestrian front crash prevention, seat belt reminders, and LATCH for small seats.

Where Lincoln Vehicles Rank in These Tests

The 2025 Aviator scored top marks, earning Good ratings for both crashworthiness, crash avoidance, and mitigation. The 2025 Nautilus, on the other hand, got an extra nod of recognition with the Top Safety Pick Plus badge, the highest honor from the IIHS.

For an up-close look at Lincoln’s safety features, visit Bayway Lincoln in Houston, TX.

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