Top Safety Pick +Top Safety Pick criteria

2020 Lincoln Continental

large luxury car / 4-door sedan

Award applies only to vehicles with specific headlights

2020 Lincoln Continental 4-door sedan
2017 Lincoln Continental shown

Crashworthiness

Rating overview
Small overlap front: driver-side
Small overlap front: passenger-side
Moderate overlap front: original test
Side: original test
Roof strength
Head restraints & seats

Crash avoidance & mitigation

Headlights (varies by trim/option)
Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle
Standard system
Superior

Seat belts & child restraints

LATCH ease of use

Other available safety features

  • Standard blind spot detection
  • Standard lane departure warning & prevention

Key

  • G
    Good
  • A
    Acceptable
  • M
    Marginal
  • P
    Poor
  • Superior
  • Advanced
  • Basic

Some ratings use a scale of Poor to Good. Others range from Basic to Superior.

Small overlap front: driver-side

Rating applies to 2017-20 models

Tested vehicle: 2017 Lincoln Continental Premiere 4-door

The Lincoln Continental was reintroduced in the 2017 model year as a replacement for the Lincoln MKS.

Overall evaluation
Structure and safety cage
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
Chest
Hip/thigh
Lower leg/foot
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics

Action shot taken during the small overlap frontal crash test.

The dummy's position in relation to the door frame, steering wheel, and instrument panel after the crash test indicates that the driver's survival space was maintained very well.

The frontal and side curtain airbags worked well together to keep the head from coming close to any stiff structure or outside objects that could cause injury.

The driver's space was maintained well, and risk of injuries to the dummy's legs and feet was low.

Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

Test ID CEN1710
Lower occupant compartment
Lower hinge pillar max (cm) 5
Footrest (cm) 3
Left toepan (cm) 2
Brake pedal (cm) 4
Parking brake (cm)
Rocker panel lateral average (cm) 1
Upper occupant compartment
Steering column 3
Upper hinge pillar max (cm) 4
Upper dash (cm) 4
Lower instrument panel (cm) 5

Driver injury measures

Test ID CEN1710
Head
HIC-15 77
Peak gs at hard contact no contact
Neck
Tension (kN) 0.6
Extension bending moment (Nm) 18
Maximum Nij 0.16
Chest maximum compression (mm) 21
Femur (kN)
Left 0.1
Right 0.0
Knee displacement (mm)
Left 0
Right 0
Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%)
Left 0
Right 0
Maximum tibia index
Left 0.49
Right 0.33
Tibia axial force (kN)
Left 0.8
Right 0.0
Foot acceleration (g)
Left 24
Right 24

About the small overlap front test

Small overlap front: passenger-side

Rating applies to 2017-20 models

Tested vehicle: 2017 Lincoln Continental Premiere 4-door

The Lincoln Continental was reintroduced in the 2017 model year as a replacement for the Lincoln MKS. Two passenger-side small overlap frontal tests of the Continental were conducted, one by the Institute and the other by Ford. Ratings are based on both tests.

Overall evaluation
Structure and safety cage
Passenger injury measures
Head/neck
Chest
Hip/thigh
Lower leg/foot
Passenger restraints and dummy kinematics
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
Chest
Hip/thigh
Lower leg/foot
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics

Action shot taken during the Institute's passenger-side small overlap frontal crash test.

The dummy's position in relation to the door frame and dashboard after the crash test indicates that the passenger's survival space was maintained very well (Institute test car shown).

The frontal and side curtain airbags worked well together to keep the head from coming close to any stiff structure or outside objects that could cause injury (Institute test shown).

The passenger's space was maintained well in both tests, and risk of injuries to the dummy's legs and feet was low.

Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on passenger side

Test ID VTP1720 CEP1715
Lower occupant compartment
Lower hinge pillar max (cm) 3 5
Footrest (cm) 1 5
Right toepan (cm) 2 2
Center toepan (cm) 1 1
Rocker panel lateral average (cm) 1 2
Upper occupant compartment
Center dash (cm) 1 2
Upper hinge pillar max (cm) 2 3
Upper dash (cm) 2 4
Right lower dash (cm) 2 3

Passenger injury measures

Test ID VTP1720 CEP1715
Head
HIC-15 190 141
Peak gs at hard contact no contact no contact
Neck
Tension (kN) 1.1 0.7
Extension bending moment (Nm) 15 23
Maximum Nij 0.25 0.21
Chest maximum compression (mm) 20 18
Femur (kN)
Left 0.1 0.4
Right 0.4 0.2
Knee displacement (mm)
Left 0 0
Right 1 0
Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%)
Left 0 0
Right 0 0
Maximum tibia index
Left 0.46 0.41
Right 0.48 0.35
Tibia axial force (kN)
Left 0.7 0.8
Right 1.1 0.8
Foot acceleration (g)
Left 29 18
Right 29 28

Driver injury measures

Test ID VTP1720 CEP1715
Head
HIC-15 54 50
Peak gs at hard contact no contact no contact
Neck
Tension (kN) 0.7 0.8
Extension bending moment (Nm) 5 12
Maximum Nij 0.14 0.14
Chest maximum compression (mm) 21 27
Femur (kN)
Left 0.1 0.3
Right 0.1 0.1
Knee displacement (mm)
Left 0 1
Right 0 1
Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%)
Left 0 0
Right 0 0
Maximum tibia index
Left 0.40 0.21
Right 0.28 0.27
Tibia axial force (kN)
Left no data 0.4
Right 0.2 0.4
Foot acceleration (g)
Left 29 21
Right 35 33

About the small overlap front test

Moderate overlap front: original test

Rating applies to 2017-20 models

Tested vehicle: 2017 Lincoln Continental Premiere 4-door

The Lincoln Continental was reintroduced in the 2017 model year as a replacement for the Lincoln MKS. Moderate overlap frontal ratings are assigned by the Institute based on a test conducted by Ford.

Overall evaluation
Structure and safety cage
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
Chest
Leg/foot, left
Leg/foot, right
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics
Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

Test ID VTF1707
Footwell intrusion
Footrest (cm) 4
Left (cm) 6
Center (cm) 4
Right (cm) 6
Brake pedal (cm) 10
Instrument panel rearward movement
Left (cm) 2
Right (cm) 2
Steering column movement
Upward (cm) 0
Rearward (cm) -3
A-pillar rearward movement (cm) 1

Driver injury measures

Test ID VTF1707
Head
HIC-15 129
Peak gs at hard contact no contact
Neck
Tension (kN) 0.6
Extension bending moment (Nm) 17
Maximum Nij 0.18
Chest maximum compression (mm) 26
Legs
Femur force - left (kN) 0.5
Femur force - right (kN) 0.6
Knee displacement - left (mm) 1
Knee displacement - right (mm) 0
Maximum tibia index - left 0.42
Maximum tibia index - right 0.44
Tibia axial force - left (kN) 1.6
Tibia axial force - right (kN) 2.1
Foot acceleration (g)
Left 67
Right 78

About the original moderate overlap front test

Side: original test

Rating applies to 2017-20 models

Tested vehicle: 2017 Lincoln Continental Select 4-door

The Lincoln Continental was reintroduced in the 2017 model year as a replacement for the Lincoln MKS. Side ratings are assigned by the Institute based on a test conducted by Ford.

Overall evaluation
Structure and safety cage
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
Torso
Pelvis/leg
Driver head protection
Rear passenger injury measures
Head/neck
Torso
Pelvis/leg
Rear passenger head protection
Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

Test ID VTS1705
B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver's seat (cm) -24.0
Negative numbers indicate the amount by which the crush stopped short of the seat centerline.

Driver injury measures

Test ID VTS1705
Head HIC-15 247
Neck
Tension (kN) 0.9
Compression (kN) 0.3
Shoulder
Lateral deflection (mm) 35
Lateral force (kN) 1.4
Torso
Maximum deflection (mm) 30
Average deflection (mm) 22
Maximum deflection rate (m/s) 2.79
Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) 0.28
Pelvis
Iliac force (kN) 1.5
Acetabulum force (kN) 1.3
Combined force (kN) 2.8
Left femur
L-M force (kN) 0.2
L-M moment (Nm) 19
A-P moment (Nm) 48

Passenger injury measures

Test ID VTS1705
Head HIC-15 65
Neck
Tension (kN) 0.2
Compression (kN) 0.7
Shoulder
Lateral deflection (mm) 9
Lateral force (kN) 0.5
Torso
Maximum deflection (mm) 21
Average deflection (mm) 21
Maximum deflection rate (m/s) 3.10
Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) 0.28
Pelvis
Iliac force (kN) 0.3
Acetabulum force (kN) 2.2
Combined force (kN) 2.5
Left femur
L-M force (kN) 0.4
L-M moment (Nm) 21
A-P moment (Nm) 78

About the original side crash test

Roof strength

Rating applies to 2017-20 models

Tested vehicle: 2017 Lincoln Continental Select 4-door

Overall evaluation
Curb weight4,308 lbs
Peak force21,861 lbs
Strength-to-weight ratio5.07

About the roof strength test

Head restraints & seats

Seat type: Power leather seat

Overall evaluation
Dynamic rating
Seat/head restraint geometry
Technical measurements for this test
Seat type Power leather seat
Geometry
Backset (mm) 12
Distance below top of head (mm) 10
Seat design parameters
Pass/fail Pass
Max T1 acceleration (g) 14.6
Head contact time (ms) 52
Force rating 1
Neck forces
Max neck shear force (N) 8
Max neck tension (N) 479

About the head restraint & seat test
Currently, IIHS tests apply only to front seats.

Headlights

Ratings are given for 2 different headlight variations available on this vehicle.

Trim level(s)

  • Reserve trim equipped with Luxury package
  • Reserve trim equipped with LED Headlight package
  • Black Label trim
Low-beam headlight typeLED projector
High-beam headlight typeLED projector
Curve-adaptive?No
High-beam assist?Yes
Overall rating
Distance at which headlights provide at least 5 lux illumination:
car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler 0 ft 100 ft 200 ft 300 ft 400 ft 500 ft 600 ft Low beams Optimal low-beam illumination High beams Optimal high-beam illumination High-beam assist credit Some glare

Low beams
On the straightaway, visibility was good on the left side of the road and fair on the right side. On curves, visibility was good on the sharp left and both right curves and fair on the gradual left curve.

The low beams created some glare.

High beams
On the straightaway, visibility was good on both sides of the road. On curves, visibility was good on the gradual right curve and fair on the sharp right and both left curves.

High-beam assist compensates for some limitations of this vehicle's low beams on the straightaway, on both left curves and on both right curves.

Technical measurements for this test
Trim level(s)
  • Reserve trim equipped with Luxury package
  • Reserve trim equipped with LED Headlight package
  • Black Label trim
Low-beam headlight type LED projector
High-beam headlight type LED projector
Curve-adaptive? No
High-beam assist? Yes
Overall rating
Applies to 2017-20 models
LOW BEAMS Average minimum useful
illumination distance (5 lux)		 Amount glare
exceeded threshold
Straightaway right edge 91.1 m 10.1%
Straightaway left edge 60.8 m 10.1%
250m radius right curve, right edge 69.8 m None
250m radius left curve, right edge 62.6 m None
150m radius right curve, right edge 57.6 m None
150m radius left curve, left edge 57.5 m None
HIGH BEAMS Average minimum useful
illumination distance (5 lux)
Straightaway right edge 161.1 m
Straightaway left edge 156.4 m
250m radius right curve, right edge 77.0 m
250m radius left curve, left edge 74.6 m
150m radius right curve, right edge 60.2 m
150m radius left curve, left edge 58.8 m

Trim level(s)

  • Select trim
  • Reserve trim
  • Premiere trim
Low-beam headlight typeHID projector
High-beam headlight typeHID projector
Curve-adaptive?Yes
High-beam assist?Yes
Overall rating
Distance at which headlights provide at least 5 lux illumination:
car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler 0 ft 100 ft 200 ft 300 ft 400 ft 500 ft 600 ft Low beams Optimal low-beam illumination High beams Optimal high-beam illumination High-beam assist credit Excessive glare

Low beams
On the straightaway, visibility was good on the left side of the road and fair on the right side. On curves, visibility was good on the sharp left and both right curves and fair on the gradual left curve.

The low beams created excessive glare.

High beams
On the straightaway, visibility was good on the left side of the road and inadequate on the right side. On curves, visibility was good on both left curves and fair on both right curves.

High-beam assist compensates for some limitations of this vehicle's low beams on the straightaway and on the gradual left curve.

Technical measurements for this test
Trim level(s)
  • Select trim
  • Reserve trim
  • Premiere trim
Low-beam headlight type HID projector
High-beam headlight type HID projector
Curve-adaptive? Yes
High-beam assist? Yes
Overall rating
Applies to 2017-20 models
LOW BEAMS Average minimum useful
illumination distance (5 lux)		 Amount glare
exceeded threshold
Straightaway right edge 91.9 m 127.4%
Straightaway left edge 61.7 m 127.4%
250m radius right curve, right edge 70.0 m 11.4%
250m radius left curve, left edge 61.6 m 66.8%
150m radius right curve, right edge 62.4 m None
150m radius left curve, left edge 64.2 m 70.4%
HIGH BEAMS Average minimum useful
illumination distance (5 lux)
Straightaway right edge 126.6 m
Straightaway left edge 148.3 m
250m radius right curve, right edge 71.9 m
250m radius left curve, left edge 80.9 m
150m radius right curve, right edge 61.3 m
150m radius left curve, left edge 68.1 m

About the headlight evaluation

Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle

System details

  • Standard Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking

Overall evaluation

Applies to 2019-20 models

Superior
Superior
  • This system meets the requirements for forward collision warning.
  • In the 12 mph test, this vehicle avoided a collision.
  • In the 25 mph test, this vehicle avoided a collision.

About the original front crash prevention test

Child seat anchors

Rating applies to 2017-20 models

Overall evaluation
Vehicle trimPremiere
Seat type leather

This vehicle has 2 rear seating positions with complete child seat attachment (LATCH) hardware.

It has 1 additional seating position with a tether anchor and the ability to borrow lower anchors from the other seating positions.

Note: When anchors are borrowed, they aren't available to use in their designated positions.

Overall evaluation
Vehicle trimPremiere
Seat type leather
1 2 3
GGood
AAcceptable
MMarginal
PPoor
Seating positions that rely on borrowed lower anchors or have only a tether anchor available are not rated.
thether anchor symbol
Tether anchor
lower anchor symbol
Lower anchors
shared lower achors symbol
Lower anchor(s) can be borrowed from adjacent positions(s)
No hardware available

Details by seating position

1
Tether anchor
easy-to-find location
no other hardware could be confused for anchor
Lower anchors
too deep in seat
not too much force needed to attach
easy to maneuver around anchors
2
Tether anchor
easy-to-find location
no other hardware could be confused for anchor
Lower anchors
Can be borrowed from 1 and 3
3
Tether anchor
easy-to-find location
no other hardware could be confused for anchor
Lower anchors
too deep in seat
not too much force needed to attach
easy to maneuver around anchors
Technical measurements for this test

Seat position 21

3

Lower anchor A
Open access rated No
Depth (cm) 4-6
Force (lbs) 10
Clearance angle (degrees) 65
Lower anchor B
Open access rated No
Depth (cm) 6-8
Force (lbs) 11
Clearance angle (degrees) 61
Tether anchor
Location Rear deck
Confusing hardware present No
Has contrasting label
within 3 inches of tether anchor		 No
Tether anchors can be accessed
while seatback is properly positioned
for use of LATCH		 Not measured

Seat position 22

2

Lower anchor A
Lower latch is shared for this seat position
Lower anchor B
Lower latch is shared for this seat position
Tether anchor
Location Rear deck
Confusing hardware present No
Has contrasting label
within 3 inches of tether anchor		 No
Tether anchors can be accessed
while seatback is properly positioned
for use of LATCH		 Not measured

Seat position 23

1

Lower anchor A
Open access rated No
Depth (cm) 4-6
Force (lbs) 9
Clearance angle (degrees) 74
Lower anchor B
Open access rated No
Depth (cm) 4-6
Force (lbs) 11
Clearance angle (degrees) 72
Tether anchor
Location Rear deck
Confusing hardware present No
Has contrasting label
within 3 inches of tether anchor		 No
Tether anchors can be accessed
while seatback is properly positioned
for use of LATCH		 Not measured

About the child seat anchor evaluation