2016 Lincoln MKZ

midsize luxury car / 4-door sedan

2016 Lincoln MKZ 4-door sedan

Crashworthiness

Rating overview
Evaluation criteriaRating
Small overlap front: driver-side
A
Moderate overlap front: original test
G
Side: original test
G
Roof strength
G
Head restraints & seats
G

Crash avoidance & mitigation

Evaluation criteriaRating
Headlights (varies by trim/option)
AM
Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle
Optional system
Basic

Seat belts & child restraints

Evaluation criteriaRating
LATCH ease of use
A

Other available safety features

  • Optional blind spot detection
  • Optional lane departure warning
  • Optional lane departure 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 2013-16 models

Tested vehicle: 2013 Ford Fusion SE 4-door

The Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ were redesigned for the 2013 model year. Beginning with 2013 Fusion models built after early December 2012, structural changes were made to improve occupant protection in small overlap frontal crashes. (Information about when a specific vehicle was manufactured is on the certification label typically affixed to the car on the driver door or adjacent B-pillar.) The tested Fusion and all 2013 MKZ models were built after the structural changes were in place.

Evaluation criteriaRating
A
Structure and safety cage
A
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
G
Chest
G
Hip/thigh
G
Lower leg/foot
G
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics
The dummy’s head barely contacted the frontal airbag before sliding off the left side and leaving the head vulnerable to contact with forward structure. The side curtain airbag deployed and had sufficient forward coverage to protect the head from contact with side structure and outside objects.
A

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 reasonably well.

The dummy’s head contacted the frontal airbag but then slid off the left side. The side curtain airbag extended far enough forward toward the A-pillar to protect the head from contact with forward side structure.

Except for door hinge pillar deformation, intrusion into the driver's space was reasonably well controlled, and risk of injuries to the dummy's legs and feet was low.

Technical measurements for this test

About the small overlap front test

Moderate overlap front: original test

Rating applies to 2013-16 models

Tested vehicle: 2013 Ford Fusion SEL 4-door

The Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ were redesigned for the 2013 model year. Moderate overlap frontal ratings are assigned by the Institute based on a test of a Fusion conducted by Ford.

Evaluation criteriaRating
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
Technical measurements for this test

About the original moderate overlap front test

Side: original test

Rating applies to 2013-16 models

Tested vehicle: 2013 Ford Fusion SEL 4-door with standard front and rear head curtain airbags and standard front seat-mounted torso airbags

The Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ were redesigned for the 2013 model year. Side ratings are assigned by the Institute based on a test of a Fusion conducted by Ford.

Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall evaluation
G
Structure and safety cage
A
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
Technical measurements for this test

About the original side crash test

Roof strength

Rating applies to 2013-16 models

Tested vehicle: 2013 Lincoln MKZ 4-door

Overall evaluation
G
Curb weight3,864 lbs
Peak force17,357 lbs
Strength-to-weight ratio4.49

About the roof strength test

Head restraints & seats

Seat type: Power Leather Seat

Overall evaluation
G
Dynamic rating
G
Seat/head restraint geometry
G
Technical measurements for this test

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)

  • All trims equipped with Technology package
Evaluation criteriaRating
Low-beam headlight typeLED projector
High-beam headlight typeLED projector
Curve-adaptive?Yes
High-beam assist?Yes
Overall rating
A
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 fair on both right curves and inadequate on both left curves.

The low beams created some glare.

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

  • All trims
Evaluation criteriaRating
Low-beam headlight typeLED projector
High-beam headlight typeLED projector
Curve-adaptive?Yes
High-beam assist?No
Overall rating
M
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 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 fair on both right curves and inadequate on both left curves.

The low beams created some glare.

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

Technical measurements for this test

About the headlight evaluation

Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle

System details

  • Optional Collision Warning with Brake Support

Package name

  • Optional Reserve + Technology Package for 2014 Models
  • Optional Technology Package for 2015 to 2016 Models

Overall evaluation

Applies to 2014-16 models

Basic
Basic
with optional equipment
  • This system meets the requirements for forward collision warning.
  • Autobrake not available.

About the original front crash prevention test

Child seat anchors

Rating applies to 2016-20 models

Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall evaluation
A
Vehicle trimbase/Premiere
Seat type leatherette

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

It has 1 additional seating position with a tether anchor only.

Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall evaluation
A
Vehicle trimbase/Premiere
Seat type leatherette
1 2 3
Rating iconRating
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

PositionRating
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
none available
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

About the child seat anchor evaluation