SAFETY | 10 out of 10
Expert Quotes:
Not yet rated
NHTSA
Top Safety Pick
'Good,' frontal, side, and rear impact; 'good,' side impact; no rating for small overlap frontal impact
IIHS
“Available safety features include ABS, traction control”
ConsumerGuide
“’Cross Traffic Alert’ system…uses sensors to warn the driver of approaching vehicles when backing out of a parking space with limited availability.”
Edmunds
to the rear, “the driver’s view out is restricted”
The New York Times
The Lincoln MKT already had great crash-test results to build on. Now for 2013 Lincoln has added a suite of advanced driver-assist technologies to the feature set--altogether increasing the chances that you might be able to avoid an accident altogether.
For that reason, we've given the MKT our top safety score, because it's stout, rated well for occupant protection, and now loaded with nearly every safety feature imaginable--including some innovative new items. Each MKT has standard front, side,and curtain airbags (which extend through all three rows of protection); stability and traction control; anti-lock brakes; a rearview camera; a blind-spot alert system; and adaptive headlamps. Also new this year is an inflatable rear belt system that helps spread impact force across a wider area.In addition to those, options include Active Park Assist, which uses cameras and sensors and electric power steering to steer the vehicle into tight parallel parking spots. Lane Keeping Assist, Collision Warning, Adaptive Cruise Control, and a Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) are all available for 2013, as well as the MyKey system that lets parents program vehicle settings for teen drivers.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has given the Lincoln MKT its top "good" scores across the board, and since it also has standard stability control, it earns the IIHS' Top Safety Pick award. The federal government hasn't rated the MKT in several years--not since it rejiggered its tests for the 2011 model year--but it was previously a high achiever in those tests as well.
Conclusion
With top safety ratings and some of the most advanced safety gear on the market, the MKT is a very secure pick.
