In 2012, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced a new type of crash test: the small-overlap frontal test. Many vehicles performed poorly, which is no surprise, as it had never before been tested.
Why is it important, and why is it so significant that the 2017 Lincoln Continental earned the highest rating in the small-overlap test?
When we picture a head-on collision, we often envision two vehicles smashing directly into each other, with one car entirely in the opposite lane of traffic. But this is not a realistic or common scenario. More often, one driver will drift slightly over the yellow line, clipping an oncoming vehicle left headlight to left headlight.
The outer edges of many vehicles are not well-protected enough to resist an impact so far to the side.
Fortunately, the Lincoln Continental is.
When you drive a 2017 Lincoln Continental, you are driving a luxury sedan safe enough to earn an IIHS Top Safety Pick+, the highest award given by the organization. In a small-overlap crash at 40 mph, the IIHS reports "low risk of any significant injuries." This should give you plenty of peace of mind as you navigate the busy streets of South Bend.