Both the Aviator and Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Aviator has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.
The Lincoln Aviator has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.
When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Aviator’s optional Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.
To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Aviator has standard Cross-Traffic Alert with Rear Cross Traffic Braking, systems which detect vehicles approaching from the sides and can automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. Parking Support Brake costs extra on the Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid XSE, and isn't offered on other Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid models.
The Aviator’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.
Both the Aviator and the Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available all wheel drive.
The Lincoln Aviator weighs 445 to 627 pounds more than the Toyota Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Lincoln Aviator is safer than the Toyota Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid:
|
Aviator |
Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid |
OVERALL STARS |
5 Stars |
4 Stars |
|
Driver |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
4 Stars |
HIC |
125 |
221 |
Neck Injury Risk |
26.3% |
34.5% |
Neck Stress |
167 lbs. |
303 lbs. |
Leg Forces (l/r) |
230/210 lbs. |
349/594 lbs. |
|
Passenger |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
4 Stars |
HIC |
318 |
360 |
Chest Compression |
.4 inches |
.5 inches |
Neck Injury Risk |
29.2% |
33.8% |
Neck Stress |
187 lbs. |
195 lbs. |
Leg Forces (l/r) |
380/405 lbs. |
509/328 lbs. |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH moderate front offset crash tests on new cars. In this updated test, results indicate that the Aviator is much safer than the Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid:
|
Aviator |
Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid |
Overall Evaluation |
GOOD |
MARGINAL |
Structure |
GOOD |
GOOD |
|
Driver Injury Measures |
|
Head/Neck Rating |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Head Injury Criterion |
160 |
307 |
Chest Rating |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Thigh/hip Rating |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Leg/foot Rating |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Restraints |
GOOD |
GOOD |
|
Rear Passenger Injury Measures |
|
Head/Neck Rating |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Chest Rating |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
Thigh Rating |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Restraints |
ACCEPTABLE |
MARGINAL |
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Lincoln Aviator is safer than the Toyota Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid:
|
Aviator |
Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid |
|
Front Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
65 |
69 |
|
Rear Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
86 |
103 |
Spine Acceleration |
38 G’s |
46 G’s |
|
Into Pole |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
4 Stars |
Max Damage Depth |
12 inches |
14 inches |
HIC |
288 |
360 |
Spine Acceleration |
39 G’s |
45 G’s |
Hip Force |
573 lbs. |
970 lbs. |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.
Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Lincoln Aviator is safer than the Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid:
|
Aviator |
Rav4 Plug-In Hybrid |
Overall Evaluation |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
Structure |
GOOD |
GOOD |
|
Driver Injury Measures |
|
Head/Neck |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Head Injury Criterion |
86 |
120 |
Torso |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Shoulder Force |
134 lbs. |
178 lbs. |
Torso Max Deflection |
1.06 in |
1.34 in |
Torso Deflection Rate |
5 MPH |
7 MPH |
Pelvis |
ACCEPTABLE |
ACCEPTABLE |
Pelvis Force |
982 lbs. |
1093 lbs. |
Head Protection |
GOOD |
GOOD |
|
Passenger Injury Measures |
|
Head/Neck |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Head Injury Criterion |
168 |
542 |
Head Peak Forces |
no contact |
104 G’s |
Neck Tension |
268 lbs. |
312 lbs. |
Neck Compression |
22 lbs. |
223 lbs. |
Torso |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Pelvis |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Head Protection |
GOOD |
MARGINAL |