2026 Ford F 150 Lightning Safety Rating
Large pickups Β· Current IIHS listing Β· IIHS data updated 2026-09-04
The 2026 Ford F 150 Lightning is not yet ranked. IIHS has published 2 of 4 primary tests and 2 of 4 selected occupant-protection details. Missing results are shown as missing, never assumed.
Reported so far: Moderate overlap front (updated test) Poor; Headlights Acceptable; Latch ease of use Marginal.
IIHS crash-test results
Detailed results by test (18 entries)
IIHS publishes these under the test they belong to, so the same label can appear more than once. Rear restraints and kinematics, rear head protection, structure and safety cage, and front restraints are the four that count toward the score (25%).
Moderate overlap front: updated test
Headlights
Front crash prevention: pedestrian
Child seat anchors
Opens on iihs.org in a new tab
How the score is built
Full formula, weights, and missing-data rules β
NHTSA 5-star rating
2026 FORD F-150 (SUPER CREW) LIGHTNING BEV PU/CC BEV 4WD
NHTSA stars are shown for reference and carry no weight in the score. NHTSA source. Why the two programs disagree β
Real-world context
| Measure | Result | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Class driver death rate | 31 per million registered vehicle-years | Large pickups as a class, adjusted for driver age and sex (Farmer, 2023); all vehicles average 38. Class context only. |
| Ford F-150 SuperCab 4WD (2019-20) driver death rate | 29 (95% CI 3β55) | Earlier model years of this nameplate; class average for that study 28.5. Reflects who bought and drove those cars as well as the car. |
| Ford F-150 SuperCrew 2WD (2019-20) driver death rate | 30 (95% CI 5β55) | Earlier model years of this nameplate; class average for that study 28.5. Reflects who bought and drove those cars as well as the car. |
| Ford F-150 SuperCrew 4WD (2019-20) driver death rate | 30 (95% CI 20β41) | Earlier model years of this nameplate; class average for that study 28.5. Reflects who bought and drove those cars as well as the car. |
Compared with other large pickups
Closest-scoring current large pickups with complete IIHS records, plus the class leader. See every large pickup ranked β
| Vehicle | Class rank | IIHS award | Rear restraints | Starts at | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Tesla Cybertruck | #1 of 6 | TSP+ | $69,990 | 96.5 | |
| 2026 Ram 1500 | #4 of 6 | β | $44,775 | 62.5 | |
| 2026 Ford F 150 | #5 of 6 | β | $46,730 | 57.5 | |
| 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 | #6 of 6 | β | $45,000 | 40.5 |
Other model years of the Ford F 150 Lightning
| Model year | Status | IIHS award | Primary tests reported | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Ford F 150 Lightning | Archived | β | 2/4 | Not ranked |
Each model year keeps its own record. Ratings from one year are never copied to another unless IIHS states the test applies.
Our analysis
The 2026 Ford F 150 Lightning belongs to the Large pickups class. This class has a driver death rate near the national average of 38 deaths per million registered vehicle-years. The class figure is adjusted for driver age and sex, which removes a large part of the selection effect in raw death rates. It is still a class average, not a measurement of this model.
The Ford F 150 Lightning has no IIHS Top Safety Pick award for 2026. That can mean a result below the award threshold in one test, or tests IIHS has not completed. Absence of an award is not evidence that the vehicle is unsafe.
Across the 3 IIHS rating categories reported, the Ford F 150 Lightning earned 0 Good ratings. Results below Good deserve attention, especially the updated frontal and side tests that IIHS toughened in 2022 and 2023. Our updated crash test analysis explains what changed.
This analysis is produced independently; we have no affiliation with Ford or any manufacturer. Read the full methodology or learn more about us.
Safety recalls for the 2026 Ford F 150 Lightning
NHTSA does not yet list this model year in its recall database. That usually means the vehicle is too new to appear, not that it has been cleared.
Questions about the 2026 Ford F 150 Lightning
Continue comparing
Shopping for a family? Compare three-row vehicles and rear-seat evidence. Buying used? See real driver death rates by model.