ANCAP has announced five-star safety ratings for the new Ford Ranger utility and Everest SUV following independent assessment at test laboratories across Australia. The tests were conducted by ANCAP directly, and the rating applies to all Everest variants and all XL, XLS, XLT, Sport and Wildtrak variants of the Ranger in single cab, extended cab (RAP Cab) and double cab body styles (including utility and cab-chassis). Raptor variants of the Ford Ranger are unrated.
“This is good news for fleets, families and tradies, as well as recreational consumers – everyone who uses these models for work and play,” said ANCAP Chief Executive Officer Carla Hoorweg. “A five-star safety rating isn’t an easy achievement, yet it is particularly important when considering the very broad range of uses for the Ranger and Everest.”
According to ANCAP, the Ranger comes with standard with dual frontal, side chest-protecting and side head-protecting airbags, as well as driver and passenger knee airbags. A centre airbag which provides added protection to front seat occupants in side impact crashes is also a standard offering.
ANCAP said solid scores were achieved for the Ranger and Everest’s protection of adult occupants in the frontal offset (MPDB), side impact and far-side impact tests, though marginal scores were recorded for the chest of the rear passenger in the full width frontal crash test and for the chest of the driver in the oblique pole test.
The agency said high and heavy vehicles such as utilities and large SUV pose an increased risk to occupants of oncoming vehicles in a crash, and this was shown with the Ranger and Everest where a ‘compatibility’ penalty was applied.
Good levels of protection are offered to child occupants in the frontal offset and side impact crashes. However, ANCAP said most child restraints are legally only able to be used in seating positions where a top tether anchorage point is fitted, and in the Ranger’s case, a top tether anchorage is not fitted in the centre seating position of the second row in double cab variants. The installation of child restraints in Ranger single and RAP Cab variants is not recommended as there are no top tether anchorages fitted.
Both models offer a broad range of active collision avoidance systems to help prevent or minimise the severity of a crash, including the ability to detect unmarked road edges, and oncoming vehicles in ‘turning-across-path’ intersection scenarios. Performance tests of autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assistance and speed assistance all scored well.