Ranger, Everest score five-star safety rating

ANCAP has awarded the new Ford Ranger and Everest top safety marks during its most recent round of vehicle evaluations.

The large Ranger utility – which is one of Australia’s best-selling vehicles – is equipped as standard with dual frontal, side chest-protecting and side head-protecting curtain airbags, as well as a driver and passenger knee airbag. A centre airbag which provides added protection to front seat occupants in side impact crashes is also a standard offering.

ANCAP said the Ranger and Everest variants tested achieved solid scores for the protection of adult occupants in the frontal offset, 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 testing body said high and heavy vehicles, such as utilities and large SUVs pose an increased risk to occupants of oncoming vehicles in a crash, and this was shown with the Ford Ranger and Ford Everest where a 'compatibility' penalty was applied.

Maximum scores were awarded recognising the Good levels of protection offered to child occupants in the frontal offset and side impact crashes.

However, ANCAP cautioned that consumers must note that most child restraints are legally only able to be used in seating positions where a top tether anchorage point is fitted, and in the case of the Ranger, a top tether anchorage is not fitted in the centre seating position of the second row in double cab variants.

It said the installation of child restraints in single- and extended-cab variants of the Ford Ranger is also not recommended as there are no top tether anchorages fitted.

ANCAP said the Ranger and Everest both 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.

The Ford Ranger scored 84 per cent in the Adult Occupant Protection category, 93 per cent in the Child Occupant Protection category, 74 per cent in the Vulnerable Road User Protection category, and 83 per cent in the Safety Assist category while the Everest scored 86 per cent in the Adult Occupant Protection category, 93 per cent in the Child Occupant Protection category, 74 per cent in the Vulnerable Road User Protection category, and 86 per cent in the Safety Assist category.

ANCAP said the five-star safety 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).

Ford Ranger Raptor variants 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.”