√2023 Ford Everest receives five-star ANCAP safety rating from Ranger ute

Crash testing of the new Ford Ranger ute has been applied to its SUV counterpart, the Ford Everest – which scores higher in adult crash protection and safety technology.

The 2023 Ford Everest seven-seat family SUV has been earned a five-star safety rating from the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP).

The Ford Everest’s safety score is based on testing of its Ranger ute sibling – after “ANCAP was provided with technical information to show that the test results of the Ranger are also applicable to the Everest”, according to the independent safety body.

Ford’s new Everest is the second ute-based four-wheel-drive to be awarded a five-star rating under the latest 2020-22 test criteria, after the Isuzu MU-X – comprised of a single crash test of an MU-X, and carry-over results from an Isuzu D-Max ute.

Applicable to all model grades, the Everest received scores of 86 per cent for Adult Occupant Protection, 93 per cent for Child Occupant Protection, 74 per cent for Vulnerable Road User Protection (pedestrians and cyclists), and 86 per cent for Safety Assist technology.

While the child and pedestrian/cyclist scores match the Ranger, the Everest performed better in the Adult Occupant Protection category due to a reduced risk of whiplash for rear-seat passengers, and in the Safety Assist category for improved lane-keep assist performance.

The Everest’s results of 86 and 86 per cent for these categories respectively compare to 83 and 84 per cent for the Ranger.

It is believed the Everest’s higher lane assist score may be due to its fitment of a rear radar sensor across the range – used to prevent drivers changing lanes into the path of cars in their blind spot – which is not fitted to cab-chassis Ranger utes.

As with the Ranger, ANCAP noted “good” or “adequate” occupant protection in most front- or side-impact tests, though protection of the chest of the rear passenger in the full-width frontal crash, and the chest of the driver in the side-impact pole test, were recorded as “marginal”.

Four out of four available points were deducted for ‘compatibility’, referring to the risk posed to occupants in the other vehicle in a frontal crash – akin to large vehicles tested under ANCAP’s latest criteria.

Nine airbags are standard across the Ford Ranger line-up – including a centre airbag intended to prevent front occupants’ heads clashing in a side-impact collision – and a full suite of advanced safety technology.

“The Ford Ranger and Ford 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,” ANCAP said in a statement..

“Performance tests of autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assistance and speed assistance all scored well.”

In a media statement, ANCAP CEO Carla Hoorweg said “This is good news for fleets, families and tradies, as well as recreational consumers – everyone who uses these models for work and play.

“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.

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