mobile-menu-icon
Ford Authority

Ford Explorer Safer Than Most SUVs Currently On Sale

Back in December, the refreshed 2023 Ford Escape was awarded the highest possible rating of “good” in revised Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) 2.0 moderate front overlap crash testing, which is notable because it was one of just two out of 15 compact crossovers tested that achieved that high mark. However, it’s no longer alone in that regard, as both the 2022-2023 Ford Explorer and 2021-2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E just earned that same status, too.

The Ford Explorer and Mustang Mach-E were two of only four mid-size crossovers among a group of 13 in this most recent test to achieve this stellar rating, an honor that The Blue Oval attributes to the fact that each utilizes seat belts with pretensioner and load limiting technology in both the first and second rows.

The new IIHS 2.0 moderate front overlap crash testing now includes measuring impact to rear-seat occupants in addition to front passengers, and as a result, the majority of the mid-size crossovers tested failed to meet these new standards. Three of those models – the Chevrolet Traverse, Toyota Highlander, and Volkswagen Atlas – earned marginal ratings, while the remaining six – the Honda Pilot, Hyundai Palisade, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, Mazda CX-9, and Nissan Murano – received poor ratings.

To earn a good rating, measurements recorded by sensors in the second-row dummy must not exceed limits indicating an excessive risk of injury to the head, neck, chest, abdomen, or thigh. A pressure sensor that monitors the position of the shoulder belt on the torso of the dummy is also used to help gauge the risk of chest injuries.

“Safety and quality are two of our top priorities,” said Jim Baumbick, vice president, Ford Product Development and Quality. “Receiving this recognition from IIHS for Mustang Mach-E and Explorer has reaffirmed that we’re focused in the right places to help make our customers’ lives better.”

We’ll have more on the Explorer soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for more Ford Explorer news and continuous Ford news coverage.

Brett's lost track of all the Fords he's owned over the years and how much he's spent modifying them, but his current money pits include an S550 Mustang and 13th gen F-150.

Subscribe to Ford Authority

For around-the-clock Ford news coverage

We'll send you one email per day with the latest Ford updates. It's totally free.

No Comments yet

Leave a comment

Cancel