Ford escapes ANCAP re-test

FORD’S new Escape mid-size SUV has scored the maximum five-star rating by the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP), with the top-score based on earlier Euro NCAP tests.

No crash test was conducted by the safety watchdog on Australian turf and instead, the Escape carries over the five-star rating awarded to its predecessor, the Kuga on which it is based.

As part of a mid-life facelift, Ford has changed the name of the Kuga to Escape but many of the vehicle’s safety features are unchanged ahead of its arrival in Australia this month.

The Escape-nee-Kuga achieved an overall score of 36.33 out of a possible 37, or 98 per cent, and was awarded perfect scores in the side impact test (16 out of 16) and pole test (2 out of 2).

It scored 15.33 out of 16 in the frontal offset test, losing points in the chest region for driver and passenger, and the left leg of the passenger.

Whiplash protection was rated as ‘good’, the highest rating possible, while the pedestrian test scored 25.09 out of 36, losing points for poor and marginal adult pedestrian head protection but enough to result in an overall ‘acceptable’ rating.

Seatbelt reminders for three seats gained more points, while electronic stability control is standard, awarding the Escape extra praise.

Dual frontal, side chest and side head airbags are standard, as is an automatic emergency call function, reversing collision avoidance and a SmartKey.

Low-speed autonomous emergency braking is not offered on the base variant, but is available on all other variants.

Five-star safety is regarded as critical for the family-minded medium SUV segment, with only three medium SUVs currently on sale falling short of the five-star mark – the Mahindra XUV500, the ageing Suzuki Grand Vitara and the soon-to-be-replaced Jeep Compass.

The Escape faces some stiff sales competition in the medium SUV segment, with 4209 sales to its name to the end of November 2016, while others dominate including the Mazda CX-5 (22,658), Hyundai Tucson (18,748), Toyota RAV4 (18,031) and Nissan X-Trail (17,046).