Ford Ranger’s smashing ANCAP result

THE facelifted Ford Ranger PX Mk II has achieved one of the highest ANCAP scores yet, totting up 36.72 points out of a maximum 37 overall and securing the maximum five-star result for all 37 engine and body-style combinations in the line-up.

Hyundai’s Genesis luxury sedan became the title-holder in October last year with an almost-perfect 36.88 out of 37, more than two years after the long-reigning Mercedes-Benz B-Class achieved a score of 36.78.

The revised Australian designed and developed Ranger, which arrived in local showrooms last month, equals the pre-facelift version’s frontal offset score of 15.72 out of 16. Likewise the side impact test score of 16 out of 16 and pole test score of 2 out of 2.

Where it picks up points is an improvement in the whiplash protection test result from ‘acceptable’ to ‘good’ and an increase in seatbelt reminders from two to three. Pedestrian protection remains ‘acceptable’.

Its frontal offset test score is made up of perfect results in head and neck, upper- and lower-leg protection, dropping to 3.72 points out of a maximum four in chest protection.

Head, chest, abdomen and pelvis protection all received four out of four in the side impact test and both geometric and dynamic whiplash protection tests returned a ‘good’ rating.

Although a larger, heavier five-star rated vehicle would come off better in a smash than a five-star rated small vehicle, the effect of weight on stopping distances and agility plus the additional rollover risk caused by the higher centre of gravity would make it harder to avoid an accident in the first place.

High-end XLT and Wildtrak Ranger variants can be optioned with segment-leading driver and safety aids including adaptive cruise control with forward collision mitigation, lane-departure warning, lane keeping assistance and driver fatigue monitoring.

Ford has drawn criticism for only making a reversing camera standard on the range-topping Wildtrak (from $57,890 plus on-road costs) and as an option on the up-spec XLT, while the XL, XL Plus and XLS can only have a camera fitted as a dealer accessory setup that displays the camera image on a screen built into the interior mirror.