2022 Ford Ranger nets five-star ANCAP safety rating

MANILA: The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) gave the 2022 Ford Ranger a five-star safety grade. 

All models, with the exception of the dual-cab V6 petrol Ford Ranger Raptor, are subject to the rating. According to the most recent 2020–22 ANCAP test protocols, the Ranger received a five-star rating, placing it next to the Isuzu D–Max and Mazda BT–50 twins.

Scores for the 2022 Ford Ranger include 84% for adult occupant protection, 93% for child occupant protection, 74% for protection of vulnerable road users (cyclists and pedestrians), and 83% for safety assist technologies.

In the majority of front- or side-impact tests, ANCAP found "excellent" or "sufficient" occupant protection; however, "poor" performance was highlighted for the driver's chest in the side-impact pole test and the rear passenger's chest in the full-width frontal collision.

For "compatibility," which refers to the risk posed to occupants in the other vehicle in a frontal crash, four out of four points were deducted, as with other tall and heavy vehicles tested under ANCAP's most recent criteria.

The 2022 Ford Ranger lineup includes nine airbags as standard equipment, including knee airbags for the driver and front passenger and a center airbag between the front seats that is designed to keep the heads of the front occupants from colliding in a side-impact crash.

"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 was quoted as saying in a report.

"Performance tests of autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assistance and speed assistance all scored well,” the safety body added.

The test results for the Ford Ranger could mean a five-star ANCAP score can be seen in its 2022 Ford Everest SUV sibling.

In a media statement, ANCAP CEO Carla Hoorweg praised the 2022 Ford Ranger’s safety. “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,” Hoorweg underscored.

With the all-new Ranger, Ford engineers spent "thousands of hours" developing and testing the pickup truck's safety via computer modeling and comprehensive physical testing, according to a release.

Ranger models made by computer-aided engineering (CAE) were built to replicate various accident scenarios, including full-frontal, frontal offset, pole test, rear offset crash tests, pedestrian impacts, roof crush tests, and more.

For local units, the 2022 Ford Ranger Wildtrak 4x4 edition is the first to use matrix LED headlights with an Adaptive Front Lighting System. This is included in the front of the vehicle that has a distinctive C-clamp headlight treatment and a clearly defined new grille. Meanwhile, the side profile has redesigned wheel arches that give the Ranger a sure-footed appearance.

The new Ranger has a 360-degree camera to make parking and crossing in congested metropolitan areas simple. Ingenious storage and helpful features for owners, like a digital owner's manual, a new climate system, and wireless charging, were also devised by the design team.

The 2022 Ford Ranger is equipped with Intelligent Oil Life Monitor (IOLM), a smart new feature that tells the owner when to have an oil change based on actual engine data, operating conditions, and driving habits.

With the pickup's terrain management system, drivers are given command of six on- and off-road drive modes (Normal, Eco, Tow Haul, Slippery, Mud/Ruts and Sand) to help master every terrain.

The suite of intelligent driver-assist technologies that include:

• Post-Collision Braking.
• Pre-Collision Assist.
• Evasive Steer Assist.
• Reverse Brake Assist.
• Blind Spot Information System (BLIS).
• Lane-Keeping System with Road Edge Detection.
• Cross Traffic Alert.
• Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop-and-Go.

After a collision, Ford's Post-Collision Braking system applies the brakes to lessen the likelihood of future collision. After a first accident, the system automatically applies mild braking pressure.

The technology produces an auditory and visual warning if it anticipates an impending collision, instructing the driver to apply the brakes. Aside from this function, Ford's upgraded Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system will engage if the driver doesn't react in time.

Evasive Steer Assist, a segment-first innovation, assists the driver steer clear of potential crashes with a slower or stopped vehicle up ahead by giving the steering a boost. In the event that braking alone is insufficient to avoid a collision, this enables the driver to steer with less effort.

While reversing, Reverse Brake Assist assists drivers in avoiding or reducing potential crashes with moving cars, pedestrians who are not moving, and objects. The brand-new Ranger's brakes will be applied if the system determines a collision with these is imminent.

If a faster-moving vehicle enters the Ranger’s blind spot zone, BLIS will alert the driver via a small light in the side mirror, so he or she knows not to change lanes.

Designed for use on rural roads at speeds from 65kph, road edge detection uses a front camera to monitor road edges 50 meters in front of the vehicle, day, or night.

Where a paved road becomes a soft verge, gravel hard shoulder or grass, the system provides gentle steering support as required, to prevent the vehicle from drifting off the road.

With the all-new Ranger’s Cross Traffic Alert system, it will alert the driver of a vehicle approaching from the sides when reversing.

New to the Ranger is Adaptive Cruise control with a Stop-and-Go feature, which lets drivers set a cruising speed for the vehicle and then maintain a set pacing distance from the vehicle ahead.

When that vehicle slows down, the 2022 Ford Ranger does the same, even down to a stop in traffic. When traffic picks up speed, the cruise control maintains the Ranger's pre-set speed and distance.

Photos from Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP), Ford

Also read: Spec-checking the range of the capable Ford Ranger