Mustang’s a two-star crash car

The Mustang has been a sports-car sensation in New Zealand and Australia, clocking up nearly 1000 Kiwi sales and more than 6000 across the Tasman.

But Ford’s Pony Car doesn’t look quite so crash hot after scoring just two stars in Australasian New Car Assessment Programme (Ancap) safety testing.

The maximum five-star Ancap score has become the norm for modern cars. So much so that Ancap is constantly looking for ways to toughen its testing.

So the lowly two-star rating for the Mustang fastback has come as a shock to many, especially considering the car is the first in the history of the nameplate to be engineered for both left and righthand-drive (as tested) from the outset. The rating only applies to the V8-powered fastback/coupe. The convertible and four-cylinder Ecoboost variants have not yet been tested. ‘‘The Mustang fastback’s two-star safety rating is extremely disappointing.

‘‘It’s not what we’d expect from Ford or any major vehicle manufacturer today, especially when Ancap testing protocols are well known by all car makers,’’ says AA motoring services general manager Stella Stocks.

Ancap testing includes a frontal offset impact at 64kmh, a side-impact from a 950kg trolley at 50kmh, a 40kmh pedestrianimpact test, a side pole-impact at 29kmh close to the driver’s head and a whiplash test equivalent to a 32kmh crash. Points are also awarded (and necessary to achieve high scores) for driverassistance and active-safety features.

The scores for Mustang were reached using these protocols, although the tests themselves were carried out as part of the European NCAP programme.

Mustang scored 72 per cent for adult occupant protection, 32 per cent for child occupant, 64 for pedestrian and just 16 per cent for safety assistance.

Stocks says it’s important to note the Mustang sold in Australasian markets and Europe is a different specification from the vehicles available in the United States.

The US models include forward collision warning for example, which is not available in NZ.

The LHD Mustang has fared much better in American tests. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gives the fastback five stars overall (including frontal, sideimpact and rollover tests), while the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gives Mustang an Acceptable rating for its ‘‘small overlap’’ frontal impact test and the top Good rating for moderate overlap, side and roof strength tests.

The IIHS does note issues with intrusion into the passenger cell in the moderate frontal impact and a seatbelt that allowed ‘‘excessive forward excursion’’ of the driver’s head and torso.

Stocks says vehicle manufacturers should ensure NZ has access to the highest specification models made available elsewhere in the world.

‘‘While Ford has done a good job at capturing the imagination of enthusiasts around the world with the latest Mustang, it’s missed the mark on safety.

‘‘Consumers are becoming increasingly more aware of what to expect in the safest cars,’’ says Stocks.

‘‘Ford recently unveiled its newest models in the US which appear to have more safety assist and crash prevention technology on board, but they’re not expected in NZ until the end of the next year,’’ says Stocks.

‘‘Also, we won’t know what will be included on the NZ models yet.’’

Ancap is supported by the NZ AA, Australian motoring clubs, the Australian Government, the NZ Government, Australian state and territory governments, the Victorian Transport Accident Commission, NRMA Insurance and the FIA Foundation.