Recent crash tests performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) on the 2007 Ford Crown Victoria, Fusion, and Freestyle brought a mixed bag of results.
All ratings are specifically for side-impact protection. Tests on all three vehicles were performed at Ford’s request to reflect the addition of side airbags to all models.
The Crown Victoria was rated ‘marginal,’ a step up from the ‘Poor’ rating the 2006 model had received. According to the IIHS, “In the Crown Victoria, head protection also improved, but this car is rated marginal because of high forces recorded on the driver dummy's pelvis and poor structural performance.”
The Fusion was rated ‘acceptable,’ also a step up from last year’s rating. The IIHS found that the Fusion suffered the same issues as the Crown Victoria and posed a risk of pelvical fracture in case of a serious side impact. It should be noted that the Toyota Camry, which the Fusion is competing with, received the best available rating of 'Good' in tests performed by the Institute in August.
The Freestyle fared the best and earned a ‘Good’ rating.
The IIHS also conducted tests on the 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser at the same time. The newly-introduced Toyota SUV received a ‘Good’.
Our take? Poor safety ratings are part of the reason why Ford is in current difficulties. Yes, the automaker now offers extended warranties but the above issues can severely lower the appeal of its cars to many buyers who expect it to match Toyota feature by feature.