Ford announced that its 2019 F-150 was the only light-duty truck to earn top marks from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for its small overlap front crash safety test for both driver and passenger sides.
Among 11 pickups tested, Ford’s F-150 was the only truck to receive the IIHS’s top-tier good rating in all categories for the overlap test. The truck also won honors as the best performer in passenger-side small overlap front crash testing.
“F-150’s smart engineering, plus the innovative combination of its high-strength steel frame and high-strength, military-grade, aluminum alloy body continues to demonstrate enduring customer benefits – from repeated class-leading crash test performance to best-in-class towing and payload,” said Hau Thai-Tang, Ford executive vice president for product development and purchasing.
A cross-functional group of Ford truck veterans worked thousands of hours to help improve durability, capability, fuel economy and safety for F-150. The team created 31 safety-related innovations – including structures that manage crash forces, plus joining methods that were tested virtually with computer simulations then retested in Ford’s advanced laboratories.
Ford credits new structural designs for its top scores, including a patented extruded aluminum roof crossmember and additional frame crossmember that work to improve crash resilience. Other innovations include nylon hinge pillar reinforcements that save weight, and in conjunction with specially designed wheel blockers, work to control crash forces while also providing additional safety.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration awarded the F-150 crew cab a five-star overall vehicle score and a five-star rating for driver and passenger for all crash test modes.
