Hey folks, Gary Crossley Ford General Sales Manager Todd Gentry here, and I have some great news to share with you about the Ford Explorer. As you know, the current-gen Explorer has been raking in accolades from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) since its launch for the 2020 model year. And now, the Explorer has received yet another IIHS Top Safety Pick award for 2023, securing its place among the safest vehicles on the road.
But what makes this achievement even more impressive is the fact that the IIHS has revised its requirements for the Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+ awards this year, making it more challenging for vehicles to qualify. The IIHS has increased its side crash test energy by 82 percent and added a new evaluation for nighttime vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention, while also making headlight requirements more stringent. These changes have led to a significant decrease in the number of qualifying vehicles, with just 48 models making the cut this year, compared to 101 last year.
So how did the Ford Explorer fare under these new, more rigorous tests? Well, I’m pleased to say that the Explorer passed with flying colors. It earned “good” ratings in all seven crashworthiness tests, “acceptable” for its headlights and ease of child safety latch use, and “superior” ratings for front crash prevention (excluding vehicle-to-pedestrian nighttime results, which were rated “basic”).
According to IIHS President David Harkey, the smaller number of winners this year is a testament to the organization’s commitment to challenging automakers to build on their safety gains. He also expressed excitement about the fact that manufacturers have been quick to implement the design changes and technological advancements required to meet these new standards. Our team at Gary Crossley Ford are thrilled that the Explorer has once again proven its mettle as one of the safest vehicles on the road, and we look forward to continuing to offer our customers the very best in safety and performance.
