It’s been a while since we have had a 2 stars in the EuroNCAP safety tests. But today is that day. The Ford Mustang was tested by the European organization and shock. Even though everybody was expecting a five-star rating, the pre-facelift, Euro-spec pony car got only two.
This is a shocking result because the American-spec model got five stars in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s New Car Assessment Program. Also in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the pre-facelift Mustang got an "acceptable" rating.
An important aspect is that the Euro-spec Mustang doesn’t have all the safety equipment which can be found on the US-spec model. More than that, the model was heavily penalized for its lack of rear seat belt pre-tensioners and load limiters.
The current Mustang also behaved badely in the frontal offset test. The driver’s and passenger’s airbags inflated insufficiently. The front test caused the rear passenger to slid under the seat belt, thus exposing him to an increased risk of abdominal injuries in the event of a real world accident.
“We welcome any improvement, of course, and look forward to publishing a new rating for the updated model. However, more fundamental updates may be needed if the Mustang is to get a significantly better result. We therefore hope Ford takes the opportunity to invest in the changes needed now for future Mustang generations”, said Euro NCAP’s Secretary General, Michiel van Ratingen.
