The Ford 500/Mercury Montego outperformed all full size family sedans and full-size luxury sedans in a composite score of front/side/and rear impact tests.

Link to results

The Freestyle is on top of the heap in the mid-size SUV catagory, but side tests haven't been completed yet.

 

That's nothing short of incredible, but I don't think people understand how or why.

BMW, Mercedes, and Volvo have been at the top of the safety list for years and years - and they're knocked off by an American car.

GREAT news and outstanding engineering by Ford. I hope the trend continues.

 

Not just any American car, but one that most new-car buyers could actually afford.

 

That's good news for Ford. I think more and more people are paying attention to that sort of thing, especially when buying new.

 

Our Five-Hundred/ Freestyle sales really took off after the federal government gave the cars its quadruple 5-star rating (5 stars for front passengers, and for both side impacts), and that was accomplished WITHOUT the optional side airbags!

 

Wow. I'm literally reading this thread while I'm watching the local 5:30 news, and wouldn't you know it, they just had a nice little piece on the new IIHS safety picks. For obvious reasons, Ford came out looking real good.

Thinking about it, I bet Ford could spend millions and not get as effective advertising as that.

 

Was the side of the pillars on the crash test sposed 2 bend in like that? fordguy101

 

Side sorry. fordguy101

 

??? What're you seeing?

 

Speaking of which- is this Acura's pillars supposed to look like this? Quick- somebody tell me again how unsafe an Explorer is.

 

I'm thinking we should all thank Volvo for being under the Ford umbrella....

cars.about.com/od/2005/fr/05_500awd.htm

Props nonetheless, not that I wasn't applauding before I researched my hunch...

 

In the pic of the side crash test. The pic with the doors off. The lower piller is pushed in. Is that part of crash zone on the side?

 

Ah. No- the pillar did give way, but not in a manner that would be life or injury threatening.

 

That's real common. The B pillar in that test takes a lot of abuse no matter what car it is and really it didn't give away. You'll notice it didn't seperate from the car, that means it did do it's job the way it was intended to.

I noticed they don't show the pole test in this report. The 500 was one of the worst on the pole test but did do well in the other areas. I'm not sure if the IIHS does that test but the government does. FYI what's neat about the IIHS is they do their tests with more speed then the gov does so the results can be different then the star ratings you hear about.

 

I believe the IIHS uses the European test standards.