The European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP), a car safety performance assessment module, has released its fresh report regarding safety ratings for new vehicles that includes Ford EcoSport. As the car fared badly in the crash tests, it got a rating of four stars out of five. This Indian-built car of Ford was put through various rigorous tests under different categories after which the rating was given. Reports suggest that the lack of safety features in the Ford EcoSport were the main reasons for its low score in this test.
However, the compact Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) scored well in adult occupant protection test with a 93 per cent rating. In this category, the rating is given on the resistance abilities of cars in case of a frontal collision, wherein all passenger seats are occupied. Also to mention, the safety tests involved side impacts, an important indicator of security levels.
In stark contrast to the adult occupant protection, the car fared badly in the safety assist systems test. Since the car is not equipped with proper warning systems to alert occupants, it brought down the average rating. As EcoSport lacks a speed limitation alert system and rear seat belts warning mechanism, it fared poorly in that department. Furthermore, another flaw in this compact SUV was recorded in the pedestrian protection section in which the pillars, windscreen and front bumper showed poor protection results for passengers, bringing the rating further down to 58 per cent. As far as infant protection is concerned, EcoSport was awarded with maximum points for 1 and 3 year infant protection in case of both frontal and side impacts. However, even after such results, the car could only managed 77 per cent rating in child protection.
This is not the first time that Ford EcoSport has been put through NCAP tests as previously in April 2013, it had gone through the rigours of Latin NCAP. Under that safety module, Ford EcoSport got a four star rating in adult occupant protection with a score of 13.64 out of 16 while in the child safety tests, it fared quite poorly with a score of 31 out of 49.
Among the other notable cars that also got a four star rating from Euro NCAP safety tests was BMW i3, Nissan Note and Mercedes-Benz Citan. On the other hand, lesser known cars like Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, Maserati Ghibli, Infiniti Q50 and Mazda 3 achieved five star rating in the latest batch of vehicles.
Based in Belgium, European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) was found in 1997 by Transport Research Laboratory in United Kingdom to inspect the safety rating system of the cars by putting them through several crash tests. The frontal collision test, carried out by Euro NCAP, is performed at 64 kmph into an offset deformable barrier. While the side impact tests are carried out at 50 kmph, the side pole tests are performed at quite low speeds (around 29 kmph). Apart from these, the pedestrian safety tests are performed at 40 kmph. In several countries, Euro NCAP testing is not mandatory as the organisation itself selects new cars randomly or sometimes even auto makers themselves put their vehicles through these tests.
