The all-new Ford Fiesta has been awarded the maximum five-star safety rating by the independent crash test authority, Euro NCAP.
Ford claims that the Fiesta is the most technologically-advanced small car on sale in Europe, delivering sophisticated features designed to help prevent or mitigate the impact of an accident for occupants and pedestrians, including an enhanced version of Ford’s Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection that for the first time can help prevent collisions in the dark.
Euro NCAP awarded high scores to Fiesta for both adult (87 per cent ) and child (84 per cent ) occupant protection. Fiesta achieved a maximum score in tests designed to replicate a car-to-car side impact, and also scored highly in frontal and side-pole tests, offering a high level of protection for all occupants and good whiplash performance.
Driver assistance technologies including Adjustable Speed Limiter and Lane Keeping Aid were highlighted and positively commended by Euro NCAP, as were seatbelt pre-tensioners and load limiters, offered for the first time for rear-seat in addition to front-seat occupants, and front-seat airbag coverage for side head, chest and pelvis.
Ford says that the all-new Fiesta body features 36 per cent more boron steel for greater strength in key areas, including the upper section of the central side-pillar, which uses a new T-section configuration to more effectively transfer side impact energy into the roof.
Redesigned door cross sections further protect occupants against side impact intrusion, and both three- and five-door models now contain pressure sensors in the doors that enable restraint systems to be activated several milliseconds sooner. For the driver, a mechanically-activated locking tongue helps prevent slippage of the seatbelt during an accident.
The all-new Fiesta is also the first Ford in Europe to benefit from computer simulation crash tests of a complete vehicle using advanced new Finite Element Analysis. The technology accurately predicts how safety features from airbags to body structure will react to real-world forces to protect passengers in the event of an accident, enabling more efficient and effective optimisation of safety systems.
The all-new Fiesta is now on sale across Europe with a comprehensive line-up including the stylish Fiesta Titanium, the Ford Performance-inspired Fiesta ST-Line, the upscale Fiesta Vignale, and Fiesta Zetec.
Meanwhile, the Fiesta Active crossover, the first in a new line-up of Active vehicles to be rolled out across the Ford range in years to come, and the all-new 200 PS Fiesta ST will go on sale next year.
