The Ranger has standard Automatic Emergency Braking, which use forward mounted sensors to warn the driver of a possible collision ahead. If the driver doesn't react and the system determines a collision is imminent, it automatically applies the brakes at full-force in order to reduce the force of the crash or avoid it altogether. The Frontier doesn't offer collision warning or crash mitigation brakes.
The Ford Ranger has Daytime Running Lights to help keep it more visible under all conditions. Canadian government studies show that driving with lights during the day reduces accidents by 11% by making vehicles more conspicuous. The Frontier doesn't offer Daytime Running Lights.
The Ranger's optional lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. The Frontier doesn't offer a lane departure warning system.
The Ranger offers optional parking sensors to help warn the driver about vehicles, pedestrians or other obstacles behind or, optionally, in front of the vehicle. The Frontier doesn't offer a front parking aid.
The Ranger's optional blind spot warning system uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle's blind spots where the side view mirrors don't reveal them. The Frontier doesn't offer a system to reveal objects in the driver's blind spots.
To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Ranger's optional cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Frontier doesn't offer a cross-path warning system.
The Ranger's optional driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Frontier doesn't offer a driver alert monitor.
The Ranger offers optional 911 Assist, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to get turn-by-turn driving directions or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Frontier doesn't offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you're involved in an accident and you're incapacitated help may not come as quickly.
Both the Ranger and the Frontier have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, height-adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, rearview cameras and available four-wheel drive.
A significantly tougher test than their original offset frontal crash test, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH small overlap frontal offset crash tests. In this test, where only 25% of the total width of the vehicle is struck, results indicate that the Ford Ranger SuperCrew is safer than the Frontier Crew Cab:
|
Ranger |
Frontier |
Overall Evaluation |
GOOD |
MARGINAL |
Restraints |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Head Neck Evaluation |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Head injury index |
108 |
313 |
Peak Head Forces |
0 G's |
0 G's |
Steering Column Movement Rearward |
0 cm |
4 cm |
Chest Evaluation |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Max Chest Compression |
20 cm |
32 cm |
Hip & Thigh Evaluation |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Femur Force R/L |
.3/.4 kN |
.6/3.3 kN |
Hip & Thigh Injury Risk R/L |
0%/0% |
0%/1% |
Lower Leg Evaluation |
MARGINAL |
POOR |
Tibia index R/L |
.76/1.15 |
1.77/1.37 |
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rates the general design of front seat head restraints for their ability to protect front seat occupants from whiplash injuries. The IIHS also performs a dynamic test on those seats with “good” or “acceptable” geometry. In these ratings, the Ranger is safer than the Frontier:
|
Ranger |
Frontier |
Overall Evaluation |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
Head Restraint Design |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Distance from Back of Head |
16 mm |
44 mm |
Distance Below Top of Head |
46 mm |
48 mm |
Dynamic Test Rating |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
Seat Design |
Pass |
Pass |
Torso Acceleration |
11.9 g's |
12.4 g's |
Neck Force Rating |
Low |
Medium |
Max Neck Shearing Force |
0 |
152 |
Max Neck Tension |
437 |
645 |
(Lower numerical results are better in all tests.)
For its top level performance in all IIHS frontal, side, rear impact and roof-crush tests, and its standard front crash prevention system, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Ranger the rating of “Top Pick” for 2017, a rating granted to only 198 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Frontier was not even a “Top Pick” for 2016.