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Ford Mustang Mach-E, Explorer Named IIHS Top Safety Pick Winners

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) issues safety ratings of current models sold in the U.S. The top ratings are a Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick Plus. Ford's Mustang Mach-E and Explorer earned Top Safety Pick ratings.

Of the 13 midsize SUVs tested, Mustang Mach-E and Explorer were two of four utilities to receive the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) top-tier rating. IIHS is an industry safety agency charged with bringing consumers automotive safety information.

Top-Scoring Electric Midsized SUV

The Mustang Mach-E achieved good ratings in every safety category tested by IIHS, making it the top-scoring electric midsize SUV of all the electric vehicles tested through today. Meantime, Subaru has earned IIHS honors with one of its EVs. And, a new Subaru is slated to be a In a game-changer.

Consumer Reports has named Forester one of the best for the last decade.

When equipped with specific headlights, the Mustang Mach-E and the Ford Explorer are also recognized by IIHS as Top Safety Picks. There is one higher rating, a Top Safety Pick Plus.

“Safety and quality are two of our top priorities,” said Jim Baumbick, vice president of Ford Product Development and Quality. “Receiving this recognition from IIHS for Mustang Mach-E and Explorer has reaffirmed that we’re focused in the right places to help make our customers’ lives better.”

IIHS Used New Front Overlap Test

The new IIHS 2.0 moderate front overlap crash testing now includes measuring impact to rear-seat occupants and front passengers. The same good rating applies to all Mustang Mach-Es since it was introduced and the 2022-23 Ford Explorer.

Ford uses seat belts with a pretensioner and load-limiting technology in both the first and second rows to help achieve these latest test results.

Ford's SUV sales so far in 2023 have made it America's top-selling SUV brand, with Explorer earning the title as America's best-selling three-row midsize SUV. Mustang Mach-E was the second best-selling electric SUV in 2022.

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Marc Stern has been an automotive writer since 1971 when an otherwise normal news editor said, "You're our new car editor," and dumped about 27 pounds of auto stuff on my desk. I was in heaven as I have been a gearhead from my early days. As a teen, I spent many misspent hours hanging out at gas stations (a big thing in my youth) and working on cars. From there on, it was a straight line to my first column for the paper "You Auto Know," an enterprise I handled faithfully for 32 years. Not many people know that I also handled computer documentation for a good part of my earnings while writing YAN. My best writing, though, was always in cars. My work has appeared in Popular Mechanics, Mechanix Illustrated, AutoWeek, SuperStock, Trailer Life, Old Cars Weekly, Special Interest Autos, etc. You can follow me on: Twitter or Facebook.