2009 Ford Explorer
midsize SUV / 4-door SUV
Moderate overlap front: original test
Rating applies to 2006-10 models
Tested vehicle: 2006 Ford Explorer XLT 4-door 4wd
The Ford Explorer and Mercury Mountaineer were re-engineered for the 2006 model year. Moderate overlap frontal ratings are assigned by the Institute based on a test conducted by Ford.
The moderate overlap frontal crash test ratings also apply to the Explorer Sport Trac, which was redesigned for the 2007 model year (no 2006 model Sport Trac was available). The Sport Trac is very similar to the Explorer, except that it has a longer wheelbase and an open cargo bed behind the occupant compartment in place of the Explorer's enclosed cargo area with optional third row seat.
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Structure and safety cage | |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Chest | |
| Leg/foot, left | |
| Leg/foot, right | |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics |
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side
| Test ID | VTF0602 |
|---|---|
| Footwell intrusion | |
| Footrest (cm) | 9 |
| Left (cm) | 9 |
| Center (cm) | 9 |
| Right (cm) | 8 |
| Brake pedal (cm) | 6 |
| Instrument panel rearward movement | |
| Left (cm) | 4 |
| Right (cm) | 3 |
| Steering column movement | |
| Upward (cm) | 4 |
| Rearward (cm) | -4 |
| A-pillar rearward movement (cm) | 5 |
Driver injury measures
| Test ID | VTF0602 |
|---|---|
| Head | |
| HIC-15 | 353 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | 18 |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 1.3 |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | 8 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.25 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 34 |
| Legs | |
| Femur force - left (kN) | 0.2 |
| Femur force - right (kN) | 0.3 |
| Knee displacement - left (mm) | 4 |
| Knee displacement - right (mm) | 1 |
| Maximum tibia index - left | 0.50 |
| Maximum tibia index - right | 0.47 |
| Tibia axial force - left (kN) | 2.1 |
| Tibia axial force - right (kN) | 2.0 |
| Foot acceleration (g) | |
| Left | 86 |
| Right | 82 |
Side: original test
Rating applies to 2008-10 models
Tested vehicle: 2007 Ford Explorer XLT 4-door 4wd with standard front seat-mounted torso airbags and optional front and rear head curtain airbags
The Ford Explorer and Mercury Mountaineer were re-engineered for the 2006 model year. All 2006-10 models have standard side torso airbags; beginning with 2007 Mountaineer and 2008 Explorer models, head curtain airbags were also made standard.
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Structure and safety cage | |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Torso | |
| Pelvis/leg | |
| Driver head protection | |
| Rear passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Torso | |
| Pelvis/leg | |
| Rear passenger head protection | |
View of the vehicle and barrier just after the crash test.
View of the vehicle after the crash with doors removed, showing the side airbags and damage to the occupant compartment.
Smeared greasepaint shows where the driver dummy's head was protected from being hit by hard structures by the side airbags.
Smeared greasepaint shows where the rear passenger dummy’s head was protected by the side airbag.
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side
| Test ID | CES0723 |
|---|---|
| B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver's seat (cm) | -4.5 |
| Negative numbers indicate the amount by which the crush stopped short of the seat centerline. | |
Driver injury measures
| Test ID | CES0723 |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 169 |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 1.5 |
| Compression (kN) | 0.6 |
| Shoulder | |
| Lateral deflection (mm) | 36 |
| Lateral force (kN) | 1.5 |
| Torso | |
| Maximum deflection (mm) | 29 |
| Average deflection (mm) | 26 |
| Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 6.03 |
| Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 0.72 |
| Pelvis | |
| Iliac force (kN) | 3.7 |
| Acetabulum force (kN) | 3.4 |
| Combined force (kN) | 6.8 |
| Left femur | |
| L-M force (kN) | 0.5 |
| L-M moment (Nm) | 182 |
| A-P moment (Nm) | -45 |
Passenger injury measures
| Test ID | CES0723 |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 110 |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 0.1 |
| Compression (kN) | 0.6 |
| Shoulder | |
| Lateral deflection (mm) | 39 |
| Lateral force (kN) | 1.6 |
| Torso | |
| Maximum deflection (mm) | 34 |
| Average deflection (mm) | 30 |
| Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 3.14 |
| Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 0.59 |
| Pelvis | |
| Iliac force (kN) | 0.4 |
| Acetabulum force (kN) | 2.9 |
| Combined force (kN) | 3.1 |
| Left femur | |
| L-M force (kN) | 0.4 |
| L-M moment (Nm) | 155 |
| A-P moment (Nm) | 47 |
Head restraints & seats
Seat type: Manual - power cloth seats
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Dynamic rating | |
| Seat/head restraint geometry |
| Seat type | Manual - power cloth seats |
|---|---|
| Geometry | |
| Backset (mm) | 33 |
| Distance below top of head (mm) | 13 |
| Seat design parameters | |
| Pass/fail | Fail |
| Max T1 acceleration (g) | 12.0 |
| Head contact time (ms) | 87 |
| Force rating | 1 |
| Neck forces | |
| Max neck shear force (N) | 0 |
| Max neck tension (N) | 506 |
About the head restraint & seat test
Currently, IIHS tests apply only to front seats.