2014 Ford Explorer

midsize SUV / 4-door SUV

Crashworthiness

Rating overview
Evaluation criteria	Rating
Small overlap front: driver-side
Small overlap front: passenger-side
Moderate overlap front: original test
Side: original test
Roof strength
Head restraints & seats

Crash avoidance & mitigation

Evaluation criteria	Rating
Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle
Optional system	Basic

Other available safety features

Optional blind spot detection
Optional lane departure warning
Optional lane departure prevention

Key

G
Good
A
Acceptable
M
Marginal
P
Poor

Superior
Advanced
Basic

Some ratings use a scale of Poor to Good. Others range from Basic to Superior.

Small overlap front: driver-side

Rating applies to 2013-19 models

Tested vehicle: 2014 Ford Explorer XLT 4-door 4wd

The Ford Explorer was redesigned for the 2011 model year. Beginning with 2013 models, the seat belts and airbags were modified.

Evaluation criteria	Rating

Structure and safety cage
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
Chest
Hip/thigh
Lower leg/foot
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics The dummy’s head barely contacted the frontal airbag before sliding off the left side as the steering column moved 17 cm to the right, leaving the head vulnerable to contact with forward structure and allowing little airbag cushioning for the chest. The side curtain airbag deployed and has sufficient forward coverage to protect the head from contact with side structure and outside objects. The side torso airbag also deployed.

Action shot taken during the driver-side small overlap frontal crash test.

The dummy's position in relation to the door frame, steering wheel, and instrument panel after the crash test indicates that the driver's survival space was not maintained well.

During the crash, the dummy's head and torso barely contacted the airbag before sliding off to the left as the steering column moved to the right.

Door hinge pillar and instrument panel intrusion was extensive and contributed to a moderate risk of injuries to the left knee and lower leg.

Technical measurements for this test

Evaluation criteria	Measurement
Test ID	CEN1402
Lower occupant compartment
Lower hinge pillar max (cm)	34
Footrest (cm)	11
Left toepan (cm)	9
Brake pedal (cm)	8
Parking brake (cm)	18
Rocker panel lateral average (cm)	4
Upper occupant compartment
Steering column	13
Upper hinge pillar max (cm)	26
Upper dash (cm)	23
Lower instrument panel (cm)	20

Evaluation criteria	Measurement
Test ID	CEN1402
Head
HIC-15	93
Peak gs at hard contact	no contact
Neck
Tension (kN)	1.4
Extension bending moment (Nm)	14
Maximum Nij	0.27
Chest maximum compression (mm)	23
Femur (kN)
Left	3.7
Right	2.2
Knee displacement (mm)
Left	14
Right	3
Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%)
Left	1
Right	0
Maximum tibia index
Left	0.87
Right	0.61
Tibia axial force (kN)
Left	2.2
Right	0.6
Foot acceleration (g)
Left	63
Right	93

About the small overlap front test

Small overlap front: passenger-side

Rating applies to 2013-19 models

Tested vehicle: 2018 Ford Explorer XLT 4-door 4wd

The Ford Explorer was redesigned for the 2011 model year. Beginning with 2013 models, the seat belts and frontal airbags were modified, and a knee airbag for the front passenger was added.

Evaluation criteria	Rating
Overall evaluation
Structure and safety cage
Passenger injury measures
Head/neck
Chest
Hip/thigh
Lower leg/foot
Passenger restraints and dummy kinematics The dummy’s head contacted the frontal airbag but began to roll toward the right side, leaving the head vulnerable to contact with forward structure. The side curtain airbag deployed and has sufficient forward coverage to protect the head from contact with side structure and outside objects. The side torso airbag also deployed.
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
Chest
Hip/thigh
Lower leg/foot
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics

Action shot taken during the passenger-side small overlap frontal crash test.

The dummy's position in relation to the door frame and dashboard after the crash test indicates that the passenger's survival space was not maintained well.

The dummy's head contacted the frontal airbag but then rolled around to the right.

Extensive intrusion of the dashboard and door hinge pillar contributed to a likely risk of injury to the right hip and a possible risk to the left lower leg.

Technical measurements for this test

Evaluation criteria	Measurement
Test ID	CEP1813
Lower occupant compartment
Lower hinge pillar max (cm)	38
Footrest (cm)	25
Right toepan (cm)	22
Center toepan (cm)	17
Rocker panel lateral average (cm)	15
Upper occupant compartment
Center dash (cm)	25
Upper hinge pillar max (cm)	33
Upper dash (cm)	32
Right lower dash (cm)	28

Evaluation criteria	Measurement
Test ID	CEP1813
Head
HIC-15	72
Peak gs at hard contact	no contact
Neck
Tension (kN)	1.1
Extension bending moment (Nm)	15
Maximum Nij	0.25
Chest maximum compression (mm)	21
Femur (kN)
Left	1.8
Right	6.7
Knee displacement (mm)
Left	5
Right	8
Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%)
Left	0
Right	32
Maximum tibia index
Left	0.96
Right	0.77
Tibia axial force (kN)
Left	0.5
Right	2.7
Foot acceleration (g)
Left	53
Right	57

Evaluation criteria	Measurement
Test ID	CEP1813
Head
HIC-15	13
Peak gs at hard contact	no contact
Neck
Tension (kN)	0.5
Extension bending moment (Nm)	10
Maximum Nij	0.13
Chest maximum compression (mm)	19
Femur (kN)
Left	0.0
Right	0.3
Knee displacement (mm)
Left	1
Right	2
Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%)
Left	0
Right	0
Maximum tibia index
Left	0.31
Right	0.26
Tibia axial force (kN)
Left	0.1
Right	0.6
Foot acceleration (g)
Left	29
Right	20

About the small overlap front test

Moderate overlap front: original test

Rating applies to 2011-19 models

Tested vehicle: 2011 Ford Explorer XLT 4-door 4wd

The Ford Explorer was redesigned for the 2011 model year and now shares the same basic design as the Ford Flex. Frontal ratings are assigned by the Institute based on a test conducted by Ford.

Evaluation criteria	Rating
Overall evaluation
Structure and safety cage
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
Chest
Leg/foot, left
Leg/foot, right
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics

Technical measurements for this test

Evaluation criteria	Measurement
Test ID	VTF1014
Footwell intrusion
Footrest (cm)	5
Left (cm)	8
Center (cm)	16
Right (cm)	14
Brake pedal (cm)	9
Instrument panel rearward movement
Left (cm)	5
Right (cm)	5
Steering column movement
Upward (cm)	-1
Rearward (cm)	0
A-pillar rearward movement (cm)	0

Evaluation criteria	Measurement
Test ID	VTF1014
Head
HIC-15	261
Peak gs at hard contact	no contact
Neck
Tension (kN)	1.3
Extension bending moment (Nm)	8
Maximum Nij	0.25
Chest maximum compression (mm)	31
Legs
Femur force - left (kN)	0.6
Femur force - right (kN)	3.0
Knee displacement - left (mm)	5
Knee displacement - right (mm)	2
Maximum tibia index - left	0.18
Maximum tibia index - right	0.60
Tibia axial force - left (kN)	1.0
Tibia axial force - right (kN)	1.8
Foot acceleration (g)
Left	65
Right	91

About the original moderate overlap front test

Side: original test

Rating applies to 2011-15 models

Tested vehicle: 2011 Ford Explorer XLT 4-door 4wd with standard head curtain airbags for all three rows of seats and standard front seat-mounted torso airbags

The Ford Explorer was redesigned for the 2011 model year and now shares the same basic design as the Ford Flex. Side ratings are assigned by the Institute based on a test conducted by Ford.

Evaluation criteria	Rating
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

Technical measurements for this test

Test ID	VTS1013
B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver's seat (cm)	-23.5
Negative numbers indicate the amount by which the crush stopped short of the seat centerline.

Evaluation criteria	Measurement
Test ID	VTS1013
Head HIC-15	69
Neck
Tension (kN)	1.0
Compression (kN)	0.0
Shoulder
Lateral deflection (mm)	22
Lateral force (kN)	1.4
Torso
Maximum deflection (mm)	18
Average deflection (mm)	16
Maximum deflection rate (m/s)	3.60
Maximum viscous criterion (m/s)	0.10
Pelvis
Iliac force (kN)	1.8
Acetabulum force (kN)	1.4
Combined force (kN)	2.8
Left femur
L-M force (kN)	0.2
L-M moment (Nm)	74
A-P moment (Nm)	23

Evaluation criteria	Measurement
Test ID	VTS1013
Head HIC-15	46
Neck
Tension (kN)	0.0
Compression (kN)	0.4
Shoulder
Lateral deflection (mm)	23
Lateral force (kN)	1.4
Torso
Maximum deflection (mm)	17
Average deflection (mm)	14
Maximum deflection rate (m/s)	2.40
Maximum viscous criterion (m/s)	0.18
Pelvis
Iliac force (kN)	0.2
Acetabulum force (kN)	1.7
Combined force (kN)	1.8
Left femur
L-M force (kN)	0.1
L-M moment (Nm)	56
A-P moment (Nm)	18

About the original side crash test

Roof strength

Rating applies to 2011-19 models

Tested vehicle: 2011 Ford Explorer XLT 4-door 4wd

Overall evaluation
Curb weight	4,661 lbs
Peak force	21,347 lbs
Strength-to-weight ratio	4.58

About the roof strength test

Head restraints & seats

Seat type: Power leather seat

Overall evaluation
Dynamic rating
Seat/head restraint geometry

Technical measurements for this test

Seat type	Power leather seat
Geometry
Backset (mm)	28
Distance below top of head (mm)	28
Seat design parameters
Pass/fail	Pass
Max T1 acceleration (g)	9.0
Head contact time (ms)	62
Force rating	1
Neck forces
Max neck shear force (N)	0
Max neck tension (N)	540

About the head restraint & seat test
Currently, IIHS tests apply only to front seats.

Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle

System details

Optional Collision Warning

Package name

Optional 302A + Adaptive Cruise Control

Overall evaluation

Applies to 2013-14 models

Basic

with optional equipment

This system meets the requirements for forward collision warning.
Autobrake not available.

About the original front crash prevention test