Moderate overlap front: original test
Rating applies to 2008-09 models
Tested vehicle: 2008 Ford Taurus SEL 4-door
The Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable were re-engineered with a new engine for the 2008 model year. In addition, electronic stability control was introduced as an option beginning with the 2008 models. Frontal ratings are assigned by the Institute based on a test conducted by Ford. These cars were known as the Ford Five Hundred and Mercury Montego in the 2005-07 model years.
| 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 | VTF0704 |
|---|---|
| Footwell intrusion | |
| Footrest (cm) | 3 |
| Left (cm) | 4 |
| Center (cm) | 5 |
| Right (cm) | 3 |
| Brake pedal (cm) | 3 |
| Instrument panel rearward movement | |
| Left (cm) | 2 |
| Right (cm) | 2 |
| Steering column movement | |
| Upward (cm) | 1 |
| Rearward (cm) | -2 |
| A-pillar rearward movement (cm) | 1 |
Driver injury measures
| Test ID | VTF0704 |
|---|---|
| Head | |
| HIC-15 | 134 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 1.1 |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | 20 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.23 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 40 |
| Legs | |
| Femur force - left (kN) | 1.9 |
| Femur force - right (kN) | 0.6 |
| Knee displacement - left (mm) | 0 |
| Knee displacement - right (mm) | 0 |
| Maximum tibia index - left | 0.33 |
| Maximum tibia index - right | 0.34 |
| Tibia axial force - left (kN) | 1.9 |
| Tibia axial force - right (kN) | 1.5 |
| Foot acceleration (g) | |
| Left | 45 |
| Right | 59 |
Side: original test
Rating applies to 2008-09 models
Tested vehicle: 2006 Ford Five Hundred SEL 4-door with optional front and rear head curtain airbags and optional front seat-mounted torso airbags
The Ford Five Hundred and Mercury Montego were introduced in the 2005 model year. The cars were re-engineered with a new engine for the 2008 model year and renamed the Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable. In addition, electronic stability control was introduced as an option beginning with the 2008 models. The engineering changes do not affect side impact performance.
Side airbags were made standard in all 2007 Montego models and in 2007 Five Hundred models manufactured after September 2006. Beginning with 2008 models, all Taurus and Sable models also have standard side airbags.
Two tests of a 2006 Five Hundred were conducted, one with optional side airbags for the driver and rear passenger, and one without. These vehicles are rated separately, except that the structural ratings for both vehicles are based on both tests.
| 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.
Action shot taken during the side impact crash test showing the driver dummy's head was protected from being hit by hard structures by the side curtain and side torso 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 | CES0528 | CES0613 |
|---|---|---|
| B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver's seat (cm) | -11.5 | -10.5 |
| Negative numbers indicate the amount by which the crush stopped short of the seat centerline. | ||
Driver injury measures
| Test ID | CES0528 |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 273 |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 0.7 |
| Compression (kN) | 0.0 |
| Shoulder | |
| Lateral deflection (mm) | 48 |
| Lateral force (kN) | 2.0 |
| Torso | |
| Maximum deflection (mm) | 46 |
| Average deflection (mm) | 39 |
| Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 4.29 |
| Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 0.87 |
| Pelvis | |
| Iliac force (kN) | 2.2 |
| Acetabulum force (kN) | 3.5 |
| Combined force (kN) | 5.5 |
| Left femur | |
| L-M force (kN) | 0.7 |
| L-M moment (Nm) | 34 |
| A-P moment (Nm) | 26 |
Passenger injury measures
| Test ID | CES0528 |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 316 |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 0.5 |
| Compression (kN) | 0.6 |
| Shoulder | |
| Lateral deflection (mm) | 13 |
| Lateral force (kN) | 1.2 |
| Torso | |
| Maximum deflection (mm) | 34 |
| Average deflection (mm) | 26 |
| Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 3.98 |
| Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 0.64 |
| Pelvis | |
| Iliac force (kN) | 0.7 |
| Acetabulum force (kN) | 3.3 |
| Combined force (kN) | 3.7 |
| Left femur | |
| L-M force (kN) | 0.6 |
| L-M moment (Nm) | 81 |
| A-P moment (Nm) | 12 |
Head restraints & seats
Seat type: Manual cloth seats
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Dynamic rating | |
| Seat/head restraint geometry |
| Seat type | Manual cloth seats |
|---|---|
| Geometry | |
| Backset (mm) | 42 |
| Distance below top of head (mm) | 45 |
| Seat design parameters | |
| Pass/fail | Pass |
| Max T1 acceleration (g) | 9.1 |
| Head contact time (ms) | 65 |
| Force rating | 1 |
| Neck forces | |
| Max neck shear force (N) | 44 |
| Max neck tension (N) | 435 |
About the head restraint & seat test
Currently, IIHS tests apply only to front seats.