Ford Bronco didn’t get coveted crash safety awards: Where it fell short

The 2021 Ford Bronco performed well in most safety tests but failed to provide good protection in two key areas — against whiplash injuries and regarding headlight illumination, which is “inadequate” on curves, according to the U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

While the 4-door midsize SUV did earn a “good” rating in five out of six crashworthiness tests, it rated just “acceptable” in the head restraint test because the neck of the test dummy was subject to moderate force in a simulated rear-end crash, the group said in a news release.

Meanwhile, the headlight system scored just a “marginal” rating on a four-point scale that goes from poor to marginal to acceptable to good.

This is a pre-crash studio shot of the 2021 Ford Bronco, which earned a "good" rating on its driver-side small overlap frontal test from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety on Dec. 15, 2021.

As a result of the findings released Wednesday, Bronco failed to win one of two coveted “Top Pick” safety award ratings that many consumers consider when shopping. The results may also impact insurance rates.

“The marginal headlight performance is discouraging, but the Bronco isn’t alone there,” said Joe Young, spokesperson for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, an Arlington, Virginia-based nonprofit group funded by insurance companies that works to reduce deaths and injuries. 

“Plenty of SUVs are still struggling with this test, but like we saw earlier this year with the Bronco Sport, it’s possible to achieve the right balance between visibility and glare,” he told the Free Press. “We hope Ford will look to make improvements to this important piece of safety equipment.”

‘Bigger surprise’

However, just an “acceptable” head restraint rating is “a bigger surprise,” Young said. “This test, which evaluates a vehicle’s seats for whiplash protection in a rear impact, has been around for some time and automakers have nearly mastered it.”

However, in a “test simulating a stationary vehicle being struck from behind by a vehicle of the same weight traveling 20 mph, the (Bronco) seat did not provide enough support for the occupant’s head and neck to earn a good rating,” the news release said.

Bronco joined only four other vehicles in earning an “acceptable” rating for head restraint: 2021 BMW i3; 2021 Dodge Challenger; 2021 Nissan Frontier extended cab; and 2021 Nissan Frontier crew cab, Young noted.

This is an interior shot of the popular 2021 Ford Bronco. The non-profit U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found the head restraint only "acceptable" in a crash study released Dec. 15, 2021.

Vehicle safety tests evaluate protection on the driver side and passenger side, roof strength and head restraint. A vehicle must earn “good” ratings in six crashworthiness categories to earn the coveted safety labels, and many of the Bronco competitors do.

This is a post-crash shot taken during the driver-side small overlap frontal crash test on the 2021 Ford Bronco, which earned a "good" rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety on Dec. 15, 2021. It shows 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 maintained very well.

Headlights are a significant consideration when it comes to safety and potential crashes. The organization doing these studies is tasked with educating the public on staying safe. It’s a public interest as well as a value to insurance providers.

To qualify for a “Top Safety Pick” award, a vehicle must have at least one good or acceptable headlight system available. To qualify for a “Top Safety Pick+” award, good or acceptable headlights must be standard for all vehicles sold. Both headlight systems available on Bronco earn marginal ratings because their low beams do not illuminate the road to a far enough distance on curves, the organization said.