Ford F-150 crew cab pickup aces IIHS evaluations, but extended cab struggles ... - Automotive World (press release)
The aluminum-body 2015 Ford F-150 crew cab swept the full slate of IIHS crashworthiness evaluations to qualify for a 2015 TOP SAFETY PICK award. The F-150 crew cab, which Ford calls the SuperCrew, earns good ratings for occupant protection in all five IIHS crashworthiness evaluations — small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint evaluations. The extended cab, or SuperCab, earns good ratings in the moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint evaluations but just a marginal rating for occupant protection in a small overlap front crash. Both cab types make up a bigger share of the pickup truck market than regular cabs. Crew cabs accounted for 50 percent, extended cabs 43 percent, and regular cabs 7 percent of 2013 model pickups in HLDI’s vehicle database. The Institute picked the F-150 to test first because it is not only the best-selling vehicle in the U. S. but also the first mass-market vehicle with an all-aluminum body. Ford’s choice of aluminum for the F-150 body means the pickup is about 500 pounds lighter than the 2014 steel-body F-150. The underlying frame — the workhorse of crash protection — still is made of steel. Source: www.automotiveworld.com
