Ford praised for making side airbags standard on two models.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has commended the Ford Motor Company for making side airbags standard equipment on two of its 2007 models: the Fusion midsize car and Freestyle midsize SUV.
All '07 Fusions have side airbags as standard equipment, as do Freestyles built after September of this year.
"A few years ago, it was rare to find these [side airbags] standard in moderately priced family vehicles, but they're quickly becoming the norm," says Adrian Lund, president of the IIHS, a nonprofit research organization funded by auto insurers.
Nevertheless, IIHS crash tests of four 2007 vehicles with side airbags, conducted outside of the institute's normal schedule at the request of the manufacturers, produced mixed results.
The institute awarded good ratings to the Freestyle and Toyota FJ Cruiser, also a midsize SUV, for protection in side crashes. The Fusion was rated acceptable and the fourth vehicle, the large-size Ford Crown Victoria, marginal. Both the Fusion and Crown Victoria with side airbags improved compared with the poor ratings earned by 2006 models tested without side airbags, according to IIHS. To find out which models have side airbags, visit
www.safercars.gov/ and click on "2004-2007 Vehicles with Side Air Bags."
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