Ford F-150 named safest pickup for road users

The Ford F-150 was the only American-style pickup truck to score ANCAP’s Platinum award in a wide-ranging comparison of road user protection systems.

The inaugural ‘Large Utilities ADAS Safety Comparison’ included the current Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Ram 1500, Toyota LandCruiser 79 Series, Toyota Tundra, and an updated version of the Ford F-150.

Once seldom seen in Australia, these pickup trucks have grown in popularity in recent years – drawing criticism that they are too large for our roads and pose a safety hazard.

US data shows fatal pedestrian crashes involving pickups are four times more likely to occur during a turn than those involving cars, and vehicles with bonnet heights above one metre are approximately 45 per cent more likely to cause pedestrian fatalities

ANCAP’s study looked at how well these locally available pickups protect road users by testing their crash avoidance technology.

“There is community concern over the size of pickups when they are driving in suburban streets, around schools, and in built-up areas,” said ANCAP CEO, Carla Hoorweg.

“We have applied international best practice in safety testing to this segment to make sure there is an incentive for manufacturers to improve crash avoidance technology.”

The program set stringent testing protocols and ANCAP said the vehicles proved themselves with a high degree of advanced safety technology on board.

The 2024 model Ford F-150 was a clear winner, scoring 81 per cent and receiving the only Platinum grading from the test.

Second was the Ram 1500, considerably lower on 70 per cent but enough to earn it a Gold award from ANCAP, while the two Toyotas could only manage Silver.

Languishing in last place was the Chevy Silverado with a safety score of just 27 per cent and a Bronze designation.

“Performance did vary, but these results show there is a strong base to build from, and clear opportunity to achieve the performance levels seen in passenger vehicles,” said Ms Hoorweg.

“Larger vehicles pose a bigger threat to other road users than passenger cars. The best way to reduce the potential risk of fatalities and serious injuries from large vehicles is to make sure they do the best possible job at avoiding a crash. 

“This first-look comparison establishes a benchmark in safety for the large pickups cohort and provides a path forward for manufacturers of these vehicles in creating better outcomes for road users.” 

ANCAP says these initial comparisons will be used to develop framework for future assessment, and it expects to have information on a broader range of large pickup models and variants from 2026.

Future phases could potentially extend into physical crash protection, ensuring the full picture of both crash avoidance and crash protection.

The results

Fitted with one of the most comprehensive ranges of active safety features among the large utilities assessed, the updated Ford F-150 achieved the highest score (81 per cent) and a Platinum safety grading.

Next highest was the RAM 1500. Also fitted with a broad range of well-performing features, the RAM 1500 scored 70 per cent and a Gold safety grading.

The two Toyota models, LandCruiser 79 Series and Tundra, each provided a reasonable level of performance achieving Silver. Notably, Toyota’s enduring workhorse model – the LC79 – outshone its Tundra stablemate with scores of 55 per cent and 50 per cent respectively.

The Chevrolet Silverado offers a narrower range of crash avoidance performance, resulting in a safety grading of Bronze (27 per cent).