CarSPIN

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has just released crash test results for the new Ford Edge crossover and for the updated Ford Fusion midsize sedan, and the results are good for Ford.

The Edge (and the mechanically identical Lincoln MKX) join five other SUVs as IIHS “Top Safety Picks”, which signify top performance in frontal, side, and rear crash testing in conjunction with vehicle stability control.

The Ford Fusion was rated Acceptable in frontal and side performance, the third highest of four ratings, when it came out for the 2006 model year. For 2007, it strengthened the floorpan and redesigned the door panels, and it is now rated Good, the highest rating, for frontal and side protection. Unlike the Edge, it is not a “Top Safety Pick” because of marginal rear-impact performance and no stability control. Also, Ford only changed the door panels on the Fusion and its twin the Mercury Milan, while the pair’s pricier derivative, the Lincoln MKZ, still has the lower side-impact rating.

To compare these results to those of other cars, please visit the IIHS website. You can also see the IIHS crash test results listed alongside those conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration at the IFCAR auto safety page.

Please join us in discussing these results in the CarSPIN forums.