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Safety is a touchy subject. Nobody comes right out and says so, but the cost of new automotive safety systems -- particularly in a small market such as Australia -- must be balanced against the return on investment. And Ford is acutely aware of that.

With its brand-new FG Falcon, Ford has had to walk a fine line between different/better/cheaper for the new car's standard and optional safety features.

Ford is yet to reveal all the safety elements concerning the Falcon's built-in safety features, but the company is widely believed to be aiming for a five-star ANCAP rating for the FG model. 

The Falcon hasn't yet been crash-tested by ANCAP, the safety body established locally by state motoring authorities and associations.

We don't know all there is to know about the safety of the new Falcon yet, but we can tell you that Ford has equipped all models with the 'Beltminder' facility and a reversing camera is offered as standard on the G6E and Turbo models. The latter is an option on others including the XR models.

Similarly, reverse parking sensors are fitted as standard to all G6 and G6E models (including the G6E Turbo) and can be ordered as an extra-cost option for XT and XR models.

Ford's stability control program (DSC) is standard on all petrol sedan models and will be fitted to the BF MkIII wagon that will be sold alongside the FG. Only FPV's utes get DSC (the Ford utes do without) and it is not available for any E-Gas models.

According to Ford's Vice President Product Development, Trevor Worthington, DSC for E-Gas requires a complete replacement of the LPG fuel delivery system from a gaseous throttle body type system to liquid LPG injection to facilitate cylinder-by-cylinder cutout.

"We have it in our plans to go to a new level of technology to make that feature available, but it won't be available [soon]; certainly [not] in the foreseeable future".

All models of FG Falcon sedan are fitted with head-protecting side impact airbags. These bags are optional on Ford Ute models. Full side curtains airbags are optional for all sedan models other than the highest grade G6E and G6S Turbo.

Ford says its combination head-thorax bags offer high levels of protection but concedes full side-curtain bags give a better degree of protection for "out of position occupants."

By way of comparison, Holden offers curtain airbags as options for all VE Commodore variants -- including the entry-level Omega model -- where not fitted as standard. Those vehicles fitted with the standard curtain bags are SS V, Calais and Calais V.

The Falcon thus betters the Commodore range in having side impact airbags as standard for the base XT model (optional for the Omega) and optional side curtains (ditto for Omega).

Depending on price (not yet released by Ford), Falcon also competes on a level footing with Commodore at XR6/SV6 and XR8/SS grades. In all cases, the standard cars are fitted with side impact airbags to protect the thorax -- with the extra-cost option of side curtains for head protection front and rear.

Holden's SS V is fitted with side curtains as standard, but Ford doesn't have a direct competitor to this model in the Falcon range anyway.

Calais and Calais V both feature side curtains as standard, as do the new Falcon G6E and G6E Turbo variants, so it's all level-pegging there.

Thus as mentioned already, Ford appears to have a slight advantage over Holden, but only at the entry level.

The full analysis of any actual advantage must, however, wait for Ford to release more detailed safety and pricing information for the Falcon -- closer to the car's May on-sale date.

Oh, and also for the results of ANCAP's crash testing. Could a five-star rating be the Blue Oval's ace in the hole?

NEW FALCON: The FG model range - including photo galleries (more here)
NEW FALCON: Engineering boss says FG is all-new (more here)
NEW FALCON: more on Engines (more here)
NEW FALCON: more on Packaging (more here)
NEW FALCON: more on Refinement (more here)
NEW FALCON: more on Dynamics (more here)
NEW FALCON: more on Controls (more here)

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