Ford Transit Connect Safety Ratings (2012-2023)
NHTSA has crash-tested the Ford Transit Connect across 10 model years from 2012 to 2023. Its overall safety rating averages 4.1 out of 5 stars, a strong four to five-star result.
These are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings from its New Car Assessment Program. Each vehicle is scored on frontal crash, side crash, and rollover resistance, which combine into the overall star rating. The ratings use the tougher test methodology NHTSA adopted for 2011 and later, so they are not comparable to older results and are separate from the IIHS awards you may also see. Here is how the Ford Transit Connect scored by model year.
Ford Transit Connect NHTSA ratings by model year
| Year | Configuration | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2023 Ford Transit Connect Wagon PV FWD | 4/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| 2022 | 2022 Ford Transit Connect Wagon Wagon FWD | 4/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| 2021 | 2021 Ford Transit Connect WAGON FWD | 4/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| 2018 | 2018 Ford Transit Connect Wagon FWD | 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| 2017 | 2017 Ford Transit Connect Wagon FWD | 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| 2016 | 2016 Ford Transit Connect Wagon FWD | 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| 2015 | 2015 Ford Transit Connect Wagon FWD | 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| 2014 | 2014 Ford Transit Connect Wagon FWD | 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| 2013 | 2013 Ford Transit Connect VAN FWD | 2/5 | 3/5 | 2/5 | 3/5 |
| 2012 | 2012 Ford Transit Connect VAN FWD | 2/5 | 3/5 | 2/5 | 3/5 |
How NHTSA's crash tests work
NHTSA scores three crash tests and combines them into the overall rating. The frontal test drives the vehicle into a fixed barrier at 35 mph to model a head-on collision. The side test hits the vehicle with a moving barrier and, separately, slams it sideways into a rigid pole, which is the type of crash that puts the most force on occupants. The rollover rating is part lab measurement of how top-heavy the vehicle is and part dynamic maneuver test. More stars is better in every case, with five the top mark.
What the ratings do not tell you
Two caveats are worth holding onto. Star ratings only compare vehicles of a similar size and weight, so a five-star small car and a five-star large SUV did not face the same physics, and the heavier vehicle generally protects its occupants better in a collision between the two. The ratings also come from standardized lab tests, which cannot capture every real-world crash. They are a strong, independent measure of crashworthiness, not a guarantee, and they are separate from both the IIHS awards and the recall record on this site. See the Ford Transit Connect recall history and its common owner problems for the rest of the safety picture.
Common questions about Ford Transit Connect safety
- Is the Ford Transit Connect a safe car?
- In NHTSA crash tests, the Ford Transit Connect averages 4.1 out of 5 stars overall across the 2012 to 2023 model years, a strong four to five-star result. 5 of the 10 tested configurations earned the full five stars.
- What is the Ford Transit Connect crash test rating?
- The most recently rated Ford Transit Connect (2023) earned 4 out of 5 stars overall from NHTSA, with 4 stars in the frontal test, 5 in the side test, and 4 for rollover resistance.
- Are NHTSA stars the same as IIHS ratings?
- No. The star ratings here come from NHTSA's federal crash-test program. The IIHS is a separate insurance-industry group with its own tests and "Top Safety Pick" awards. Both are worth checking, and they do not always agree.
Ratings come from NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings program (model year 2011 and later). See the methodology and data sources for detail. This page is a reference, not legal or safety advice.