The updated 2018 Ford Mustang has been awarded a three-star ANCAP safety rating.
In an industry where anything below five-stars is increasingly considered sub-standard, the Ford Mustang has nevertheless improved its crash safety rating from its former two-star rating.
The last time a vehicle was given two-stars by ANCAP was in 2011, for the Chinese-built Chery J11.
Although the Ford Mustang's safety cell and airbag deployment is still considered well below par, previously allowing occupants' heads to hit the steering wheel or dashboard in a crash, a number of electronic driver assist features have helped elevate the American muscle car's safety rating by one star, such as AEB and the lane keep assistant.
"Improvements have been made to the Mustang's Safety Assist features as well as tuning to restraint systems," said ANCAP chief executive, James Goodwin.
But the man in charge of the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) says the Ford Mustang is still inexcusably inadequate in a crash, due to its weak body structure.
"Structurally however, the revised Ford Mustang is identical to the Mustang we originally rated, meaning it still falls short of our expectations in the areas of Adult Occupant and Child Occupant Protection."
The additional electronic driver's aids saw the 'Safety Assist' ANCAP score rise from an abysmal 16 per cent to 61 per cent, while the 'Pedestrian Protection' score rose from 64 to 78 per cent.
Still, the changes haven't been enough to gift the Mustang with even a four-star ANCAP safety rating.
"The inclusion of driver assistance aids such as AEB and lane keep assist is a definite step in the right direction, yet these upgrades have neglected to address the injury risk posed to rear seat occupants as well as whiplash protection," said Goodwin.