Ford’s latest Ranger earns the big headline in the latest crash test results released by safety bodyEuro NCAP.

The pickup tops a list of 11 cars earning top five-star ratings – the first pickup to achieve the accolade.

The result also represents a big improvement for the model, which goes on sale next month at prices starting from £15,515. Back in 2008 its predecessor earned a mere two stars for adult occupant protection.

The pedestrian protection score of 81 per cent is the highest ever recorded for a pickup by Euro NCAP and according to Secretary General Michiel van Ratingen the performance comes courtesy of a softer and well-engineered front end, absorbing impact energy and better protecting pedestrians.

“With such pedestrian protection the Ford Ranger is undoubtedly raising the bar of safety in the category of pick-up trucks, which had until now not proven to be the safest,” van Ratingen says.

Euro NCAP also singles out the BMW 1 Series, the Mercedes M-Class and the Toyota Yaris for their pedestrian scores, which all exceed a new tougher five star standard that will be applied from next year.

The 1 Series is praised for its Assist Advanced eCall, an automatic emergency call system that earns a special Euro NCAP award.

Fiat’s Freemont, the Mercedes M-Class, and the Lancia Thema and Voyager are all noted for their active bonnets, which spring up when a pedestrian is struck, cushioning the impact by increasing the distance from the hard engine structures.

The Voyager is the only one of the tested dozen cars to earn only a four-star rating, due to only scoring 79 per cent in adult protection and 67 per cent in child occupant protection. The other five star winners are the Audi Q3, Chevrolet Captiva, Hyundai Veloster, Vauxhall/Opel Astra and Zafira Tourer, and Toyota’s Yaris.