Ford Focus Named To KBB.com Best For Back-To-School List

The 2012 Ford Focus recently became one of just five new vehicles to earn a place among KBB.com’s “Top 10 Back-to-School Cars” selections, as chosen by the experts at Kelley Blue Book’s popular source for online automotive research. The recognition was based on a wide variety of factors, including vehicle cost, versatility, fuel efficiency and safety, and also took into consideration each car’s style and how fun it was to drive.

“The 2012 Ford Focus is the kind of car young drivers love,” according to KBB.com. “It looks cool on the outside, modern on the inside, handles with more than a hint of sportiness and offers advanced audio and information technology. Parents of young drivers will appreciate the cost-savings afforded by the Focus’s excellent fuel economy, along with the peace of mind offered by Ford MyKey.”

Standard on the Focus—and many other Ford products—MyKey allows parents to easily program a vehicle’s key so that whenever it’s used, certain vehicle systems default to modes specifically designed to help teens drive more safely.

For example:

• Ford’s Belt-Minder system, which normally activates for five minutes to remind drivers to fasten their safety belts, will continue to chime (and mute the audio system) until the safety belt is buckled.
• The low-fuel warning will engage when the Focus’ driving range is reduced to 75 miles, instead of 50 miles.
• Safety enhancers such as traction control, park aid and the Blind Spot Information System will not be able to be deactivated.
• The speed of the car and the volume of its audio system can be adjusted to pre-set limits, and speed-alert chimes set to sound at 45, 55 or 65 mpg.

“Ford not only offers industry-leading crash protection and crash avoidance systems, we also are committed to developing new technologies such as MyKey that encourage safer driving behavior,” said Sue Cischke, Ford group vice president of Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering. “MyKey can help promote safer driving, particularly among teens, by encouraging safety belt use, limiting speed and reducing distractions.”

All of which should earn Ford an “A+” from parents and young drivers alike.

Source: Ford in the News