Ford Focus Earns Top Safety Rating from NHTSA

                Ford Focus Earns Top Safety Rating from NHTSA

PR Newswire

DEARBORN, Mich., Nov. 23, 2012

DEARBORN, Mich., Nov. 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

  o The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) awarded the
    2013 Ford Focus its top safety rating, a five-star Overall Vehicle Score
    in its New Car Assessment Program (NCAP)
  o The Focus was designed to with safety in mind with its next-generation
    airbags and AdvanceTrac® with electronic stability control
  o The driver's side airbag uses a specially designed curve-shaped tether
    system that pulls in the lower section to create a "pocket" to help lessen
    the impact of the airbag on the driver's chest and ribs in frontal crashes

The 2013 Ford Focus received a top safety rating from the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).  The Focus earned a five-star Overall
Vehicle Score in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) testing, which
combines vehicle performance in frontal and side-impact crash tests and a
resistance to rollover evaluation.

"The new Focus is another example of Ford's commitment to safety and NHTSA's
NCAP program has recognized this fact," said Steve Kenner, global director of
the Automotive Safety Office. "The Focus is built with technologies from
bumper to bumper to help reduce occupant injury risk when a crash is
unavoidable." 

Focus was designed with next-generation front and side airbag technologies to
tailor deployment to individual occupants. Focus also includes
segment-exclusive Safety Canopy® curtain airbags.

The driver's airbag uses a specially designed curve-shaped tether system that
pulls in the lower section to create a "pocket" to help lessen the impact of
the airbag on the driver's chest and ribs in frontal crashes. Innovative seat
mounted side airbags feature unique shoulder vents which are designed to line
up with the shoulder area of a larger occupant keeping the side airbag from
venting. On smaller passengers, the effect is just the opposite because the
occupant's shoulder is below the vent, the gas vents out of the airbag.

The following safety and driver assist technologies are available on the 2013
Ford Focus:

  o AdvanceTrac® with electronic stability control helps the vehicle maintain
    its intended path by measuring side-to-side yaw (or skidding), by
    monitoring the vehicle's speed, throttle position and steering wheel
    angle, and when wheel slip is sensed, reduces engine torque and applies
    selected brakes;
  o Ford SYNC®, co-developed with Microsoft and using Nuance Communications
    voice recognition technology, allows customers to bring digital media
    players and Bluetooth®-enabled mobile phones into their vehicles and
    operate the devices via voice commands or with the steering wheel's
    supplemental audio controls;
  o MyKey® allows parents to program any key through the vehicle message
    center to limit the volume on the stereo, top speed, block incoming phone
    calls and texts and make sure a child is buckled up before using the audio
    system; and
  o Active park assist uses an ultrasonic-based sensing system and electric
    power-assisted steering (EPAS) to position the vehicle for parallel
    parking, calculate the optimal steering angle and quickly steer the
    vehicle into a parking spot.

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F), a global automotive industry leader based in
Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six
continents. With about 172,000 employees and 65 plants worldwide, the
company's automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides
financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information
regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit
http://corporate.ford.com.

SOURCE Ford Motor Company

Website: http://www.ford.com
Contact: Kelli Felker, +1-313-322-1790, kfelker1@ford.com