Three Ford Motor Co. vehicles, the 2013 model-year Ford Taurus, Ford Explorer and Lincoln MKS, have drawn the top safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

These vehicles earned a five-star overall vehicle score in NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) testing, which combines vehicle performance in frontal and side-impact crash tests, and resistance to rollover.

“These most recent crash test ratings from NHTSA are a validation that Ford is continuously innovating in the availability of safety technologies that benefit drivers and occupants in real-world accident situations,” said Robert Brown, Ford VP of sustainability, environment and safety engineering.

The 2013 model-year Ford Taurus, Explorer and Lincoln MKS all have redesigned passenger airbags as well as redesigned restraint systems that include safety belt anchor pretensioners and locking safety belt tongues. Explorer also boasts Ford’s first passenger-side knee airbag.

Ford Taurus, Explorer and Lincoln MKS continue to offer a full range of standard and optional safety and driver assist technologies for the 2013 model year including:

• Dual-stage driver and front passenger airbags: Deploy at high or low output based on occupant size, seat position and safety belt status, and customize the inflation force to the severity of the impact

• Safety Canopy System: Combines a side air curtain and rollover sensor to help provide protection for outboard first- and second-row (and third-row in Explorer) occupants in certain side-impact and rollover situations

• Inflatable safety belts: Available in the second row of the 2013 Explorer, these provide additional protection to rear-seat occupants

• AdvanceTrac ESC (electronic stability control): Standard on Taurus and MKS; Explorer features AdvanceTrac with RSC (Roll Stability Control) as standard equipment

• Curve Control: Senses when the vehicle enters a curve too fast. System responds to the driver’s steering input by rapidly reducing torque and increasing brake pressure to help the driver follow the intended path

• Forward collision warning with brake support: Enabled by adaptive cruise control, provides a “heads-up” visual warning combined with an audio signal to alert the driver to slower-moving traffic ahead. The system also pre-charges the brakes to aid stopping

• SOS Post-Crash Alert System: Triggered in the event of airbag deployment or safety belt pretensioner activation to alert passersby and emergency services to vehicle location by unlocking the doors and activating the horn and emergency flashers

• Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) with cross-traffic alert: Helps detect vehicles in blind spots during normal driving and when traffic approaches from the sides when reversing out of parking spots

• MyKey: Allows parents or owners to limit certain vehicle functions to help promote safe driving habits for young or inexperienced drivers. MyKey includes the Belt-Minder “No Belt, No Tunes” feature, which can limit top speeds and audio volume, provide earlier low-fuel warnings, and prevent deactivation of driver assist features (such as park aid and BLIS). New MyKey features include “Do Not Disturb,” which blocks incoming phone calls and text messages while driving, and also provides the ability to block explicit satellite radio content.

The Ford Taurus, Ford Explorer and Lincoln MKS are produced at the company’s Chicago Assembly Plant and went on sale earlier this year.

You can see Ford's fleet incentives for the 2013-MY here.