Ford KA Euro NCAP 3 Stars
Fun-loving and spontaneous, the Ford Ka is one of the best all round superminis available. With its radical styling, superb driving dynamics and a catch-me-if-you-can attitude, this is a small car with big ideas.
If its added power youre looking for, theres Ford Sportka SE with its aggressive styling and feisty 1.6-litre engine. For those seeking fun with the wind in their hair look no further that the StreetKa the chic drop top roadster. Whatever youre into, the Ford Ka wants to be part of the action and is proof that good things really do come in small packages.
The Ka is a nippy little performer, helped by its darting handling characteristics and small shape. Engines are available in a 1.3 and litre petrols, with the fierier 93bhp 1.6i engine on the SportKa which has a top speed of 108mph. The 1.3 Duratec falls into VED
band C and fuel consumption figures are a very frugal 60.10mpg extra urban and 47.9mpg combined.
There are seven models Studio, style, style climate, Zetec, Zetec climate, luxury and Sportka. with equipment levels to suit all requirements and pockets. All versions have power steering, a driver airbag, a radio and split rear seats; others add metallic paint,
central locking, electric front windows, seat height adjustability, air-con and even leather upholstery. The boot will just about squeeze the weekly shopping in however the back seat fold for extra practicality.
Only the driver gets an airbag as standard across the range (passenger and side airbags are optional on lower spec models) which probably goes someway to explaining why the KA only received a three-star Euro NCAP safety rating. The StreetKa gets an twin airbags and ABS as standard plus the roll hoops are part of the
package, however to date NCAP have not included the model in its testing.
Every new Ford car sold is protected by a 3-year/60,000 miles Ford Protect Classic Plan Warranty. In addition, it will also come with Ford Assistance for 1 year, providing roadside assistance in the UK and throughout Europe
About the manufacturer
Ford has been at the forefront of Alternative Fuel Vehicle research and technology for the past 40 years They market more vehicles that run on a wider range of alternative fuels (including Compressed Natural Gas, Liquefied Petroleum Gas, methanol, ethanol and electricity) than any other manufacturer.
As part of their environmental commitment, Ford have developed a complete vehicle recycling programme, encompassing design-for-recycling guidelines, increased use of recycled material, and reducing hazardous materials.
Since 2000 Ford have cut Co2 emissions at its plants and facilities by 15 percent and are targeting further reductions. At its main plant in Michigan they have built the world's largest ecologically inspired living roofabout 500,000 square feet!
Fords hybrid vehicles help save money, fuel and of course the environment. Ford does however accept that emissions are still released when hybrids are built. So, in 2007 they are going a step further by piloting a carbon offset program for hybrids. This program will fund clean-energy projects, such as wind energy, to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions by the same amount required to build its hybrids.
Ford Motor Company's Onboard Reductant Delivery system received an R&D 100 Award (an Oscar for Inventions" - from R&D Magazine) which recognizes the top new inventions in the US. Past winners include such items as the ATM, anti-lock braking systems, and the fax machine. The ORD system enables exhaust treatment systems to help meet stringent future diesel
emissions standards worldwide, including European Stage IV and V limits for smog-forming emissions. The ORD system can be easily retrofitted onto existing diesel vehicles for approximately one-tenth of the cost of existing retrofit systems.
Ford is investing billions to develop technologies to reduce Co2 emissions from new cars and trucks. It is also committed, amongst other things, to recycling more vehicle components, using more green materials and effectively managing waste to benefit the planet. However it doesnt stop there the company also supports a number of indirect initiatives;
The Wildlife Habitat Council and Ford Motor Company have created "Wildlife at Work" at Ford facilities in the US, England, Canada, Brazil, and Mexico, which encourages communities to create wildlife sites and educational programs on the importance of preserving endangered species.
Conservation International is a field-based, non-profit
organization that protects those spectacular areas in which life is most abundant, and helps the people who live there improve their quality of life. Ford has committed over $5 million to CI's conservation efforts in Mexico and Brazil.
Through its Greener Miles Program Ford have developed a partnership with TerraPass, under which you can calculate the amount of CO2 your vehicle emits, then purchase a TerraPass that funds projects to reduce CO2 emissions elsewhere by the same amount. Know as Carbon offsets these projects include
development of cleaner renewable energy sources such as wind energy or making power from dairy farm manure.