Entries Tagged '2009 Ford F-150' ↓

2009 Ford F-150 Awards and Accolades

• “Most Rugged Truck” in 2009 Brand Image Award by Kelley Blue Book.
• 2009 North American Truck of the Year
• America’s safest full-size pickup with 5-star frontal and 5-star side-impact crash-test ratings, the highest possible scores, in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) tests.
• Motor Trend 2009 Truck of the Year Award™
• Top honors as “Truck of Texas” as well as “Best Luxury Pickup” for the 2009 F-150 King Ranch from Texas Auto Writers Association
• Playboy’s 2009 Best Pickup
• 2009 Best Redesigned Vehicle from Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com
• “Best Overall Half-Ton Pickup” from PickupTrucks.com
• “Automotive Excellence” award in the Workhorse Category from Popular Mechanics
• Detroit Free Press Truck of the Year
• Detroit News Truck of the Year
• “Top Safety Pick” from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for its standard safety technology: Safety Canopy side curtain air bags and AdvanceTrac with Roll Stability Control
• “Residual Value” award from Automotive Leasing Guide (ALG) for retaining the highest percentage of its original price among 2009 full-size light duty pickups at the end of a conventional three-year lease, based on ALG projections
• Motor Trend’s Truck Trend Top 5 Trucks from Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) for 2009 Ford F-150 Heavy Duty DeWalt Contractor Concept
• 2009 Consumer Guide “Best Buy” in large pickup truck category
• “Accessory-Friendly Truck” Design Award from SEMA
• F-Series is best selling vehicle in America for 27 consecutive years; best-selling truck for 32 consecutive years
• Best Truck by Florida Monthly

Unique ‘K-Bag Feature Helps Ford F-150 Outperform Competition in New IIHS Side-Impact Crash Tests

When they say “Built Ford Tough” about the all-new 2009 F-150 they aren’t just talking about brawny stuff like high strength steel. They’re also talking about cushiony features such as air bags – the kind of air bags other trucks wish they had, namely a “K-Bag”.

The all-new 2009 Ford F-150 – which features exclusive “K-bag” side air bag technology – provides better side-impact crash safety ratings than the Chevrolet Silverado and Dodge Ram, according to a new study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Special “K-bag”

Among the truck’s unmatched list of advanced standard safety features is its patented “K-bag” technology, a new front seat-mounted dual-chamber side air bag named for its unique shape, which is designed to help protect the rib cage from excessive crash forces during a side impact. This air bag is supported with a state-of-the-art side crash sensing system that uses pressure pulses from the impact to deploy the air bag 30 percent faster than a conventional system.

America’s safest full-size pickup

The F-150 earned an IIHS “Top Safety Pick” last November and quadruple 5-star government crash test ratings in January – making it the only full-size pickup to achieve both top crash-test ratings. Combined with the most standard safety features in the segment, the F-150 is America’s safest full-size pickup.

More exclusive occupant protection

Also new to the 2009 F-150 is Ford’s standard Safety Canopy® side-curtain air bag rollover protection system, which helps protect front and rear outboard passengers in both rollovers and side impact crashes. The air bag is designed to stay inflated for several seconds for additional protection in rollover crashes, which often last longer than side impact crashes.

Ford’s Personal Safety System – also a standard feature – is made up of a suite of protection technologies, including dual-stage front air bags and occupant weight classification, working together to help protect occupants.

Most sophisticated electronic stability control

The F-150’s standard offering of Ford’s industry exclusive AdvanceTrac® with RSC® (Roll Stability Control™) also met a newer requirement that vehicles must offer electronic stability control to earn IIHS’s top rating. The system is the world’s most sophisticated electronic stability control, helping prevent skidding and rollovers. It goes a step beyond typical stability control systems with a gyroscopic roll sensor that determines both the vehicle’s body roll angle and roll rate.

Lighter, tougher structure

The F-150’s safety leadership also is built on the solid structure that underpins the truck’s legendary “Built Ford Tough” durability and capability. The truck has an all-new hydroformed steel front end – including use of tubular ultra high-strength, lighter weight steel that contributes to its unsurpassed fuel economy in the full-size pickup truck segment.

The all-new 2009 Ford F-150 is named North American Truck of the Year at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS)

The North American Truck of the Year award recognizes vehicles based on factors including innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value for the dollar. Fifty automotive journalists in the United States and Canada vote for the vehicles, which must be “all-new” or “substantially changed” from the previous model to qualify for the award.

The 2009 F-150 is new inside and out. The Ford truck team adopted a holistic, 360-degree approach to revamping the vehicle – from its segment-first features to the tough new exterior highlighted by a dramatic three-bar grille and more spacious, flexible and refined interior, to the unparalleled choice of cab styles and trim levels.

The prestigious award comes hot on the heels of the 2009 F-150 being named 2009 Motor Trend Truck of the Year™ and the “Truck of Texas” by the Texas Auto Writers Association in addition to a number of other awards and accolades.

Quotes

“Winning 2009 North America Truck of the Year honors is a special distinction because it acknowledges the team’s efforts to push harder and deliver even more for customers – including quality, safety leadership, unsurpassed fuel economy and smart features aimed at further improving their productivity. Ultimately, though, this award is a nod to true truck customers, who have inspired us to deliver America’s favorite pickup for 32 straight years.”
- Mark Fields, Ford’s President of The Americas