Courtesy Ford Lincoln

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has awarded the 2010 Ford Flex (vehicles built after January 2010) and the 2010 Ford Fusion (vehicles built after April 2010) with Top Safety Pick.

Both Flex and Fusion received the Top Safety Pick designation last year, but in order to maintain it for 2010, each had to earn the highest rating of good for its roof strength in the Institute's new rollover test.

To measure roof strength, a metal plate is pushed against one corner of a vehicle's roof at a constant speed. The maximum force sustained by the roof before 5 inches of crush is compared to the vehicle's weight to find the strength-to-weight ratio. According to the IIHS, this is a useful assessment of vehicle structural protection in rollover crashes. Good-rated vehicles like Flex and Fusion have roofs that can withstand a force equal to at least 4 times the vehicle's weight.

In addition to the highest rating of good for front and side crash tests, rollover test and rear crash protection tests, becoming a Top Safety Pick requires that a vehicle have electronic stability control, which is a standard feature on both Flex and Fusion.

Ford Motor Company, the police vehicle market leader for 15 years, has done it again. The company unveiled the all-new Police Interceptor Utility vehicle in Chicago.

To develop the all-new Police Interceptor Utility, Ford engineers worked hand-in-hand with Ford's Police Advisory Board of law enforcement professionals, which provided input on key vehicle attributes such as safety, performance, durability, driver comfort and functionality.

?Their feedback mattered to us,? said Scott Tobin, Ford vehicle line director for cars and crossovers. ?Safety and durability were at the top of their list. So safety and durability were at the top of ours.?

Since law enforcement officials have specific needs, Ford's engineers designed several features to address the special requirements of the job. Including:

Ballistic Door Panels: These are certified by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) to stop all Type III and all lesser NIJ rounds.

75 MPH Crash Test Rated: Ford Police Interceptors are purpose-built to pass 75-mph rear-end crash testing. (Ford is the only manufacturer to publish results.)

Personal Safety System: Designed to protect, the Personal Safety System™ is a holistic, networked safety approach. The always-on-alert Safety Canopy® System includes a rollover sensor, along with roll-fold, side-curtain airbags. Meanwhile, the Interceptors are structurally tough. A reinforced, heavy-duty unibody architecture creates multiple crush zones.

Interior Comfort: The driver seat is six-way power adjustable with lumbar support. Plus, both front seats feature sculpted foam at the bottom of the seat back to accommodate an officer's utility belt. And inserted into the seatback, are anti-stab plates, designed to protect front-seat occupants.

The Police Interceptor utility crossover complements the Taurus-based sedan in Ford's police lineup. The utility vehicle will come in front- and all-wheel-drive models, and will be powered by a naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6 making at least 280 hp working with a six-speed automatic transmission.

The utility vehicle and sedan are part of Ford's dual approach to replacing the aging Crown Victoria, which remains the most popular car for police around the country. Ford is breaking away from that car's tried-and-true mold of V8 power channeled to the rear wheels, though the company is quick to say the all-wheel setup will be just as effective for officers.

"This is a very diverse industry with multifaceted requirements," said Jim Holland, chief engineer of the police utility vehicle. The utility vehicle is also said to get 20 percent better fuel economy than the current Crown Vic.

Both vehicles were tested by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and the Michigan State Police.

Ford's new Police Interceptor utility will be manufactured at Ford's Chicago (Ill.) Assembly Plant and will be offered without interruption when production of the Crown Victoria Police Interceptor ends in late 2011.

Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com announced its 2010 Top 10 Back-to-School Cars, and near the top of that list was the 2011 Fiesta. Fiesta came in at #2, but was ranked higher than all other new vehicles on the list, which combined both new and used cars.

Fiesta earned high marks for its fuel economy of up to 40 highway mpg*, standard stability control, and push-button start, plus a low starting price of around $14,000. In choosing the cars, the kbb.com editors kept key financial criteria in mind, considering all new cars with a value under $18,000.

Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com executive editorial director and executive market analyst, Jack R. Nerad, said new car entries like the Fiesta "offer advanced technological features and forward-looking designs to engage any student, with price points that won't disappoint parents."

Ford also earned a second nod on the list with its 2006 Crown Victoria. The editors cited comfort, interior space and reliability as the key factors for placing the Crown Vic in the Top 10.

To see the complete list of cars, view the Back-to-School Cars gallery on kbb.com.

*EPA-estimated 29 city/40 hwy/33 combined, automatic SFE.