The sexist Japanese euphemism for the unfortunate victims of rape and pillage of Korea and Manchuria in the pre-war years was “comfort women”. Take them as you please appears to have been the unwritten edict of the brutal Imperial High Command to the officers and lower ranks of the army. Happilly, however the word comfort has more civilized connotations as demonstrated by the recent What Car? magazine’s awards. 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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What Car? Comfort Awards

Gone are the days of  Steerage Class Discomfort!

Ford cars have taken four of the top seven spots in What Car’s annual comfort tests. It’s always easy to sound wise after the event but observant readers would have realised by now that, although safety was high on our list of priorities in our assessment of the most admirable Ford Focus we did not ignore the comfort factor. On the contrary, we recorded our appreciation of the Focus’ impressive levels of comfort. In our view comfort is an integral part of safety, the more relaxed and mentally at ease  the driver is, the better his concentration and physical condition.

On long or short journeys, passenger well being is also important, particularly when so many people suffer from back pain. Moans about lack of leg or head room canb be irritatingly distracting to sensitive drivers

FORD FIESTA: In our view the car with the most sophisticated interior in its class

The Fiesta is the first car in its division with head-and-chest side airbags. There’s also air-conditioning and ABS with new trim options, a security immobilizer and a high-level third brake light as standard. We recently reviewed this Car both online and in the pages of the New World. The Fiesta, too, is a feisty  exemplar of what Ian McAllister, Chairman and MD of Ford Of Britain, describes as his company's ongoing commitment to interior ergonomics and passenger comfort. 

FORD GALAXY: An excellent performer, handles beautifully and its all round visibility greatly enhances safety. This stately vehicle endears itself to its passengers with luxurious seating and generosity of space.

NEW FORD MONDEO: Our own Car of the Year with superb levels of comfort unrivalled in its class.

Watch out for a more detailed report in which we highlight the meticulous attention to engineering, technical, structural and design  detail. The all-new Mondeo has also won other awards with critics heaping encomiums on the car for its refreshing, revolutionary departure from fustian tradition.  Rarely has a car in recent times made such an impact on the media and the public. 
FORD FOCUS: Has many engaging attributes chief of which is its pleasure enhancing qualities for driver and passengers

The Focus’ impressive levels of comfort. 

In our view comfort is an integral part of safety, the more relaxed and mentally at ease  the driver is, the better his concentration and physical condition.

On long or short journeys, passenger well being is also important, particularly when so many people suffer from back pain. Moans about lack of leg or head room can be irritatingly distracting to sensitive drivers.  

What Car? is not a tame adjunct of the motoring industry. It is an independent company in a world where independence is a rare commodity. Servility and deference dictated by powerful vested interests to ensure comformity, more real than imagined by the darkly pessimistic George Orwell, are driving many of us to bleak despair.

What Car? appears to have been fiercely and fearlessly rigorous in its tests. It examined the country’s 50 top-selling vehicles for interior comfort, access. driving position, visibility and control layout.

The technically and structurally accomplished  Ford Focus was voted second, and the new Ford Mondeo, Ford Fiesta and Ford Galaxy also highly placed.

Ian McAllister, Chairman and Managing Director of  Ford of Britain told the press: “This indendent test highlights Ford’s ongoing commitment to interior ergonomics and the importance we place on passenger comfort. The What Car? test clearly shows that Ford is leading the way across many of the market segments.”

This is a fact supported by the fact that Ford is one of the few motoring giants which is currently enjoying the sweet, sweet smell of success when some of its competitors are struggling.

Steve Fowler, the editor of What Car?  has probably struck a responsive chord in a wider audience, the most potent of  all, your average car buyer with this observation: “With four models dominating the top ten and a fifth model topping its class, Ford deserves credit for the thought that goes into its interior designs. Whether you’re buying a Focus, Mondeo, Fiesta, Galaxy or Puma, you’re guaranteed a car that will be both comfortable and easy to live with.”

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What Car? is not a tame adjunct of the motoring industry. It is an independent company in a world where independence is a rare commodity. Servility and deference dictated by powerful vested interests to ensure comformity, more real than imagined by the darkly pessimistic George Orwell, are a worrying sign of the times. A lusty bravo for the genuine independents!

What Car? appears to have been fiercely and fearlessly rigorous in its tests. It examined the country’s 50 top-selling vehicles for interior comfort, access. driving position, visibility and control layout.