You set your coffee pot to brew at a certain time each morning; why not set your car to start up a minute or two before you leave so it's just the right temperature when you get in and drive away? Ford is making this a reality with its new Sync Connect system.

With Sync Connect, drivers can use a smartphone app to: lock and unlock their vehicle; get a vehicle's status (fuel, oil and battery levels, tire pressure readings); see where the car is parked on a map; and set a time to remotely start the vehicle from afar. "You need to leave at 8 a.m., so you program a remote start for 7:50 a.m., then get in to a running, warm car and drive away comfortably and on time," Ford says.

Sync Connect will first be available with Sync 3 in the new Ford Escape SUV this spring, with other vehicles to follow. Buyers will get it free for the first five years, and two-step verification will be required to enable Sync Connect.

Ford showed off Sync 3 in June; the system is faster than its predecessor and adds conversational voice recognition, a smartphone-like touch screen, and an easier-to-understand graphical interface. During some hands-on time in a 2016 Escape, PCMag's Doug Newcomb was impressed with the easy-to-spot graphics and navigation features. But the data is not cloud-based and could become outdated rather quickly, while app selection left something to be desired, he concluded.

The new Ford Escape SUV, meanwhile, will feature several driver-assist technologies, including adaptive cruise control and forward collision warning with brake support; parking assist; and alerts when you drift out of your lane or appear to be dozing off behind the wheel.