DETROIT -

Under an agreement announced Thursday, Carfax Vehicle History Reports will be provided in the Ford and Lincoln certified pre-owned programs beginning Jan. 1.

Ford will provide a free Carfax report with each CPO Ford or Lincoln model sold, officials said.

“Carfax proved to be one of the key enhancements Ford wants for its certified programs,” said Joe Koenig, vice president of Carfax. “We share Ford’s commitment to ensure their customers buy Certified Ford and Lincoln vehicles with greater confidence.

From the dealer’s perspective, Mark Ninomiya — general manager at Suburban Ford of Waterford, Mich. — explained how Carfax reports help.

“Carfax Vehicle History Reports make the Ford Certified program better,” said Ninomiya. “They provide added peace of mind and are the name that our customers trust. We’ve made countless on-the-spot sales by showing people the value of having Carfax information and why you shouldn’t buy without it.”

On the consumer’s end of the equation, Carfax customer Lisa Cunning of Carmel, Ind., had this to say:  “I bought a Certified Ford Expedition at Tom Wood Ford. The Carfax Report showed the vehicle was a Carfax 1-Owner and was originally purchased and regularly serviced at the same dealership.

“That told me the original owner was pleased with the product and the service, so I was confident I was making the right choice. And, because the vehicle was certified, it came with a warranty through Ford. It’s the perfect vehicle for me,” she continued.