Overview & Reviews

For more than 100 years now, Ford Motor Company has been selling mass-produced automobiles in the United States and around the globe. Known as one of the Big Three American manufacturers, Ford has attracted millions of loyal customers with a wide range of vehicles that offer considerable value. The automaker's trucks and SUVs have been especially popular. For decades, Ford's F-Series truck has been the best-selling vehicle in America.

The company was founded by Henry Ford in 1903. Ford dreamed of building a car for the masses, and that's precisely what he did, most notably with the immortal Model T of 1908-'27. The latter was bought by 16.5 million Americans during its 20-year lifespan and was affordable enough for Ford's own factory workers to purchase. Ford's early years were also distinguished by its introduction of the moving assembly line. It was the first to utilize this more cost-effective method of production, and its innovation became a mainstay of the manufacturing process.

Ford expanded into the luxury-car market with its purchase of Lincoln Motor Company in 1925. Over the next few years, the company broadened its focus even further by creating the Mercury division to produce mid-priced cars. By the late '30s, Ford had unveiled the stylish Lincoln Zephyr, introduced a low-priced V8 engine and built more than 25 million vehicles.

The 1950s saw the introduction of the legendary Thunderbird. Offering sleek styling and spirited performance wedded to available luxury features like power windows and a signal-seeking radio, the car was a huge hit. Another model of that decade, the Edsel, met with a somewhat less enthusiastic reception. In the wake of abysmal sales, the Edsel was discontinued just a few months into its third model year.

Ford regained its footing in the early 1960s with the introduction of the compact Falcon, a model that was warmly received by the public. By the middle of the decade the automaker had given enthusiasts something to cheer about with the launch of the sporty Mustang, a car that went on to become one of the biggest sellers of its day. Buyers adored the Mustang's low price, available powerful V8 engines and sporty styling. The Mustang even created a brand-new vehicle category: the pony car.

By the 1970s, Ford, like other domestic automakers, was starting to suffer the effects of changing consumer tastes and new government regulations. Many of its cars became shadows of their former selves. But the seeds of rebirth were planted in this decade. In 1979, the company acquired a stake in Mazda; this move would later aid Ford significantly in co-development projects. The company also emerged with a new mindset of global competitiveness.

By the mid-to-late '80s, Ford was showing new strength with its popular Escort and Taurus models while further expanding its empire with the purchase of the Aston Martin and Jaguar brands. Meanwhile, its full-size LTD sedan (later renamed the Crown Victoria) remained a staple of taxi companies and police forces throughout America.

Ford rode a wave of popularity in the 1990s, thanks in part to the huge success of its Explorer midsize SUV. The truck played a huge role in ushering in the era of the SUV. In 1999, Ford expanded its family yet again with the purchase of Volvo's car division, and, in 2000, it acquired Land Rover. For awhile, there was talk of Ford even taking General Motors' spot as the No. 1 automaker in the world.

But the new millennium initially saw a downturn for Ford. Increased competition, a continuing operating loss for Jaguar, legacy costs and a reliance on SUVs for profit took their toll. To compensate, the company sold Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo and introduced a wave of successful new products. Models like the F-150, Fusion, Fiesta, Focus, Flex and Mustang have allowed Ford to regain its health and standing as a very competitive manufacturer.

User Reviews:

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  Still have hope - 1999 Ford Windstar
  By MB - May 16 - 10:46 am

  20 K miles into this model I have had the intake manifold replaced, a wiring harness replaced, the vehicle does shift hard down into 2nd and after an oil change there is a burning oil smell that comes out of the air vents when the vehicle for about a month.I have 15K left on the warranty and I do have a extended power train warranty, but I just want a defect free van. It rides nice, is great for kids but with only 21K miles I am certainly questioning the decision not to go with the Odyssey.

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  Ford exploder? - 2001 Ford Explorer Sport
  By landroverG4 - May 16 - 3:00 am

  Great truck amazing for winter! Very hard to get stuck hard corp truck off roading. Tight seating not good with kids perfect if your single. Dont trust the dealerships. I had no brakes or dash lights or muffler. O2 sensors are pricey and the truck is a gas pig for sure! But little fix on it had it a year and had to repair dealer goofs. Good by if weather turns fast.

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  Lots of trouble - 2002 Ford Ranger
  By dckat - May 13 - 7:34 pm

  City mpg is single digits. At only 56K, had to replace right front wheel bearing (cost double since hub assembly had to come off). Air bag sensor has a mind of its own light is never accurate. Factory recall on cruise control cable. Steering column locks up sometimes until key is jiggled. After running for many hours (on long trips), the six-CD changer wouldnt eject the new one (replaced under warranty) does the same. Bought new front tires, and gone through two sets of brakes (soon to be three). It sounds like a valve is tapping in the engine, and engine power is less than when new. Water pools inside front door after heavy rain. Drivers window motor seizes up.

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  Good Price Bland Quality - 2007 Ford Focus
  By Phillip - May 12 - 1:15 am

  We bought a 2007 Ford Focus S base model in Nov., no p/w or locks, just a plain jane get to work car. With only 6,400 Miles on it, the headlights have dimmed a lot, dash lights dimmed, battery light comes on. Replaced battery after getting stuck on the side of interstate, and still have the same problem. Its sad when you have to have your vehicle serviced at only 6,400 Miles for powertrain prolems. Do not buy this car unless you go and get a 2008 model that is showing to have better build quality! But on the other hand, if you dont have a lead foot, it has great mpg.

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  You must buy warranty - 2003 Ford Explorer
  By William Evers - May 10 - 10:00 am

  I had this car for about one year. It occured four times that I cannot start the car. I have to have the car towed to the dealership twice for reparing. First time, I called AAA to jump start the car. Second time, I have it towed to the sealership. It started when it got there, so they couldnt find anyting. Third time, the dealership found it caused by the bad starter and a short wire. Forth time, we saw smoke when we were driving. The dealer had to replace the whole cooling syste. I suggest that you should consider the extended warranty if you want to buy an Explorer.

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  Flashy, but cheap ! - 2004 Ford Mustang
  By Jimmy creek - May 10 - 10:00 am

  Its flashy, & affordable, but lower quality than most. The technology should improve with the new 2005. I feel the car is underpowered & wish I would have waited & bought a Cobra. I am regularly beat by import cars 0-60 with even 6 cyl motors ??? BMWs etc..

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  Down sizing - 2007 Ford Escape
  By lionel diaz - May 8 - 7:36 pm

  I turned in my 2006 Explorer V6 XLT to get a smaller more fuel efficient SUV that was also not so truckish. The Escape V6 AWD was the SUV of choice. I got for a good price one year old used with 17,000 miles. The Explorer I traded in got only an avg. of 12-13 mpg and had a real truck SUV feel to it. The Escape has a much smoother feel to it and gets an avg of 19 mpg.

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  Average to Good - 1997 Ford Explorer
  By Matt Price - May 8 - 9:39 am

  Generally a good vehicle. I would improve the speakers (start failing after 6 yrs), the dash lights go out, and the console material cracks. The car is good for utility use and handles bad weather nicely. Feels like the mileage could be better given the engine size. Program for fuel injection may not be optimized. I get better mileage running the AC than without.

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  Never Again - 2003 Ford Explorer
  By Chris - May 7 - 8:19 pm

  I purchased my vehicle new and have been religious about maintenance since day one. I can honestly say this has been one of the worst car experiences of my life. Ive had numerous problems beginning with just 15K miles including power window motor failure - leaking tranfer case(30K) - ball joints (40K) - paint defects (50K) - strut joints (70K) - transmission failure (100K) and alot of other things. All this added up to incredible unforseen expenditures - the tranny being $800 alone. I have never towed with this vehicle, not drove it harshly. I stayed with this car way too long Lessons learned the hard way.

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  Rear Springs - 2003 Ford Focus
  By Stanton6xx - May 6 - 3:15 pm

  Four years of driving and my wife loves the car. Easy for her to handle. Gas milage going down over the years. Main item is rear coil springs. Both needed replacement. $615.00 resolution. Both sprins broke in the lower spring cup. One spring broke the second time. Micro-crack and mechanical break.