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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  Not quite there yet - 2011 Ford Fiesta
  By Forestpark - December 2 - 2:00 am

  Car Drives and handles well, its very quiet and smooth. The dual clutch automatic helps with mileage buts gets "jerky" sometimes in stop and go traffic. Acceleration is not awful but it sometimes lags, a few more horses would be welcome. Also rpm are way too high on the highway. this car MUST rev a lot to accelerate. it loves 5000 rpm under moderate acceleration.

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  Cute Car, Needs some things addressed. - 2011 Ford Fiesta
  By warrenpowell - December 2 - 2:00 am

  I test drove this car and have decided to put off my purchase till they get some things fixed, see below and I drove the automatic (dual clutch). The car handles well and is very quiet. 1. Please use some heavier moldings where the windshield meets the hood, those on each should be molded plastic instead of soft rubber. 2. Eliminate the crazy/strange striping (piping) on the cloth seat options. 3. Cruise and a nicer (more wattage please) radio should come standard on the SE. 4. Please fix the random jerking of the dual clutch trans and the sometimes unwillingness of the car to downshift. Also 3200-3300 RPM at 70 mph is a bit high. (the trans needs a better warranty)/Needs armrest.

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  2011 Ford Fusion SEL 6 cyl - 2011 Ford Fusion
  By Bill - December 2 - 2:00 am

  This is a great car, very sporty and comfortable, but the transmission is not right. 1st and 2nd are geared really low and close, and the it wants to shift at 4k rpm even if youre accelerating slowly. Sometimes going from 4th to 5th the tranny gets confused and jumps back and forth, very annoying. I only have 1,000 miles on the car.

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  Great First Car - 2001 Ford Escort
  By RDP - December 1 - 2:00 am

  This was the first car I bought while in college. I bought it with 95,000 miles, and I am almost at 200,000 miles. It has been very reliable, and I have only had to replace a fuel filter and alternator. The clutch and transmission seem to still be going strong. A lot of things are starting to need work, so I will probably be buying a new car. My only problem while owning this car has been the gas mileage. I only seem to get about 25 MPG.

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  Good for me - 2010 Ford Escape
  By Ks0901 - November 29 - 2:00 am

  I just got the ford escape and so far everything has been decent. The gas mileage is a bit low for me but it is better than most SUVs. Whenever youre on an interstate or hwy you can hear air from the outside so its not totally quiet inside. Cant see with rear view mirror without taking the middle head rest off in the back but easily fixable. I love the way it runs (I have a v6) and the sync and keyless entry are great. I havent had any problems with the engine or electronics. Im in college so i drive home sometimes and i need a reliable car so far the escape has not let me down.

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  Worth every penny - 1997 Ford Explorer
  By Drives American - November 26 - 2:00 am

  I have 304,000 miles on my Explorer. Replaced the transmission at 290,000. Replaces heads (cracked) a year ago. Dealer told me that there was no "gunk" in the heads which meant the motor runs clean. This car has raised two children and has been phenomenal! Plan on trading it in on the Ford Edge in a few days. Hard to see it go but Im ready to get better gas mileage.

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  Sync / Nav Issues - 2010 Ford Flex
  By Marty - November 25 - 2:00 am

  I will drive all over the state, entertain clients and move equipment cases of about 40-60 pounds each. The fold flat seats are great except that after only 15,000 miles I noticed that the carpet surface of the cargo floor is wearing out. My dealer is replacing this surface. The bigger issue is the Nav system.It only holds 50 names in the address book. This seems to be great example of very old technology my previous $200 Garmin could hold thousands of address. I use my car as a mobile office and visit new clients all the time, now my sync nav cannot hold any new addresses. Syncs built in calendar is useless to keep appointments as you can not enter any data. Sync is not very hi tech.

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  Overall a nice little SUV - 2005 Ford Escape
  By Gpowers - November 25 - 2:00 am

  This is the wifes car, not mine. We had it since new. Dislikes, no power passenger seat, no compass or outside temp display, Uncomfortable seats everywhere except driver. Bad design on heated seats switch placement and function (cant see light, no temperature control, turns on accidentally) , poor placement of cruise on switch(on steering wheel, accidentally gets turned off), noisy tires at road speed. V6 gets buzzy when in second and delivers less than stellar mileage (19 City, 21 Hwy). Great vehicle in snow and reliable as a rock. Wife loves it. Im not as impressed. I hope Ford addressed these issues in future versions. Only problem was front brakes at 39K which is maintenance.

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  Bland but dependable - 2001 Ford Taurus
  By curtis - November 23 - 2:00 am

  Bought 1 yr old w/5000 miles now at 155k drove in wi 4 yrs az 5 yrs replaced brake rotors at 80k, (use premium or they will warp) ac compressor at 125k, starter at 100k, head gaskets at 130k, radiator at 150k all in all a good car I liked the bland style thieves and cops dont seem to see it.

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  Transmission - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By Arlington - November 22 - 2:00 am

  I had a little over 92,000 miles on the van and the transmission went out. A list of problems was wrong with it for one is the torque converter. got it back and the EGR Valve went out.