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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  Drove my truck for 12 years, now it needs a clutch - 2002 Ford Ranger
  By 4wdona2wd - July 10 - 6:09 am

  My truck had not been in a shop for mechanical repairs till this year, it is 12 years old, it has over 150,000 miles. Took it to the shop, to get a clutch, and the mechanic said it didnt give him any trouble, however, it is starting to jam when I am shifting gears, so I will have to take it back. It has been on dirt mountain roads where only 4wd jeeps were spotted, and it has seen a lot of beautiful country all along the Blue Ridge, Smokies, and other great mountain terrain. This is one of the best vehicles I have ever owned.. If not the best.

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  Great to drive and comfortable, with some small issues - 2013 Ford Fusion
  By fusionownernj - July 9 - 5:33 pm

  I own a 2013 red Ford Fusion SE Automatic with the 1.6 Ecoboost engine. The car does a lot well, and drives way better than our 2012 Fusion. The engine averages well over 30 mpg on the highway, yet feels way gutsier than a 1.6 when accelerating, and it also sounds nice. The transmission works well, albeit the sport feature doesnt do much. Its nice that it comes standard with Sync, but the system doesnt always work as expected. So far, our only problem with ownership has been a fuel gauge that depletes way quicker than it should (will say it used 1/4 a tank after 10 miles). Its been to the dealer twice, and they cant figure out why it does this.

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  1.5 L Ecoboost SE - 2014 Ford Fusion
  By bharp61308 - July 9 - 1:13 pm

  I absolutely love my 2014 Ford Fusion SE 1.5L Ecoboost! I just happened to be at a Ford Dealership with a friend picking up her car that was serviced when I first saw the 2014 Ford Fusion. Its sportiness caught my eye amongst all the other cars on the show room floor. I was shocked when I found out it was a Ford Fusion. This dealership also sell Lincoln etc. I test drove the Infiniti G37, Mercedes C300, BMW 328I, Acura TSX and TL and others. The 2014 Ford Fusion was the first car that I immediately fell in love with! I was amazed at all the features I was able to get for my budget of under $35k. leather, sunroof, mytouch with nav,rear camera, heated seats, parking assist, etc.

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  World Class Miss - 2012 Ford Focus
  By bhersh - July 8 - 6:34 pm

  We bought our Focus in August 2011 and were pleased with it for 2 of the 2-1/2 years we had it. My wife drove about 90 miles a day for most of the first two years and all was well. It handled like it was on rails, was comfortable and the mileage was great. Highest I got was 45. We got used to the quirky shifting but when my wife changed jobs and did mostly city driving, the clutch became unreliable. We also had electronic issues. We were told by Ford that we needed a new clutch pack and that it would be in by the end of next month. That went on for 4 months. Fed up, we traded it at a big loss due to transmission issues. Then Ford called to apologize. We love our new Buick Verano!

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  One Bad Tranny after Another :( - 2012 Ford Focus
  By kaelin71 - July 8 - 3:14 pm

  Transmission replaced at 22,000 after Ford sent regional located engineer out to determine problem and provide resolution as reflashing did nothing to eleviate shuddering and crunching/grinding noises of transmission. Resolution was to put in new transmission. At 36,000 miles or 14,000 into the new tranny were experiencing same problem, yet even worse this time around. I couldnt be more disappointed at this point.

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  Worth it.. - 2012 Ford Escape
  By ry_american26 - July 7 - 11:20 pm

  I got my 2012 Escape used, about 2 months ago. $21,500 Ive put almost 5,000 miles on as I drive a lot. Its almost fully loaded, Sunroof, Premium sound, heated leather, microsoft sync. This is my second Ford, and I was hesitant about this, because I had a 2008 Ford Fusion I purchased brand new for $23,000, and it was a total lemon, it was serviced a million times & had transmission issues, thats for another review though, the escape handles beautifully, is good on long trips, Sync really comes in handy because I tend to talk and drive and it allows my iPhone to play my playlists directly off the radio. I reccomond this vehicle %100

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  From an Edge to an Escape - 2014 Ford Escape
  By ttdale - July 7 - 7:52 pm

  I drove an Edge for 3 years. And I admit it was my dream car. It was fully loaded and beautiful. A 2011. But I moved into my dream home and my beautiful car was just no longer going to work. Have a side entry garage that the driveway curves over to then a sharp right into the garage. Not an easy manuvere. So instead of beating up my house and car I thought Id get a smaller car. I love Ford. If you think buying the top of the line Escape with all the features will be as luxurious as the Edge, think again. Totally different class of vehicle. The Escape is very plastic. The seating is no where near as luxurious. But if you can get past that, you have yourself a really wonderful car.

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  Our last Ford - 2013 Ford Escape
  By southtx - July 7 - 2:51 pm

  Just traded off our 13 1.6L Ecoboost with 28k miles after finally losing confidence in the vehicle. The stylish interior and Ford loyalty sold us to begin with, but the several recalls and follow-up notifications that the recall work might not have been done correctly took a toll (nine documented service events, and a handful of quick fix visits). While we had no problems at all with the navigation, the rest of the MyFordTouch system was even buggier than whats prominently mentioned in reviews. It never worked properly (or with any pattern of consistency) from the day the vehicle was new. Fuel economy was never anything near whats advertised. Wind noise was very bad.

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  very poor quality - 2014 Ford Taurus
  By ablereviewer - July 6 - 9:35 pm

  The build quality of the new Ford Taurus is very cheap. If this car is driven for any time at all I cant see it lasting more than 4 years. The paint job is horrible! It will scratch at the slightest touch. The craftsmanship is of very low quality. Ford reverted back to the 70s when they built the Taurus. And, its a shame because the design of the car is very attractive. I truly regret returning to Ford.

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  Good Vehicle - 2013 Ford Escape
  By lee169 - July 6 - 7:06 am

  I did a lot of research on the 2013 Escape before buying and found lots of negative comments. I was seriously considering buying something else until I found a forum and found 300% more positive comments. I bought mine recently and heres some positive reviews. - MPG: go easy on the gas petal and you will get or exceed the EPA MPG. I drove mine around Houston then to Ft Worth and avg 30.3 and that was using turbo 2-3 times. - Recalls: Ford is trying to fix problems...recalls are good. Yes, they are annoying, but better fixed than nothing. - Everything else: Interior/Exterior trim is great. Seats CAN be comfortable, take the time to set them up properly. Overall great car!