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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  Good, reliable transportation - 1999 Ford Escort
  By ringo423 - January 4 - 11:44 am

  Though somewhat vanilla, this car has been exceptionally reliable through the years. Good gas mileage and perfoms very well in all types of weather. Cabin fairly noisy on the highway

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  Best value for money - 2006 Ford Ranger
  By SurfCity - January 4 - 11:32 am

  I bought an 06 Ranger sport model which my son uses to go surfing, camping, and I use when I need a truck. No problems after 2 yrs. Sharp styling, and is priced considerably below Toyota, Nissan. I bought the truck for the price listed in the newspaper. Good handling, no frills, but good functional truck and best for the money on the market. Sport model with extended cab is very popular with younger crowd.

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  A US Vehicle Worth The Look - 2009 Ford Escape
  By rjtroodon - January 4 - 2:30 am

  We love this vehicle. We purchased this vehicle because of the great deals and the need for a dependable winter tranport. We previously had a 2001 Tribute(an Escape twin)which we loved. The new Escape is noticably improved. The 6-speed automatic is smooth and accelerates nicely. The fuel economy is beyond my expectations (26 on the highway with our V6 AWD). Around suburbia, 21+ is easily feasible depending on how agressive drive. The handling is truck like but this is desired. Great in the snow which is in part why we have it. The lthr is improved & of good quality. This is an excellent option if you want to buy a quality product made in the USA at a good price.

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  Fun car - 2003 Ford Focus
  By JY - January 3 - 11:20 pm

  I bought this car brand new. I love it! I have so much fun driving it. Its a pretty slick looking car too. So, far the only problem I had was with the cd player. It quit working & 2 of my cds got stuck in it.

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  SERIOUSLY? - 2016 Ford Explorer
  By Johnny H - January 3 - 7:32 pm

  I purchased a 2016 XLT in white platinum with dune leather, moonroof, 20" polished wheels. The dealer said it had every available XLT option other than 4WD. MSRP was around $42,500. I test drove the car during the day and then purchased it at night a couple days later just as the dealership was closing. As I drove off the lot, I realized the car was very dark inside. The ceiling is black, the interior lighting is minimal and the visibility is poor. I have a 2014 Expedition and it has much better visibility and is easier to manuveur than this Explorer (I noticed Car and Driver expressed similar complaints about the Explorer in its review of the 2016 model). The Expedition also has beige colored ceiling, which makes a huge difference, as well as a lot more interior lights. Why would Ford put black panels and ceiling inside a car with tan leather? Speaking of the leather, its very cheap, and instead of making it uniform in color, the fronts of the seats are tan and the back are black. The door panels are also primarily black, giving the interior a very cheap look. It gets worse. When I got home, I realized it did not have a universal garage door opener, and when i called the dealership about this, they advised me that one could not be added. $43K and no universal garage door opener? Give me a break. It never even crossed my mind to check if it had one because every car i have owned since 1996 has had one. The stereo is also a joke for a $43K car; it sounds like a one-speaker radio. In summary, the Ford Explorer XLT, even when loaded with all available options, is bare bones and clunky and I could never recommend it to anyone. Come on, Ford!

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  Very happy with this Escape - 2009 Ford Escape
  By Gary - January 3 - 2:43 pm

  Have had just over a week, have 550 miles. Took it to ski for a week at a resort 125 miles away, it handled the slick roads at the resort with no problem (4WD) the v6 is very good,and its nowhere near broken in. The 6 speed tranny is wonderful; smooth shifts, timing is great and will get better as it "learns", Im told. Mileage on first trip, to, from and around the ski resort was 23.4 mpg, all in cold snowy weather. Youre not supposed to love anything that cant love you back, but at this point, Im in serious "like" with this Ford.

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  Oh the Contour - 1998 Ford Contour
  By Amanda - January 3 - 11:10 am

  I bought the Contour used in 2005 with 110,000 miles, as soon as we pulled off the lot, my power steering pump had a leak and we were unable to drive it home. It costed $350 to fix. Two months after I purchased the car, three window motors/regulators blew. It cost $150 to fix just the drivers side window. About 6 months later, my check engine light came on. O2 Sensor. Replaced it, $100. Came to find out that wasnt the problem, the wires connected to the 02 sensor were messed up, $300 to fix it. After owning the car for two years, I came across the worst problem. Computer was fried, wires to the computer were fried, Timing Belt, and tensioner. $2000 to fix, didnt do it. Just got rid of it.

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  Very poor Quality - 2005 Ford Mustang
  By mustanggrl2005 - January 3 - 9:03 am

  This is the worst car I have owned!! Been in the shop several times. Unable to fix front end noise. Been stuck on the side of the interstate 3 times. First problem accurred before the 30 days temp tag was up. Shaker 1000 was fixed 3 times. Very hard to put fuel in it, the pump shuts off after $1.00 or sooner. Ford states No problem there!! I have had Electrical problems, E-brake locking up. rear end out, stereo not working, and the list goes on!!! If u are a mechanic then this is the car to drive!! Buyers beware! Ford needs to make some improvements!

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  Gets Better with Age - 1996 Ford Contour
  By Annelise - January 3 - 6:11 am

  My Contour hit 200,000 miles last night! Ive got the V6 5-speed. Though I had problems with it early on--water pumps, numerous recalls and that darn engine light that wont go off--its been great for the last 120,000 miles. I love the way it handles and it still has plenty of power. Im curious to see how long it will last!

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  Long Drives? - 2007 Ford Fusion
  By Eric Smith - January 3 - 1:31 am

  Make many 2000-mile round trips for work. At 60 240 lbs., 05 Civic was cramped. Intended to get an Accord, but they werent dealing. Heard Ford was, so checked out Fusion. Have 11000 mi. almost exclusive long highway drives on this Fusion. Great combo of power, comfort, and fuel mileage. Doesnt seem to be geared to be peppy at low speeds (compared to Civic), but going 90 before you know it and handles very well on open highway. Noticeably less road noise than Civic. I cruise between 70 mph and 80 mph and get 31 mpg on trips. Seat adjustable enough to get comfortable with plenty of leg room. Same with steering wheel. Very happy with this vehicle - and wife really likes it too.