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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  Feels Unsafe - 1998 Ford Explorer
  By Josh - January 13 - 11:47 am

  Our father bought his second Explorer from my grandfather in 2005. It can get you from point A to point B, but with mediocre comfort. We use this for towing tools on a small trailer, which works great. Our car never came with the fog lights hooked up and we havent since set them up. The dash is confusing and looks cheap, not to mention it is full of gaps. We have a CD Changer, which we dont use, the CD/Cassette/Radio/Phone set up is cool. The vehicle is fully loaded. The compass/thermometer in the overhead console is nice, but is off on the temp. Sitting in the front seems like your going to fly forward and hit your head, which I nearly did last night. Overall, this seems like a tow-truck

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  Should have shopped around more. - 2006 Ford Fusion
  By DKARN - January 10 - 1:53 am

  I have owned this car for almost a month. I have been very disappointed. In town, I am only getting about 17mpg. On a recent vacation, we got up to 22 by the monitor, but we figured more like 27. When I first take off from a complete stop, there is some hesitation. The rear seat belts are very uncomfortable for an adult. The turning radius is not very good and makes it hard to get into a straight parking space. If I could, I would return it...this is my first new car. I wish I had shopped around more. Needs a digital clock. When the radio is off, its just a dark space. Plastic looks cheap.

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  Ford Quality??????????????? - 2002 Ford Focus
  By tifosi - January 9 - 10:00 am

  I purchased a black SVT Focus about one year ago. The car is a blast to drive when the road gets twisty but lacks the kind of power that I crave. The chassis is very well balanced, the handling is nuetral and the car is very easy to rotate. I would prefer a little less body roll and better high speed stability as the car is a little twitchy in high speed sweepers (100mph +). My major complaint with the car is the quality. I had to get a new power steering pump, alternator, and now the intake runner control quit working. This in addition to several different noises and rattles that emminated from the exhaust.

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  ASIAN MARKET SHOULD BE STUDIED - 2004 Ford Expedition
  By RAMON MAGSAYSAY - January 9 - 10:00 am

  THE EXPEDITION IS A MUCH SOUGHT-AFTER SUV. FORD SHOULD CONFIGURE FACTORS SUCH AS ECONOMY, TORQUE, ETC.(ENGINEERIGNG) WITH INTERIORS. CAPTAINS CHAIR SHOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE. 6 CD CHANGER SHOULD BE STANDARD. AND HEADREST MORE ATTENTION AS HEIGHT IS TOO HIGH FOR SMALL 52" DRIVERS. SUVS ARE CONSIDERED SAFER SO THEY ARE USED AS EXECUTIVE VEHICLES, THUS IT IS VITAL FOR FORD TO RETROFIT MODELS AS EXECUTIVE VEHICLES. OTHERWISE EXPEDITION IS A RELIABLE VEHICLE AND I AM ON MY THIRD MODEL, TURNING OVER OLDER ONES TO SOME OF OUR SENIOR EXECUTIVES WHO GLADLY PAY FOR THESE KNOWING THE MAINTENANCE IS GOOD.

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  2013 CMAX - so far overall dissapointed - 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid
  By grayman3 - January 7 - 12:02 pm

  Ive had the car for about 2 months. After first 2 days with it, had to take into dealer to fix stuck hazard light and replace some electronic command module. Also the microphone when using touch-free calling is terrible - people I call report harsh blowing noise. Biggest dissapointment though is the MPG - after driving over 1000 miles still averaging only 33-34MPG (combined highway/city). I know that Ford is saying must drive 3000 mi to see higher mileage, but I doubt this. I have not gotten anyware CLOSE to the promised 47MPG. I have a feeling if this continues and is happening with other people, theres going to be a class action lawsuit in the future (as happened with Honda civic hybrid)

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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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  Whiny. Whiny! - 2007 Ford Edge
  By Mary - December 31 - 10:31 am

  Great curb appeal and comfortable. Thats about it. City driving gas mileage averages around 15mpg - not much better than my 2004 Explorer. Difficult to see outside or rear window - back headrests block view. However, most troubling is the constant whining which dealership attributes to the fuel pump. Sorry. they say, there is nothing we can do. Because its a new model, Ford has little documentation on this problem.

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  When they are bad, they are really bad - 2002 Ford Focus
  By D&J - December 27 - 4:30 pm

  This is the worst car I have ever owned. The fule mileage has been awful. I am a conservative driver and have had it to the dealer multiple times with no result. The car stalls, randomly downshifts, and has had to have a fuel pump replaced. I went with a Ford because I trusted that they really had improved. What a disapointment. My 16 year old Camry with 160,000 miles is more reliable and gets better gas mileage. Check these cars very carefully. I have friends that love theirs, but when there is a problem, the car is a real pain in the rear. Oh, and the 16 inch rims make new tires far more expensive, so consider getting the other model with the 15 inch rims to save some money.

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  Ford Failure - 1999 Ford Escort
  By 1REDZX2 - December 27 - 2:17 pm

  Bought this for my daughter for features, price and CU rating. Noisiest engine,sounds like a diesel, replaced both driveshafts before 60k, now at 85k one is failing again. Both ABS wheels cracked prior to 60K. Odd sized tires that youll pay a premium for. At least it still looks good

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  Rented car for a week - 2017 Ford Explorer
  By Mike H - December 25 - 7:16 am

  So, i got this 2017 model while my original SUV was getting fixed after a tree branch fell on it. Pros: sync 3 is like an iphone and very responsive, good headlights, upgraded brakes as part of limited upgraded worked well, good grip on road though i drove in dry conditions. Cons: the interior surfaces scratched easily but perhaps thst is due to soft plastics?, the upper dash is soft but where you right leg hits dash is hard which is bad for a tall guy, acceleration with the base eco boost is bad especially for freeway merge, fuel economy at best was 16.5 mpg which is well below EPA, parking brake hits your left foot. Seriously ford, you couldnt put in an electronic parking brake as you hate hand brakes?