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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  10 years and still going strong! - 1998 Ford Escort
  By lori & kenzie - June 17 - 8:03 pm

  We have owned this car for 10 years and we cant complain. Weve never had to replace anything except for a brake, the alternator, and some tires. This car has been on 3 long road trips (about 650 miles each way with a dog) and we had no major breakdowns. The car is still running (even with over 200,000 miles on it) but were finally going to purchase a new 2007 Elantra so we will donate it to charity. BTW: We have the bare bones model-5 speed manual, cassete player (no cd), power nothing, no spoiler, basically just a shell with an engine and some tires.

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  Transmission bucks when shifting gears - 1998 Ford Windstar
  By Felicia - June 15 - 11:40 am

  I dont recommend a Ford windstar van, at least not a 1998. When I first got the vehicle the transmission was bucking and when I went to have it replaced with a new trainny, it did the same thing, and they told me this was normal for 98 Windstar vans. Visiblilty is not great on highway. I had to replace the whole ABS system costing me over $1100 and nearly everything else except the engine has had to be replaced. On a more positive, it is a very comfortable car to drive, and it rides very smooth with a quiet engine. Safe car to drive if you do well with poor visibility on the highway. I would not get a Ford Windstar van again, and may not even get a Ford again.

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  1 year review - 2001 Ford Escape
  By Taybjay - June 14 - 2:00 am

  Ok the gas mileage stinks. My buddies Ford Excursion Diesel gets better. The seats are rock bottom hard. (metal folding chair hard!) The wiper stalk always gets in the way when you shift gears in the automatic. And the throttle response is very rammy. But whos complaining! The steering tracks in a BMW fashion. Theres room in this small ute. The 4x4 tracks well in snowy conditions.

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  Freestyle Problems - 2005 Ford Freestyle
  By goracegirl51 - June 12 - 1:52 pm

  Would own more Freestyles if it were for the interior. The exterior maintainance problems are terrible. Needed new tires at 11,500 miles, and now again at 23,000. Also needs new back brakes now. Also needs new windshield because its scratched by current windshield wipers.

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  My 2001 Cobra is a total POS! - 2001 Ford Mustang
  By Eric Westermeyer - June 8 - 10:00 am

  First of all, do not buy a 2001 SVT Ford Mustang Cobra. The car has a bad knock/ping. The ping has been there since day one and Ford will not fix it. They put out an official statement that says pinging is normal. My car dynoed below Fords acceptable HP and torque figures and has been in the shop for over 30 days of unscheduled maintenance in a year and a half. The transmission was replaced at 3,000 miles. The list goes on and on. Myself and my family will never buy a Ford product again. This includes any company that Ford owns, such as Mazda, Jaguar, etc. Ford, you sold me the worst car that I have ever owned and you do not honor warranties.

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  Quality? - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By Frank - June 6 - 5:04 pm

  I bought this vehicle used, presently has 45,000. The brakes squeal and we were told twice that there is no problem. My wife went out of town and attempted to open my rear door and the handle fell off for no reason. The engine runs strong and the van has a good amount of pickup. The mileage could be better. This is a step down from the Windstar we had to replace due to an accident. You could make a better choice.

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  Massive Disappointment - 2000 Ford Focus
  By APL - June 4 - 9:23 am

  Test driving the ZX3 with manual transmission sold me on this cars fun to drive qualities. However, having owned many cars (including 3 Fords) I can honestly say this car was the biggest lemon I ever had the displeasure of owning. Over the course of 84k mile ownership I replaced the AC system, valve cover gasket, ignition mechanism, EGR valve. The car was fun to drive and got great gas mileage but left me stranded more times than every other car I have owned combined. Amazingly, mechanics and tow truck drivers could usually guess what my problem was because they had seen so many Focus with the same issues. It feels like the sun has shone brighter every day since I got rid of it!

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  Decent Car for the Money - 2004 Ford Focus
  By dgk - June 1 - 9:50 pm

  Originally, I had wanted an SE, since I didnt really need all of the extra junk that the ZTS has. However, since it was the end of the model year I ended up getting a good deal on the ZTS. The 2.3L engine is quite peppy for a 4 cyl, and the car handles like a sports car that costs thousands more. The interior is quite comfy and can easily hold four people without much effort. The trunk is surprisingly large, probably due to the height of the back of the car. The styling of the car is okay I guess, but I am not much into that sort of thing. My only complaints are that the fuel mileage is very disappointing for a supposed economy car, and it seems like the exterior scratches easily.

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  boat anchor - 2002 Ford Crown Victoria
  By fletch lives - June 1 - 12:53 am

  This heavy cruiser is a fantastic highway car getting a high of 27.3 mpg on a trip from Savannah to upstate NY. Smooth ride as long as the hiway is smooth. Poor around town performance as the tall gearing has the transmission constantly downshifting at even the slightest hint of throttle depression. Huge trunk is not the most usable as everything has to fit in the well. Poor sense of straight ahead. Handling is pretty much non existent as the car has very poor steering feel and is easily affected by bumps and ripples on these old Savannah streets. I bought this after an accident thinking that I would be safer. I have been and it has been mechanically reliable but the downside is a boring car

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  Stay Away at all costs - 2004 Ford Explorer
  By Stephanie - May 31 - 7:39 am

  From day one I had problems with the radio. Now at 64,800 miles they think it blew a rod and needs a new engine! I am a 37 year old mother of 3 that drives to and from school, practices, etc. I still owe $9K on the truck and will need to put in an additional $6500 to get it running again. Oh, and Ford will warranty its new engine for 75K but not the one with the car originally --stay away. Obviously there is a defect with this engine. I am calling Ford to see what they will do. Unbelievable! I will never, never, never buy a Ford again. And this was my third one in 10 years!