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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  Shouldve bought the Malibu - 2015 Ford Fusion
  By Chris - July 12 - 7:29 am

  Well...after only 3 months of ownership, the cheap piece of plastic dehind the door handle popped out and wont go back in. The Bluetooth sounds awful to anyone Im on the other line with, everyone says it sounds like Im in a wind tunnel. The brakes are over responsive and too touchy, never thought that could be a complaint until this vehicle. I drove the Malibu previously to driving/buying the Fusion and it was luxury compared to this pos Im stuck with. My family is a Ford family so I let them convince me to buy the Fusion...never again...if you havent driven the Malibu yet, go do yourself a favor, youll be much happier!

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  Go for it if you enjoy mental torment... - 2012 Ford Focus
  By Ty - July 8 - 10:13 am

  ... at every turn. I bought this car in the winter of 2013. I enjoyed it for its lovely ride and handling. It was very good in the icy twist backs of Idahos Sawtooth Mountains. However, this is where it ends. First problem was the transmission, it shuddered very roughly in reverse and driving forward off the line. Ive taken it in about 4 times at this point. I took it to billings, Montana and it stalled, leaving me stranded for 3 days while no one could find the problem. One clutch pack replacement later at 45k its been decent, however now at 82k its shuddering again(thank god for the extended warranty). It threw a tie rod at 72k nearly flipping the car. Then the sync module dies. And now the starter/ignition has left me stranded 2 times only to have it towed into the shop where it is now day 6 and no one can figure out the problem. Also a minor nitpick, Ford needs to change their fuel economy numbers for this car as I only return 22mpg in mixed driving. Keep in mind Ive had this car for one year Ford certainly has made an excellent torture device. College student or anyone looking for that constant anguish and embarrassment, look no further.

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  Stay Away! - 2012 Ford Focus
  By jpspa - June 29 - 12:10 pm

  Had a 2012 Focus and experienced the same transmission issues others have described- jerky, hesitation, lunging- which Ford apparently still has not fixed. Finally the transmission died completely and car wouldnt go at all. When fixed", I got rid if it right away- not worth the trouble. Ill never buy another Ford, who should be prosecuted for selling this piece of junk and not recalling them.

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  Ford Sucks - 2013 Ford Edge
  By jammeabend - June 22 - 1:36 pm

  Ford Customer care sucks. My Edge was involved in a minor accident on May 12th, the passenger side door is creased and unrepairable. To date we are still waiting on door and will be waiting for a minumim of 2 more months. Meanwhile the body shop has my edge torn apart and is undrivable. During this time we have contacted Ford on many occasions and have received the run around and been told its not Fords fault it is their vendor. We were told that if it were a dealership fixing it they would provide a rental but my local dealer is not an approved repair facility. I hate to rate the car so low, because I do enjoy the car, but 3 mos waiting on a door is unacceptable.

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  Should be recalled, a real lemon - 2011 Ford Fiesta
  By big_jig - May 6 - 7:18 am

  I bought this car 3 months ago used with 39000 miles on it. It has a 6 speed automatic transmission. 2 weeks after I bought it Ford sent me a letter stating the this model was having transmission issues and if it broke they would fix it for free.The transmission went out at 42000 miles and now Ford tells me they have 32000 parts on back order and I wont get it back for at least 12 weeks.This is my first and last Ford I will ever buy. I would like to trade it in but it apparently lost a lot of value in the short time I have owned it due the the transmission issue. What a joke. This car should be recalled and is a true lemon.

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  Never Again - 2014 Ford Escape
  By huns8 - April 29 - 11:29 am

  I purchased a 2014 ford escape and within the first year the car was was hesitating while changing gears at 40km and also something in the morning would stick and would accelerate up the street. We would go from 0km to 50km.They tried to fix the issue 3 times with no success. They had to rebuild my transmission. Nobody at Ford wanted to help except offer free oil changes. never again will I buy a Ford a big piece of junk

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  Escape the Escape! - 2014 Ford Escape
  By escapeescape - April 26 - 4:42 pm

  Worst purchase ever! True lemon! Bought Jan 2014. Day 1: passenger headlight out. 3 trips to dealer, got it replaced. Then back to dealer for: rear lift gate out of alignment and sometimes doesnt close at all(4x tried to get it repaired), exterior lights periodically flash by themselves, SYNC wont display txt msgs (did once), door seals are horrible (TONS of dust), abnormal lag when accelerating to highway speeds, AC failed on first use, windshield wiper hits drivers side upright, 14,000 miles-lots of rattles, rear shocks just replaced, drivers window has mind of its own, headliner sagging in rear, driver presets do not return, poor performance of AC when it does work, etc.

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  Dont EVER buy a Ford vehicle - 2012 Ford Focus
  By noo2 - April 7 - 5:56 pm

  This is by far the worst ford Ive owned. Im not a new customer to Ford and I will NEVER buy another Ford again. The focus sounds like its about to break down constantly. I would rather drive a used beat up 1996 POS than this BRAND NEW focus. Ive brought it in for multiple issues, not just the transmission, and Im so tired of dealing with them and the same response. Ford may be saving money by not fixing any of their mistakes, but they sure as hell are losing a lot of customers and future clients for it. Word of mouth spreads faster and more efficiently than any deal they can create to help fix this.

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  Nickle and dimes you to bankruptcy! - 2007 Ford F-150
  By Scott Sells - March 24 - 10:25 pm

  This is probably one of the worst trucks ever made. I cant believe people have honestly rated it this high (I suspect Ford had a hand in this). Luckily I got this used after the spark plug problem. Cam phasers went at about 200kms, $2000+ to fix. $1700+ to replace the garbage driveshaft. Constantly replacing the tie rod ends and ball joints (again poor design by Ford - Not "Ford tough"). The truck is enjoyable to drive, but it is a money pit, and as a Ford lover it is a HUGE let down. It will be a long time before I could ever consider buying a Ford again. They made a garbage truck and refused to stand behind it. Ill be looking for a Toyota or Honda next. Anything but Ford.

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  If I could have one car never built again this would be it - 2014 Ford Focus
  By mattyguru - December 5 - 9:52 am

  I wouldnt take the time out for this if it wasnt for the fact that everyone should know about how horrifying not only this car is but Ford for even letting this happen. The car has a recall on the transmission it stalls when driving and can even randomly shut off while driving. Ford wont even give you a rental tell they check what is wrong. even when it is under warranty and has a recall so they already know I am not at fault for this cars problems. Writing this while still waiting for a estimated time on how long tell they can even look at it.