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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  EDGY WEDGIE - 2007 Ford Edge
  By Lisa - August 21 - 12:53 pm

  Well if you get our EDGE.. plan on having the bearings replaced every year. something about this vehicle. I have spent a fortune but when you really like your car you drive it til it dies and the engine and everything is great on it. People look at it say that is not a 2007 it is now almost 9 years in Rochester NY no rust..

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  I love my Focus - 2014 Ford Focus
  By JP - August 19 - 6:08 pm

  Reading about cars is my leisure activity. Because of that, I knew to avoid My Ford Touch and the dual clutch transmission. Equipped with a manual and My Ford, my focus is the best car Ive ever owned. It has some issues, the voice control button works only about 80% of the time, and the dash rattles during winter. However, the car is comfortable, quiet, fun to drive, has great speakers, has functional space, the transmission is very smooth, and has a nice interior. Additionally, the fuel milage beats the EPA estimate of 28 mpg combined. My Focus averages between 30 and 36 mpg combined. I recommend the car to all of my friends and family.

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  Comfortable, reliable car with great mileage - 2014 Ford Focus
  By Kristina Wieland - August 19 - 1:27 am

  I am very pleased with my 2014 Ford Focus. I get great gas mileage: 31 to 38 mpg in town with AC on and 41 to 48 mpg highway driving with AC on. I was a bit concerned with the slight shudder I sometimes get from the transmission when accelerating from a stop. The first service technician I talked to about this said it was normal for the Focus. I found this explanation unsatisfactory. During another stop at the dealership, another technician explained the mechanics of the Focus transmission and then the shuddering made sense. With almost 17K miles on my car, it has proven to be very reliable, comfortable and economical. I will definitely be purchasing a Ford the next time I shop for a car.

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  Liked the flex until it tried to kill my family! - 2015 Ford Flex
  By MarciaT - August 17 - 10:20 am

  Was looking for a large, safe family vehicle to replace my minivan that was totalled in Feb of 2015. Found the ford flex. Loved the size, comfort and technology! Hate the gas mileage!! Ford should be ashamed of themselves! If my minivan gets 30mpg on trips - so can the flex! It gets 17!! 17 mpg - pathetic! Anyway - on Thurs Aug 13, on a vacation with my kids in the smoky mountains and the steering starts acting a little strange. No lights or warnings. Stopped to check power steering fluid and figured out its electrical - no fluid! We called 2 ford dealers and were told its fine and get it checked when we get home. Was told there is 1 recall on fuel delivery module - thats it. We continued our day and on the 2nd largest mountain on the entire east coast- Clingmans Dome - the power steering warning lite comes on. It bongs 5 times and BOOM - NO POWER STEERING. None! On a huge mountain. Took all my husband had to wrestle it away from a guard rail - avoid traffic and stop it so we didnt dive off the cliff!!!!! 2 1/2 hours to get a wrecker to bring us off the mtn! 2 traumatized kids that dont want to drive in the flex ever again! 2 hour drive to the Knoxville airport to get a one way car rental because locals wont do a one way rental. Do you know what Ford corporate says??? We would like to say that cars come off the assembly line perfect - but - they dont. Thats why theres a warranty!!!! Are you kidding me?? We could have died - LITERALLY! Will they reimburse me for the car rental? NO. Will they help me get my car back? No! I have to get out of work. My husband must get out of work. We must drive 3 hrs- each way- to get the car. Asked why they dont care that the car almost killed us? No response. Asked if they would be upset if I went on tv to warn others. They said sorry you feel that way. He will call me next week to see if we got the car back. DONT BUY A FLEX! DONT BUY A FORD! I used to like fords! My kids and I will never buy another Ford vehicle! They should be ashamed of themselves!!!!!!!!!

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  Tranny and thermostat out at 119,000 miles - 2006 Ford Explorer
  By Jess - August 13 - 11:31 pm

  It is a very roomy car. I love the climate control. I have 4 kids. And i pull a trailer with it nearly everyday. I expected my tranny to die young she gets a lot of stress. But overall it has been an amazing car...i have now proudly owned 4 different ford explorers.

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  Trying Again With a Newer Model - 2010 Ford Explorer
  By WNYFordGuy - August 13 - 3:28 pm

  I bought this model used in Aug 2012 after finding it on the lot before it was advertised for sale. I wanted to trade in my 04 Explorer XLT after a mechanic told me the rear differential would fail soon. The 04 was a money pit and I wasnt going to spend another cent on it, despite putting a rebuilt tranny into it at 67k miles. Id read the 10 Explorers reliability was much better (more like my 97 Explorer), and this vehicle, with only 23.5k on it, seemed like a steal. Ive been very happy with it so far after 3 years, because... When I complained in a customer reply survey that the cheap wheel bearings used on this (needed replacement at 34.4k) and my 04 was outrageous and pushed me to look at non-Ford products, Ford reimbursed my expenses for the repair - even though it wasnt done at a Ford dealer! Ive never formally complained to Ford before, but it paid off here. As another reviewer noted, the Goodyear OEM tires have no lifespan - almost shot after only 34.4k miles. I get around 15 MPG on my winter commuting loop, though this past winter with record cold resulted in 12 MPG in February. Summer round trips average between 17-21 MPG. Favorite Features: Extremely smooth ride. Roomy interior. Love the heated seats and mirrors for cold upstate NY winters. Thank goodness for the backup sensors. Six-CD changer works/sounds great, and I really like the steering-mounted audio system controls. I really like the Sirius satellite radio, too. My wife loves the dual-zone A/C. Suggested Improvements: I dont even bother to use the SYNC package. I think I will no longer buy upper-end trim lines in vehicles because Im sick of paying for options/features I dont want/need. Plugging my iPod into the sound system without SYNC works fine for me. The headrests, and the seating position they forced, took some time to get used to, and the blind spots they create are enormous. I learned that if I adjusted the side-view mirrors much wider than usual, it helped.

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  whoa tranny - 2006 Ford Fusion
  By GiGi - August 12 - 8:21 pm

  Buyer Beware of transmission. Car has been excellent up until tranny just started going haywire all at once with no warning. Seen complaint after complaint about transmission and seems to be a defect that Ford will not acknowledge.

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  Rental good enough to own - 2015 Ford Edge
  By Dean C. - August 11 - 2:52 pm

  Very car like ambience, ride quality and handling. It feels like the center of gravity is much lower than it actually is with flat cornering and a composed ride. Impressive NVH suppression in Titanium edition despite the bigger wheels. Wait for 2016 and Sync3, as the current touch screen is often counterintuitive and as slow as molasses. Good connectivity and power supply options available except USB below center stack is almost impossible to reach. Hands free lift gate leads to cavernous and well finished cargo area. Back seats roomy and with easy ingress/egress. Not sure about structural build quality as you can watch the hood sheet metal vibrating a bit along the power bulges stamped into it, but the cage structure seems quite stiff and protective. Flashy lighting and upscale features. A very good Ford.

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  Dont lose your Focus! - 2013 Ford Focus
  By Michael Friedhoff - August 11 - 11:48 am

  Great little car! 38,000 miles so far and no issues. Looks great! Handles great! MPG could be better (average 28 mpg), but Im a little heavy on the accelerator...

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  Stinky air - 2014 Ford Fusion
  By Tracy - August 8 - 7:57 pm

  Just replaced our cabin filter in our 2014 fusion. What a terrible design. 14000 miles couldnt take the smell it look like it had been in the dump when we took it out. When we turn the air on it stinks for a minute or two then goes away. Dealer cant fix it. Any suggestions live in montana pretty clean air