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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  True muscle in the V6 is hidden, but waiting to be unleashed. - 2012 Ford Mustang
  By adr58 - January 2 - 9:07 pm

  Ive had my 2012 base V6 convertible auto a few months. It was a rental and has just under 50,000 miles My first Mustang. It is certainly behind in design compared with European sports cars, especially the base model, but the appeal of the Mustang is in some ways its simple raw charisma, not its bling. The new V6 has awesome acceleration and can match the old V8 in terms of performance. The stock auto setup is a compromise though. For general driving the Mustang is sweet. When you want to unleash the beast, there is throttle lag and imprecise gear shifts until you get above 3500 rpm, then she pulls like a train.

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  DUPED BY ECO-BOOST MPG - 2012 Ford F-150
  By flaf150lar - January 2 - 4:17 pm

  I too was duped by the MPG that Ford so proudly advertised youd get with the new Eco-Boost 3.5L engine. I have had mine a year. I have a friend who bought the 5.0 v8 F150 and his gas mileage is far better than mine. Makes me mad since I paid more $$ for this engine to get less MPG. I would not recommend this engine to anyone unless you were pulling something all the time. Someone mentioned lights leaking, mine are also leaking and the visor mirror is in need of repair as the lid wont stay closed. Wish I wouldve listened to some of the reviews I read when I was buying this truck. My advice is dont buy the chrome package either, it turns out its all plastic and hard to keep clean.

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  Worse Vehicle Ever - 2013 Ford Taurus
  By tappleton - January 2 - 10:20 am

  Bought a new Taurus and from day one the sunroof had a lot of wind noise. Dealer said it was normal. First rain, and it leaked, dealer said they all leak a little. Finally put a new one in and it was fixed. Automatic door locking is nice but when a spring popped out and sprang across to the passenger seat, I know this was a trashy car. Terrible blind spots, NOISY as heck on the highway...sounded line the wheel bearings were bad or dry, MySync was AWFUL, and I could go on and on. So I traded it for a new Chrysler 300. Absolutely gorgeous, and not one complaint.

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  I love my Focus - 2007 Ford Focus
  By cseaman - January 1 - 5:18 pm

  I had a Escort wagon with 120,000 then I got a 2001 Focus wagon it had some problems. I was hit drivers side and the car came through for me I survived! Built Ford Tuff! So I searched and bought a 2007 left over wagon. I wish Ford did not stop making the wagons as I can fit two teenagers, and 3 dogs in it. It is the best car for the buck and mileage!

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  Great Little SUV - BUT slippery when wet - 2008 Ford Escape
  By descape1 - January 1 - 11:59 am

  Ive only owned my Escape for 11 months, and I love almost everything about it. It has plenty or room, all seats are comfortable and its fun to drive and easy to park. I have not had a single issue with it, except I think it might need a battery soon, but thats to be expected with any car that has 72,000 miles and temps around zero here in the Midwest. My only complaint is I didnt get the 4wd. Even with new tires, the front wheels spin at every start when its raining or snowing. Im getting used to the traction control light blinking at me (indicating the wheels have lost traction), but still very annoying. Maybe I have a lead foot for the amount of torque in the V6.

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  Great ride, but transmission problems right away - 2013 Ford Fiesta
  By reillan - December 30 - 1:53 pm

  Ive owned my Fiesta for 7 months, and have already had the "automatic" transmission repaired after the clutch went out. Unfortunately for me, this went out while I was on vacation and using the cruise control on a wide-open interstate. I had some concerns about the transmission from the moment I got it, since it shifted loudly and had odd hesitations that were very scary (like pulling forward across two lanes while attempting to turn left on a 3-lane road, and suddenly finding a complete loss of power and oncoming traffic). Ford was awesome throughout the repair, however. Crossing my fingers that this is the only repair it will need.

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  High style. Zippy and Fun to Drive - 2013 Ford Escape
  By albyg - December 29 - 10:52 am

  I recently bought a 2013 Escape SEL with 13,900 miles on it. We have only had it for a week, so I dont have a lot of experience with it yet. But, the time I have had driving it has been rewarding. Compared to the archaic, Jeep Cherokee Limited which it replaced, it is a little larger, yet drives like a sports car. The 1.6 liter EcoBoost is powerful and responsive. The handling of this little SUV is really nice, the steering is quick and extremely responsive while the suspension provides a firm, nimble ride. The brakes are very good, although touchy - requiring a light, controlled foot. Our average gas mileage, for mixed city-highway is 26MPG, but includes 2 70 mile trips.

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  Not What I Expected - 2011 Ford Escape
  By bmeg2012 - December 28 - 7:56 pm

  I had always wanted an Escape and I finally bought one. I have to say that I am so disgusted with it. I had to pay out of pocket to have the throttle body replaced because Ford wont recall them and 3 weeks after the repairs the part is tearing up again. It is dangerous to drive it stalls out in the middle of the road and you try and give it gas and it wont move. I would discourage anyone from buying one. I was born, bread, raised 100% ford girl but I am so anti-Ford now. If you are considering buying one think twice...........

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  Buyer Beware - 2013 Ford Escape
  By srghmn - December 27 - 1:46 pm

  Trouble almost from day one. Car pulls to the side during acceleration, it shifts very hard like it is having transmission problems. Had it recalled 3 different times leaving me with a rental car for weeks. The radio does not always turn off when I open the door to exit the vehicle, sometimes it does, sometimes it doesnt. The rear lift gate doesnt always lock, it allows you to open it but then the alarm goes off. You never know if the blue tooth system will connect to my phone thru the speakers or thru privacy mode. Turning radius is horrible, and visibility is the worst in any vehicle I have ever had. Trading it ASAP.

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  Owners Manual - 2014 Ford Fusion
  By james8506 - December 24 - 9:25 am

  I purchased the S model Fusion. My complaint has nothing to do with the car itself. Its the owners manual. Over half the manual is dedicated to SYNK. In order to even use SYNK you have to purchase a plan separately which I do not need. Therefore, for me, the manual is of little use. I had to go to a separate web page to learn how to use what does come with my particular car. Ford should have included more detail on what functions are standard (without having to buy other stuff for it to work) for the display and how they work with buttons on the steering wheel. On one Edmonds page it says I have tire pressure notification. Well, I dont see that in the manual so I dont know.