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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  Great Mileage - 2013 Ford F-150
  By solarspinniker - November 5 - 10:37 am

  After driving for a couple of months I really like this truck. Already get better gas mileage then the 08 explorer. Got the 20 inch wheels, chrome and trailer towing package. Cold weather does effect the mpg but am getting 24 mpg highway (USA) and hope to get the gov rated 27 mpg by the time I get to Texas. By losing the pounds of the eco charger and 4x4 I can get great city mileage even with my wife onboard! Only complaint I have is when my dog gets out on my side he turns the heat and fan to full because the knobs have such a good grip.

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  FX2 w/ Ecoboost - 2012 Ford F-150
  By chevy80c10 - November 2 - 11:53 pm

  Well i traded in my 04 z71 ext cab for this thing. At first i was extremely impressed with the power the ecoboost had, especially over chevys 5.3. Over time though (its been a year) I honestly wished that i kept my silverado. The advertised gas mileage is a croc. I barely get 20 out of it on the highway with cruise on. TX speed limit on most of the highways i travel is 75, and i barely can get over 18 with it. If you are looking at one with a 5.0 go with that, at least you know youre getting near your advertised mileage. The low end torque is great for pulling but its not that much different over the 5.0 honestly. This truck had a hefty price tag and i wouldnt buy one again.

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  Grandpas Toy - 2003 Ford Mustang
  By armynod - November 1 - 5:01 am

  I had my sights on a Mustang SVT for a while. I held off buying because of the production issues with the Mustang Cobra. When the supercharged model came out I decided it was time. Best car Ive owned. I got a great price, $31.6k without having to haggle. The power and handling makes for a very fun car to drive. The original Goodyear Eagle tires stick to the curves like the car is on rails.

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  14 GT, no options - 2014 Ford Mustang
  By bobby_mack - October 31 - 10:25 pm

  After taking my time and driving all manner of "budget" performance cars, Ive purchased a brand new 14 GT, $0 in options. No auto trans, no apps, no nothing. V8 with 3 pedals. Bluetooth wouldve been nice, but not for $1500. You can do better for way less. Cloth seats are great, sound is decent from stock radio. Stock radio reads data MP3 CDs, so if youre thinking of going stock radio dont be deterred because it lacks the USB input. Standard HID headlights and LED tail lights are awesome. The car handles bumps and turns well with stock suspension. If you need a 4 seat car, forget this. [non-permissible content removed].

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  It supplemented an older Ranger and allows the Ranger to rest! - 2003 Ford F-150
  By smoo4arp - October 31 - 9:22 am

  We got the 4 speed automatic version of the XLT supercab Flareside short bed, and its everything I could want in a truck. Id rather sink $40,000 into keeping this one than buying a new one, and I showed that by buying it all the little things I could, since it came with all the big things. It may have paint chipping, and a smudge where someone parked too close, but Ive been able to make three trips to Nashville, a trip to Atlanta, drive all around town, and I dont envy anyones new car anymore-but then again the more fancy stuff you have, the less likely it is to work. The SuperCab having hidden doors is out of sight, and the remote entry system is awesome! Best Truck Ever!

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  Engine Noise - 2013 Ford Edge
  By fordedge2013 - October 30 - 11:53 pm

  I bought this fully loaded Ford Edge AWD in June 2013. After driving it for 2 months, the engine starts to make some noises when the SUV is idle at the traffic light, when I press on the brake. The noise sounds like "du du du du du...".......The noise is gone when I relase the brake. It is very wired. I brought it to the dealer and the dealer said the sound is common. Well, I didnt find it in my previous RAV4... Wondering whether other Edge owners have the similar issue with the engine while on brake at traffic light?

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  DO NOT PURCHASE - 2012 Ford Focus
  By lswheat - October 30 - 5:11 pm

  My 2012 Ford Focus sputtered on acceleration at times after purchase. The dealership said "it adjusts to the driver" and it "mimics a manual shift". It began to stall, the parking assist never worked and was replaced twice, the parking sensors would go off for no reason and the sputtering continued to worsen. I was later told there is a known problem with these vehicles. This was not disclosed when I purchased the car and it was intended for my 16 year old new driver. After exactly 12 months, the transmission went bad. Now I am in a new car with an outrageous payment because I was upside down. My choice was taken, if I had known there was an issue with this car, I would not have bought it.

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  Love. This. Car. - 2014 Ford Fiesta
  By enzom - October 29 - 2:14 pm

  Purchased this vehicle about a month ago while looking for a small city vehicle with a manual transmission that was easy to learn and fun to drive. I tried the Fiat 500, Mini Cooper, and while deciding to look at American models I noticed that the 2014 Fiesta had a similar front as the 2013 Fusion. After swinging and missing at the first ford dealership, I finally found one and it looked stunning. I test drove it and purchased it on the spot. I got the Sedan SE (looked less sporty) in the candy blue color (Im not sure why, but it just stood out). So far, I love the car. It has great pickup, easy throws for the clutch, and gets great gas mileage. Not to mention easy parking in the city.

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  Suspicion of a sensor problem - 2011 Ford Explorer
  By xeniadribble1 - October 28 - 4:26 pm

  Our 2011 Ford Explorer is a fantastic vehicle that has caused us no problems until now. It started approximately two weeks ago, the vehicle does not recognize when it is in park. When we open the door a dash light comes on telling us to put the car in park. So far it takes just once for us to re-start the car, shift into neutral, then back to park, and the problem is sloved. This happens about 60% of the time. I have read elsewhere that other people are having the same problem and Ford does not recognize it as a problem, at least there has been no recalls. I hate to complain because it has been such a great vehicle for us.

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  Best Car Ever Owned - 2013 Ford Taurus
  By walter1966 - October 26 - 11:55 am

  I was first introduced to the 2013 Taurus on a long drive from Detroit. This is the first time Ive driven in a car that I didnt get back or leg pain in on a long drive. The seats wrapped me in comfort and I was able to adjust the seats to fit my 6 foot one inch frame. With this experience I went to test drive one at my local dealer and bought one off the lot. My wife and I love the comfort, looks, and fuel economy getting between 31-33 miles to the gallon on long trips. Our daughter lives in Chicago and we live in West Central Wisconsin so the gas economy is appreciated when we go to visit.