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:

• 

  Be Warned - 2013 Ford Escape
  By ken117 - July 20 - 3:58 am

  Had a 2013 Ford Escape since April 2103. Got rid of it in July 2014. I was fooled by the seemingly positive reviews which swayed me over past experiences with Ford. Five recalls and a seemingly endless list series of issues. Some small like defective trim to some not so small. Things like the radio volumn which was never satisfactory or an issue with the cooling system which took three days to fix. Thankfully, the thing was still under warranty. Knowing Ford, I owned three previous Ford mistakes, better to trade. Seriously, my BMW had way fewer issues than this Ford. Ford, never again!

• 

  Explorer Quality is Poor - 2012 Ford Explorer
  By kvella - July 17 - 10:23 am

  Purchased a Ford Explorer in January 2012. Within three weeks started experiencing steering problems. Also had seat defects requiring repairs. Ford announced a recall for power steering defects in May 2014. Still fighting with Ford for reimbursement of incurred repair expenses. Interior quality is poor with fading and split seams after only 2.5 years. Overall disappointed with Fords quality and customer service.

• 

  Good car worst service by almost all Ford Dealers - 2014 Ford Explorer
  By raed1 - July 14 - 11:25 am

  I bought my Ford Explorer 2013 with about 10,000 miles on it from a car dealer in MA. Besides the manufacturer warranty, that car was a Ford Certified vehicle, which an additional 12,000 miles and 12 months warranty. All was worth less from the first problem with the car. The car started leaking water through the seat belts of the back seat, and here was the moment of truth. Dealers were reluctant to accept the car for service, and when I tried to lure them by including oil change and break service, they gave me two appointments, now for oil change and break job but weeks for the water leak. This experience involved about four dealers one of them is about an hour and a half from my home.

• 

  Mechanically Unreliable, Ford Service in Denial - 2012 Ford Focus
  By cdubaz - July 13 - 8:49 pm

  I bought the car new off the showroom floor. My first Ford since my 1965 Mustang. The very first day I drove the car to work, it had under 20 miles on it and the transmission refused to shift into gear. Ford towed it in but the dash light had gone off and they couldnt find the problem. They blamed Microsoft... It continued to drag while shifting for two years and I mentioned it every time. I got the same story--that it was normal for this car. It again began refusing to shift and began stalling. I took it back in and was told it was the "transmission module" and because it was now over 36k, I would have to pay. The also said my wheel bearings were going and had to replace those!

• 

  World Class Miss - 2012 Ford Focus
  By bhersh - July 8 - 6:34 pm

  We bought our Focus in August 2011 and were pleased with it for 2 of the 2-1/2 years we had it. My wife drove about 90 miles a day for most of the first two years and all was well. It handled like it was on rails, was comfortable and the mileage was great. Highest I got was 45. We got used to the quirky shifting but when my wife changed jobs and did mostly city driving, the clutch became unreliable. We also had electronic issues. We were told by Ford that we needed a new clutch pack and that it would be in by the end of next month. That went on for 4 months. Fed up, we traded it at a big loss due to transmission issues. Then Ford called to apologize. We love our new Buick Verano!

• 

  One Bad Tranny after Another :( - 2012 Ford Focus
  By kaelin71 - July 8 - 3:14 pm

  Transmission replaced at 22,000 after Ford sent regional located engineer out to determine problem and provide resolution as reflashing did nothing to eleviate shuddering and crunching/grinding noises of transmission. Resolution was to put in new transmission. At 36,000 miles or 14,000 into the new tranny were experiencing same problem, yet even worse this time around. I couldnt be more disappointed at this point.

• 

  Not a fan of the 14 Escape - 2014 Ford Escape
  By ducky0425 - June 21 - 8:02 pm

  Bought a 14 AWD Escape Titanium on 9/4/13. The pros is the the handle and pickup of the vehicle. Have almost 17K on the vehicle. It is very good from a handle perspective going around turns and curves and the pickup is above average. I would not purchase one again becuz 1) the moonroof is a soft cover, I like to roll down my windows and the cover flaps unless I roll it all the way back 2) the air pressure in tires keeps going low and it doesnt tell which tire is low 3) already had the GPS replaced at 2500 miles 4) the gas mileage took approx 12K before getting 21 mpg 5) the voice recognition is extremely sensitive and is frustrating 6) AC/heat doesnt return to same level when turned on

• 

  Rangers...they run, no matter how ugly it gets. - 1990 Ford Ranger
  By stevec81 - June 19 - 4:16 am

  I bought this Ranger as an used vehicle in 2003 since then Ive put just under 100,000 miles on it. Its a XLT regular cab with a long bed and the 4.0 V6/automatic. While not necessarily in the market for a truck, I needed a vehicle to drive, and it was the right price. For the most part, it is true that these things last forever and that these things are hard to kill. However, unless they are taken care of better than perfectly, they have a tendency to attract dents and rust like a magnet.

• 

  2004 Tardus - 2004 Ford Taurus
  By bsr2 - June 15 - 7:46 pm

  I bought a 2004 Taurus SE 3.0L. I paid $400 for it. Second owner. I put new rear brakes in myself for $124. I bought the car at 209000. Its now up to 306000, all highway km. The windows quit working at one point, simple design flaw in the boot between car and drivers door. 10 min fix have windows working. This car will not stop. Still doesnt leak oil, shifts nice. The car is still tight. Its alright for comfort and the road noise is rather quiet. I doubt Ill buy another, but this car doesnt owe me a dime.

• 

  A good vehicle with some critical flaws - 2012 Ford Focus
  By quasirev - June 14 - 2:51 pm

  The Focus is a fun to drive and comfortable car. The exterior styling is well done. Thats all thats positive with owning this vehicle. Negatives: 1)Automatic (DCT) is awful, and seems to perform worse as the vehicle ages. Three Ford dealers have been unable to fix its behavior, simply stating that its performing normal. 2)MyFordTouch is so maddening in its design and performance that I barely change the radio station or use any of the other features or inputs. Sync Services is a disaster of voice recognition and insufferable prompts. 3)Ride quality is great on smooth roads, messy on uneven pavement. Make sure you test drive it on roads youll be driving it on. 4)Cramp rear seat