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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  unfortunate buy - 2000 Ford Mustang
  By dissappointed - August 25 - 7:56 am

  poor ergonomic design, poor comfort, below average reliability

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  Melbourne Florida - 2011 Ford Fusion Hybrid
  By aebner1 - August 25 - 12:17 am

  Owned a 2006 Ford Fusion SEL and loved it. After 93000 miles I decided to trade it on a 2012 Fusion Hybrid. Wife and I looked at Prius Hybrid but thought the interior looked cheap and my wife and I decided we like the comfort the Fusion offered, plus 0-60 in 8.6 second instead of 12 seconds for the Prius. Fusion is very fast off the line. Good for passing. We bought the car the 4th of July and are learning how to maximize gas milege. We average 39 mpg over all. Today I got 45.9 mpg on 45 to 55 miles an hour driving. Some people said they get 36 average. My wife was hesitant about buying a hybrid at first but now is a believer in hybrid. We both like all the bells and whistles.

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  One of the Greatest Cars Ever! - 1993 Ford Festiva
  By Joe - August 24 - 9:05 pm

  The Festiva is a worthy and honorable successor to the Ford Fiesta. This car has seen me through fair weather and foul. Its brought me safely home to my family on weekends in the worst of weather, when I was working hundreds of miles away. It has provided basic, reliable transportation for daily trips to Pittsburgh, taking the kids to school, the dog to the vet, grocery shopping and so on. Its not hard to recognize in the mall parking lot, though you may have trouble seeing it behind all of the land yachts. It has all of the character that 3 kids and a lot of road time can give a car over 13 years. I can hear how its running, I can feel how its driving, it suits me.

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  Great to Drive - 2006 Ford Escape
  By Stan - August 24 - 10:53 am

  Very agile, peppy 4 cylinder, well designed interior & dash, lots of room and passenger friendly & comfortable.

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  First Pickup - 2001 Ford F-150
  By Eric Novak - August 24 - 8:50 am

  Bought this truck almost 5 years ago and have been extremely happy with it. It tows our ski boat like a champ and has always run well for us. Has interior like a large car and bed for the weekend building projects and yard work. We have Lariat with heated seats, moon roof, leather, etc. Still looks brand new with good care. Have gone through 2 sets of tire and brakes with 112,000 miles...which I feel is good and fair. Change oil/filter every 5000 miles, air filter etc. I just had the plugs replaced at 110,000 miles at dealer and although it did not run rough...it runs smooth like new again. Have had transmission fluids changed as manual says and no problems. It is a great truck period.

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  Great car for the money - 2006 Ford Five Hundred
  By MEAHTUH - August 24 - 8:26 am

  Love the comfort, space, handling and fuel economy (high 20s consistently). I am partial to the styling vs. the new "Taurus" design. This is my wifes car which is used mainly for business. Incredible space in trunk for her samples. She can haul about as much as a pickup with seats down. No exaggeration. Problems so far - CD did not work soon after purchase and was replaced. Rear brakes! Worn out at 28K. Dealer said this was normal. We had them replaced at a local shop. 2 weeks later, received letter from Ford extending warranty on them to 36K miles - big deal. They should last longer than that. Received refund for the work we had done.

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  Good bang for the buck - 2005 Ford Focus
  By gearhed79 - August 24 - 5:33 am

  So far so good, as Ive only put 3500 miles on it -- surprisingly roomy for such a small car. Lots of features available at a good price. Fuel economy is good even with "spirited" driving.

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  great car - 2006 Ford Escape Hybrid
  By jon - August 24 - 5:16 am

  Makes me a believer in hybrids. Great mileage (averages 30) and well built. Have had no problems. Only negative is the ride is a little hard but it is a 4 wheel drive small truck.

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  Cant stop driving it - 2006 Ford Escape
  By Butch - August 23 - 10:23 am

  I had a 2000 Blazer before my 06 Escape. What an improvement. Ford put together a very nice vehicle. Such a fun car to drive. Front wheel drive, independent 4 wheel suspension, big tires, a well balanced suv. Responsive V6, no rattles, quiet, handles very well. Gas mileage is very acceptable. 21 city, 24-25 hwy. As I mentioned, I cant stop driving it. Being on a fixed income, its hard to not get in it every day and put on 20-30 miles just enjoying it. The $3.00 per gal is hard to handle but hay, ITS SO MUCH FUN TO DRIVE! Being a previous suv owner, I can say this vehicle is a winner.

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  6 month evaluation - 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid
  By City driver - August 21 - 3:06 pm

  Ive had the vehicle for about 6 months. Bought the top-of-the-line and enjoyed it very much. It looks good, get great mileage (31 average). About a month after I bought it, it would start. Turned out there was a loose wire in the built in security system Last week, wrench light went on. Had to have a vent to cool the batteries replace. Hope this isnt a sign of things to come.