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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  Ford Ranger LEVEL 2 - 2006 Ford Ranger
  By Dave - July 9 - 7:25 pm

  I bought it for towing, off roading sometimes both at the same time. And I commute to work in it. It has performed flawlessly. Couldnt ask for a better truck, I would say its even with Toyota with quality and fit and finish, except the Ranger is still small enough to run on the narrow trails in the mountains, and its cheaper to purchase and operate.

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  Ruby Red!! - 2016 Ford Escape
  By janet wofford - July 9 - 4:58 pm

  I had never heard of this site, but once I did, WOW!! It guided me to so many choices and then I narrowed it down and their my car was staring in my eyes!! I am so glad because I didnt have to go to all the dealerships to look for a car,because I set in my home!!

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  eye magnet - 2005 Ford Mustang
  By jim swisher - July 9 - 7:46 am

  I sold off my 76 Corvette for the 05 Ford Mustang convertible. It is a true sports car with a back seat and a trunk. Though a little tight, its more than i had before. Ford finally got the looks right. the Mustang II look is over. This is straight out of the Sixties! The 4.0L/210 h.p. pulls good with the 5 speed transmission. Iif you can afford $6.00 more per fill up go 4.6L/300 hp, youll get an extra muffler too). Well built and handles well for stock suspension. Im impressed. Go test drive one for yourself.

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  The Perfect in-between - 2010 Ford Transit Connect
  By The Mighty Quinn - July 9 - 3:46 am

  Just took delivery of my Connect got XLT van with 255 doors and traction option. All black, that model you have to get side and rear glass. Great paint, It looks great in black. Going to throw some custom wheels on it. Had a 1994 e 150 ford van for 16 years and 225k. So when it died I needed something to fit my needs. Would like a Sprinter but costly. The Connect is a great option for me. I have less space then I am use to but this truck will work. I find the engine to be fine. Who doesnt want more horsepower

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  Big Red Ford - 2005 Ford F-150
  By JLOW - July 9 - 12:06 am

  The 2005 Ford XL V6 is now our Friday night date vehicle. It rides better than the Toyota or Honda cars we have. I love the design and the color. The truck is getting 21 MPG on 2 lane highways at 55 MPH. The gas mileage on the interstate at 70 mph is about 18.5. I am pleased with the truck and I rate it higher than the GMC I traded in.

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  Great value - 2016 Ford Focus
  By Jordan R - July 8 - 8:52 pm

  Purchased a 2016 Focus SE w/Sport Appearance package as a daily driver. Mix of city/expressway driving. IMO the Sport appearance package is the best bang for the buck. You get a ton of features with it including: rear disc brakes, upgraded rear bumper, painted lower trim, fog lights, upgraded front honeycomb trim, paddle shifters, leather steering wheel, leather shifter, and 17" upgraded wheels and tires. All that for about a grand more. I will admit the "leather" on the steering wheel is nothing to write home about, but it is better than the standard wheel on the S. I liked the Mazda 3, but given the discounts and incentives combined with the better priced packages the Focus came out much much cheaper. Mazdas appearance package for example is 1750 and if you get it on the i-Sport you have to add an additional package further increasing the costs. MSRP on iSport and iTouring (how I would equip) were 1500 and 2500 higher respectively. Fuel economy has been right around the combined mark of 30, sometimes up to 32 combined. It wont win any races but the engine is smooth and has enough power for passing. I find the electronic steering very good, I never feel any vagueness or sluggishness. Its very direct and dialed in well. Prior years have had problems with the powershift dual clutch trans. So far Ive not had any issues, but Ive been driving dual clutch trans since 2007. There are certain quirks about them that arent seen in a conventional auto with a torque converter. I may end up buying the extended warranty depending on how others fair with the trans. I plan on keeping this car a long time. I love the multi-function display and its many options. It has a display with info on several catagories or you can focus in on one catagory such as a digital speedometer. The eco stuff is kind of goofy and seems pointless. Ive already achieved "Eco Champion" even though I have no idea how I did it. I dont drive with economy in mind. I did have the display freeze on me one time during a 40 mile trip. I attempted to switch from Trip 1 to Trip 2 and it hung up with a blank blue background with miles and gears displayed. The miles were stuck and did not go up. Once I got to my destination the screen stayed on with the key out of the ignition. Eventually it went out and came back to normal once I restarted the car. The miles did jump up to the expected amount. Has not happened since, so hopefully it was a fluke. Steering wheel controls are plentiful and work well. Bluetooth audio streaming works well and picks up quick. I prefer paddle shifters to the +/- on the gear shifter. If in manual mode and making a left turn - to shift into 2nd the upshift button will be up at the 12 oclock position. Its just awkward, but my GTI was like that as well. My Evo MR has it on the column so they dont move with the wheel. Back seat is a little tight in the leg room department, but I will rarely have anyone back there. Little touches like dual USB, hinged 12v power cover, coin slot, arm rest tray, and a plethora of cubbies are very nice. Has the three blinks option when using the turn signal which I prefer. It may seem kind of cheesy but I like the wipers. They arent normal in their sweep, they kind of come out of the middle. I would call it euro-style. This also means you dont get the half moon missed spot in the middle since they fold back into that spot. Theres a couple of minor annoyances Ive uncovered after owning it for a few months. First is the top of the dashboard is not dull enough and reflects onto the windshield quite a bit in the mornings driving directly east. Next is there is a slight dip in the dash where it meets the windshield (this is for the defroster). Normally this wouldnt be any sort of issue but it causes a visual distortion due to the reflection change. For example if you are driving along a road marked with a solid line to the right - you will notice the line will shift on the bottom inch or so of the windshield due to this. Once you see this it WILL annoy you. I had to point it out to a passenger and once they noticed it it bothered them too. Last the key I have is not smart (thats a different package) I wish however that it at least folded or something. Its a bit bulky and "old fashioned". Audi/VW keys for example flip out like a switch blade and as such fit better in your pocket. I am overall very happy with this purchase and would buy it again if I had a mulligan.

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  Not happy with Ford 500 - 2006 Ford Five Hundred
  By Betsy - July 8 - 7:30 pm

  I purchased my Ford 500 1 year ago. I have had several problems...all which have been covered by warranties. My biggest complaint is with the brakes. I have had the pads replaced as often as I have had the oil changed, no joke. Also the rotars have been deglazed twice and turned once. Also there is a lot of road and engine noise while driving. I also had to replace the tires at 15k miles. Nothing lasts long on this car!!!

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  Never again - 2014 Ford Focus
  By C Wayne - July 8 - 12:49 pm

  My Focus is currently waiting for its second repair of the all-too-common transmission shudder issue. The first fix (which was performed when the car was in the shop for an exploded A/C compressor) lasted about 1 week and the issue came back. I just lived with it until the other day when the car revved up and stopped moving while driving. Luckily I got into a parking lot where I checked everything I could look at out and restarted the car. It drove normally to the closest dealer who couldnt see me for days. Went to another dealer today and found it needs a new clutch and TCM. Dealer has no idea when the TCM will come in so the car sits....oh, and when the parts are in its only gonna cost $1500 to get it "fixed". Ford should be ashamed of themselves for this transmission and lack of support.

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  Sweet Surprise - 2004 Ford Focus
  By John Royce - July 8 - 10:59 am

  We purchased our Focus as a commuter but we use it so much more. We never buy 4 cylinders with automatic transmissions, but here its perfectly mated. Steering is direct with good on center feel. The 2.3L PZEV engine is refined and responsive. Its quite roomy and the hatch lends SUV utility. At 40,000 miles, it has been totally reliable. Its solid, tight and remains an absolute pleasure to drive. Plus, the Audiophile in-dash 6CD stereo package is amazing in such an inexpensive car. Its also reasonably quiet, although better sound proofing could make this car nearly perfect. All in all, a dynamic, fun, surprisingly premium experience.

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  Would not buy another - 1999 Ford Windstar
  By kari - July 8 - 10:20 am

  I hate this minivan! The gas mileage stinks! And we have tried to give it a tune up, but nothing works. On our best day we get 10mpg in town and like 16 highway. Will buy foreign next time for the better mpg. And I am an "American" car fan!