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:

• 

  5.4l Engine Head Blues - 2000 Ford Expedition
  By FordNoMore - January 1 - 4:20 pm

  Have been stranded three times in 82k miles. Once with a ghost problem with the front wheels grinding and stopping the truck while coasting. Pulled over in Nashville and of course the problem went away. Never came back. Second experience was with the transmission getting stuck in Drive and had to be towed. The linkage needed replacing. Third, at 80k, a spark plug blew out of the head. Come to find out this is a known problem at Ford since they engineered and sell a repair kit to add a coil to allow the plug to be reinstalled. Kit only works if minimal head material gets blown out. My problem took too much material so head needs replacing. Dont just do one head because the other has the same flaw.

• 

  Explorer sport - 2001 Ford Explorer Sport
  By bmtaurus - January 1 - 10:00 am

  I liked my explorer a lot when I first bought it. However, that began to change over time. The truck inside and outside is great. It looks nice and feels even better when youre sitting inside. The problem comes when you actually have to drive it. Hold on because it is a very bumpy ride. You feel every little obstruction in the road and it gets magnified so a little bump feels like youre driving off a cliff. I still like my explorer now but just not as much as I used to.

• 

  Ford - Fix Or Repair Daily Exploder - 1995 Ford Explorer
  By amy - December 29 - 6:49 pm

  We bought our Eddie Bauer used from a pro hockey player who had it garaged with very little miles for its age. He had all records and it seemed to be a great car. We loved it for about a year and then all the bells and whistles fell off. We are now on our 4th transmission. We have almost paid more to fix the car than if we had bought it new. Will never buy another Ford.

• 

  Last Ford - 1998 Ford Windstar
  By chris D - December 28 - 6:52 pm

  We purchased the vehicle new from the dealership and had great luck until about 30,000 miles. We then kept having basic problems including continual brake problems, Blown head gasket, Intake manifold, Electrical problems on windows and door locks. I have spent an additional $6,000 over 7 years to keep it running with no help from Ford. At this point, 113,000 miles, I will keep it because its not worth anything unless the transmission or something else goes. This is my last Ford, they have made a loyal Toyota customer from me.

• 

  Bad Choice - 2005 Ford Escape
  By JerryG - December 27 - 2:13 am

  After owning Toyotas for years, I decided to buy the Escape. Bad choice. The quality is so inferior to the Toyota, feels like its going to fall apart. Tacky plastic parts. The leather seats are of low quality. Everything seems so cheap. The engines get up and go just isnt there. The gas mileage is terrible. This SUV lacks many of basic comfort and common sense features present in many other SUVs of similar size and price. Overall, it was a bad choice and will be traded in for a better SUV even though its only a year old.

• 

  They could have had a winner!! - 2002 Ford Focus
  By nodriveslow - December 26 - 10:00 am

  Ford could have a winner if it would abide by its own slogan "Quality is Job #1" Ive had a water leak through the windshield that necessitated a new carpet being ordered. Gas mileage is atrocious. Ive had quite a few other annoyances, but by far the worst happened last week. I only have 10,500 miles on it and the dealer just told me that I need new brakes on all 4 wheels!! After doing some research, I found a web site: www.fordfocusbrakeproblem.com That says it all. You know there is a problem when a site has had over 60,000 views. There also was a class action suit filed in California. I called Ford to no avail.

• 

  Not the best Ive driven - 2001 Ford F-150
  By blueroom - December 26 - 10:00 am

  Truck was great for first 15,000 miles - now I am considering trading it in since I am not convinced that mechanical problems from 15K-26Kmiles are solved. Prefer to take chances with another car/truck/SUV before the warranty expires. Probably will never buy a Ford Truck again.

• 

  Loved the car for 8 years, but then.... - 2008 Ford Edge
  By marmot - December 23 - 7:10 am

  Beware of the the water pump on the 3.5L engine. Search the internet lots of water pump failures resulting in severe engine damage. I loved this car. I purchased it new, no problems until 92K when the water pump failed with no warning. No warning lights, no fluid leaks. If youre thinking of buying one used with a 3.5L, be sure to have the water pump checked out first.

• 

  Lots of known Defects - Both Coils & Plugs - 1999 Ford F-150
  By GreenShoes - December 22 - 2:43 pm

  It is a nice riding pickup with good ergonomics. HOWEVER, there are major known problems with this pickup and the 5.4L Triton engines that Ford refuses to correct without the customer paying for it. First, the ignition coils are VERY prone to fail. I have replaced 4 of them in the last 6 months - 2 being the same coil. There is also a problem with the spark plugs blowing out of the aluminum cylinder head on the passenger side. Again, Ford will not cover this under ANY warranty program and it is a WELL ESTABLISHED DEFECT. Lastly, since the 4 Wheel Drive disengagement spring is very weak,it will likely not shift out of 4 Wheel Hi Range unless you stop the vehicle and back up.

• 

  Watch Out For Later - 2002 Ford Ranger
  By Matthew... - December 22 - 12:17 am

  This is my third Ranger. I bought it, I have loved it, I have taken care of it, and had fun with it. Now I have 65,000 miles on it and problems are getting bigger and more expensive. To start at 30,000 front windows not lining up and had tracks replaced by dealer (still having same problem), next at 40,000 miles, dash light goes out. $2.00 bulb + some absurd amount to install (still not fixed), next drivers side unlock button works when it wants (who knows), now O/D Off light flashes, told transmission needs rebuilt and it wants to skip gears, $1500.00 and this appears to be a known issue. I am now looking at a Nissan and Toyota.