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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  Disappointing build quality - 2013 Ford Mustang
  By carcritic3 - July 27 - 9:37 am

  This is my fourth Mustang & will probably be my last. The build quality has gotten worse with each successive Mustang that Ive owned. This 13 is the worst. Ive had the car since 01/2013 & have less than 4K miles on it as of this writing. The car has a clunk in the rear when I accelerate. There is a rattle in the front suspension when turning to the left or when going over a speed bump at low speeds. A rattle & buzz coming from somewhere in the dash & a loose molding between the roof & quarter panel. The engine & trans are the only bright spots. This car is a rattle trap & a huge disappointment. Im considering selling it because of the poor build quality.

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  Persuasive Truck - 2012 Ford F-150
  By colby_butler - July 26 - 2:59 pm

  No a truck fan, however this crew cab was full sized inside and out. Bed had lots of room for my load. interior seemed plush and comfortable. In 4h this truck would throw you into the seat. 2h was perfect for everything else. Seemed to get great gas mileage also.

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  Good car...especially for the money - 2011 Ford Fiesta
  By qwerty14 - July 26 - 1:03 pm

  I have a 2011 Fiesta with 68K miles and I have experienced NO issues at all. The car drives fine and for the price(<$15K) you can’t beat it. Need I remind all of the Fiesta bashers.... this is not a high end $20K+ car. You get what you pay for and for less than $15K, this is a nice car. The only thing I have done to the car so far with 68K miles is oil changes and one set of tires. As far as the transmission is concerned, yes Ford has used a manual-automatic transmission and you simply need to get used to it. The “jerky” transmission that many have complained about is because you don’t have a feel for the car. You can’t come to a complete stop and then try to give it gas right away.

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  Simple fixes could make it better - 2013 Ford Mustang
  By gam2 - July 26 - 11:39 am

  My 2013 GT (6 speed manual) was purchased new. The 2-3 shift under anything over moderate acceleration sucks. Ive also had several instances where second has been difficult as well. Rear axle hop noticed in certain situations. I am not hard on this car. It has also developed the well known engine tick. Will have to visit the dealer. I hope this is not a sign of things to come. Other than that I like it.

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  Never Again - 2008 Ford Fusion
  By cnvrtdchevygrl - July 26 - 10:05 am

  Purchased a 2008 Ford Fusion for my daughter for her 16th birthday. Have had the car 3 years and were now working on tranny #3! Contacted the dealer and FMC with no help from either. Was actually told that the Fusions are "throw away" cars and that most people only keep them for a year or two before trading them in. Drove the car to work because mechanic said it was "drivable" and from 1st gear the car revved at 4000rpms before kicking into 2nd gear. The interior is very shabby, the drivers wheel is cracked and the door handles are peeling to the point where we cut our hands on them. Had to use duct tape to cover them so no one else would get hurt.

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  Great drivetrain - too bad its a rust bucket - 2001 Ford Focus
  By kopandem9305 - July 25 - 8:45 pm

  I bought my SE Wagon in 2008 with 155,000 miles on it from a private sale for $2,500. 5 years later, it now has 230,000 miles on it and is still running great... but unfortunately the New England winters have taken their toll and the car cannot even be safely lifted on a jack anymore. Would cost thousands to get the proper body work done, so going with a newer car. Mechanic even told me 12 months ago "this will probably be your final sticker, you wont want to pay the bill next year." That said, the car got me this far very reliably, with very little cost. I got 30 MPG, the only repairs/maintenance I did was oil changes, brake and tire replacement. I feel I got a great value in the 5 years.

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  6 Month Update - 2013 Ford Fusion
  By cruzefan1 - July 25 - 2:29 pm

  I purchased my 2013 sterling gray 1.6L ecoboost Ford Fusion on January 25th so I wanted to give a 6 month update. So far I have absolutely no regrets with my purchase. Next to the Mazda 6 and Hyundai Sonata I find this the most stylish mid-sized sedan on the road today. It has a very smooth and quiet ride. The seats are also very comfortable on long roadtrips and theres plenty of leg and head room. The only negative thing I have to say about the car, which is a very small critique, is that it needs a little more power on the highway and the fuel mileage could stand to be a little better, especially in the city driving. Im averaging 26-28 MPG on a tank of gas in combined driving.

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  Oh Dorris.. - 1999 Ford Taurus
  By redbee - July 25 - 8:34 am

  She was a good first car, pretty safe and definitely didnt toot along, she could build up some speed. We had a lot of problems with her though, the air conditioning would go, wed recharge it, and it would go again, the battery went, and numerous others. She also wasnt too great on gas and flew through it pretty quickly. We finally lost her when the oil tank was leaking and the engine over heated and blew. I miss her, but I wont get a Taurus again.

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  Fusion SE 1.6 six speed manual tranny - 2013 Ford Fusion
  By freder1 - July 23 - 11:38 pm

  Fantastic car. I built this car and loaded it up. Got 36-37plus mpg on 2000 mile road trip. Drives like a European sport sedan. Handles great, fun to drive, very hi tech. Manual tranny is smooth as silk. Car is gorgeous and turns heads. Great bang for the buck.

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  No Leg Room - 2013 Ford Explorer
  By nolegroom45 - July 23 - 3:09 pm

  I purchased a 2013 Ford Explr XLT 2 weeks ago. After test driving the vehicle I did not notice the lack of leg room as I was too busy playing with the MyTouch and working the mirrors to even bother. On my way home after purchasing the vehicle, I had a cramp and went to stretch out my left (non driving) leg. It was met abruptly by the "dead petal". After I got home I tried many ways to reduce the "dead petal" but could not get it to work with my size. I am only 63" which is taller than average but I am no giant. I wouldnt recommend this vehicle to anyone who is taller than 6 feet. My mothers 2002 Explr has all the leg room in the world. Not sure why Ford made the new ones so small.