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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  Last Ford - 1993 Ford Taurus
  By Loren - September 4 - 2:00 am

  Failed head gasket not covered by ford (94-95 only recall), AC failed, Susension failed, ride ok, other than driver seat the car is not confortable for others. NO power with 3.8L engine dog!! Many typical electrical conection failure, common with my 87 Taurus 6 years later and still not quaulity :(

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  Get something better - 1990 Ford Tempo
  By Now I own a Honda! - September 3 - 2:00 am

  Its a throw away car. I got it cheap, had it for a year and a half, and then it fell apart. Only buy it if you can get it real cheap.

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  Never again! - 1995 Ford Taurus
  By mikkehla - September 3 - 2:00 am

  I had problems from the very beginning! I purchased this thing used and was only the second owner. The car had about 75k miles, but ran and looked great from the beginning. Within 6 months, 2 fuel injectors were replaced which cost me big bucks, the waterpump was eventually replaced, the air conditioning stopped working and the list of repairs could go on and on. The cupholder is in a rediculous location...right in front of the radio so forget about having a drink in the holder and changing a station at the same time. This car has been towed more times than all my previous cars put together and I will never own a Ford again!

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  Dont do it! - 1998 Ford Windstar
  By walsh03 - September 3 - 2:00 am

  We bought this van for more room for my wife and the kids that she looks after. Unfortunately, it has been a problem since we got it. It doesnt run well, its loud, we already replaced the transmission amoung other things. Very poor cheap plastics in the construction. Buy a Chrysler, they say the reliability is not that great but it cannot be any worse than this van and at least you get a ride that is a million times better.

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  never again - 1995 Ford Windstar
  By Ford= unreliable - August 30 - 2:00 am

  This car is the worst car i have ever owned.

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  Looks & drives nice, but........ - 2017 Ford Mustang
  By Jim Cook - August 29 - 10:04 am

  Check out your car very well before purchasing. It is obvious that Ford still does not care about quality after all of these years & why I avoided them for most of my life. The car I have is twisted. The drivers side door is warped. The hood is extremely hard to open because it barely opens far enough to get small fingers underneath to get to the release. The body lines do not line up. The dealership could do nothing about this and the repairs will require a body shop. I know this is a bad car that I bought, but these things should have been caught by Ford before being released from the factory! It wasnt noticed by me until I got the car home & really went over it that evening. The dealer is doing its best to get it fixed by getting it to the right people, but it really should go back to Ford & I should get a replacement car. Other than the body/frame issues, the car drives great, handles great, looks great and the front seats are comfortable. Cant say much for the back seat. The rear seats look great, but are useless. A child couldnt even sit back there. St least the trunk is very roomy. I like the car, but it will definitely be my last Ford.

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  Bad Transmissions - 1990 Ford Aerostar
  By kings - August 29 - 2:00 am

  I bought mine from a crooked used dealer (arent they all?). The radiator fluid was burning out the tail pipe so I put in some stop leak. This may have caused some other problems but a lot of things just fell apart because Ford stands for Fix Or Repair Daily. The A/C stopped working, the heat sucks in the winter. The drivers side power door lock stopped working. I was told I needed to replace the transmission ($1500 Canadian) last year and have been able to drive it still but it revs high for a few minutes before it kicks into 2nd gear every time you turn it on and it wont go into reverse now when its been driven a lot. The gas mileage is HORRENDOUS.

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  Granny Tranny - 2001 Ford Econoline Wagon
  By madashell - August 26 - 8:56 pm

  Every piece of plastic has hit the floor or gone out the door on this thing. Thats not the clincher. With less than 30k on this animal, I am replacing the transmission. The dealer wouldnt budge on the $3500 repair. This is the last in a series of repairs. Im trading it in for a Chevy Express.

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  it broke my heart - 1990 Ford Escort
  By dontbuyanoldFord - August 26 - 2:00 am

  It was my first car. There was a little bit more than 100,000 miles on it when I bought it and it was 12 years old. The engine began to rattle after about three months. Then the ignition module broke down. The starter was changed as well. About four months after the purchase the "check engine" light came on. It just could not pick up any speed. The mechanic said it burns oil and is not worth further investment. I was heart- broken. I also found out that I bought it from an unofficial dealer. He must have known the engine was worn out. It was a waste of money and a lot of time at the mechanics.

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  Going back for service for the 6th time. - 2012 Ford Focus
  By rdj84 - August 25 - 2:59 pm

  Ford Focus 2012 was sold to me as the new and improved version of the Ford compact cars. The car has a fair handling and an overall fair driving experience. After 3K miles, Im still waiting for the 28mpg - 31mpg promise. I only get 24mpg on a good day. And then there is the My Ford Touch, powered by Microsoft. That should have been my first clue that I was getting set up for disaster. Nothing really works, when it comes to multitasking. I cant make a call without freezing the system. If I play the ipod (when it works) the bluetooth goes off. I have 19 separate video clips of all the malfunctions this car has.