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 has made a great car/crossover - 2009 Ford Flex
  By Rick - February 23 - 11:00 am

  This car is a real winner. Ford did almost everything right. Great engine, great interior and very well equipped in the Ltd model. Exterior is different, but special. For as large of a car as the Flex, the gas mileage is pretty good.

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  1996 F150 XLT Standard Cab SB - 1996 Ford F-150
  By MIke Sauve - February 23 - 9:14 am

  This truck has been in my family since it was built in October of 95. Since then we have had NO breakdowns that we couldnt drive away from. We had one bad fuel pump, a bad vacuum sensor and the abs brakes went out. But we drove away from all of them because we have dual tanks. The vacuum sensor didnÂ’t do anything except turn the check engine light on. The abs doesnÂ’t works but you still have brakes, they just dont pulsate.

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  Dont Be Fooled--Its JUNK - 2014 Ford Focus
  By D. Liebling - February 23 - 8:12 am

  No matter what propaganda you may hear about the dual-clutch automatic, STAY AWAY. My 2014 started to exhibit intermittent, severe chatter/shudder/slip/gran/noise shortly after I bought it. Pulling out from a stop is problematic to the point of being unsafe, as you never know what the trans will do. Dealer applied several software updates over the next 18 months. Ford Customer Service indicated they would pursue the issue until I was satisfied. Didnt happen. As the miles and months and repair attempts accrued, dealer and Ford interest waned. One day, Ford CS simply announced, "Dealer says car is normal... There will be no further repair attempts nor trade/buyback assistance. "Coincidentally", this happened as the car was about to become eligible for Lemon law arbitration. Neither Ford nor the dealer have acted in good faith re this vehicle. Ford has finally acknowledged the DCT is a failed design--They are eliminating in the near future. That might help future customers but leaves the tens of thousands of us with the current model with a vehicle that is undriveable and unsellable and has a horribly suppressed blue-book value. Ford has not acted honorably nor professionally in this matter... Dont expect them to do any better when you have problems in the future... BUY SOME OTHER MAKE VEHICLE. AVOID FORD

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  Shake it up - 2007 Ford Edge
  By kristi green - February 23 - 5:23 am

  The Edge is a nice enough vehicle, however try to drive it with the back windows down. You will experience a "shake" like no other. The vibration in the vehicle is so bad the interior door panels shake visibly. Ford acknowledges the problem with a service advisory that states there is no servce at this time. The dealership wants nothing to do with your issue after they receive your money and the solution is dont try to drive it with only the back windows down. Ford states they will not set a precident on this issue with a trade in certificate therefore, your will be stuck.

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  great suv and handles awesome! steering is great - 2016 Ford Explorer
  By skhaas@roadrunner.com - February 23 - 3:47 am

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  2004 F-150 XLT - 2004 Ford F-150
  By Skip Leicht - February 23 - 1:19 am

  The vehicle performs well, the 5.4 has all the power I need and the electronic transmission is geared well to this performance. The body style is a huge improvement over the F-150s built in the late 90s. The interior is comfortable for my 62" (200 lbs) frame.

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  hate it! - 2002 Ford F-150
  By scott - February 23 - 12:14 am

  That is what I think of this pick-up truck. I just hate that I paid so much hard earned money for such a poor vehicle. The gas mileage is the worst I have seen since I owned a ‘70 Chevy with a 454 engine. Now that had pick- up. This Ford is the worst riding. My ‘70 Chevy had air shocks with 50 series wide tires watch out for bumps, it drove much better than the Ford ever could dream of. This Ford is so bad that my next vehicle may be from JAPAN. I never thought I would ever say that. It is no wonder the American makers of autos are having such trouble in today’s market.

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  Not satisfied - 2004 Ford Focus
  By jaladymaverick - February 22 - 11:17 pm

  I am not happy with the noise level from outside while driving. The car drives horribly in the winter due to being light weight. I am not getting the gas mileage I was anticipating.

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  Rough transmission - 2004 Ford Explorer
  By cjp8 - February 22 - 9:08 pm

  Upgraded from a 1999 Explorer to the 2004 version with 3rd row seating, 4 wheel drive, dvd player at a good price for our family car to handle snow storms. But having trouble with transmission. 3-4 repair attempts so far. Regular driving without towing. Rough gear changes with some lag and lurching. I think there was at least one recall item in transmission and on-going repair method protocol from Ford. Extended warranty may save me some money.

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  The leather seats need to be recalled - 2005 Ford Explorer
  By Frost - February 22 - 6:41 pm

  Overall I enjoy my Explorer, however the leather on my seats is cracking and worn. The interior looks a lot older than a 2005 suv. It looks more like 1994. This is a problem for me because of my line of work and the clients I drive around from time to time. My exterior is always nice and clean. The cracking leather seat take away from my style.