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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  great trucks!!! - 2002 Ford F-150
  By Morales - December 4 - 8:51 pm

  Best truck ever owned! With 246000 still runs great! I use it daily and I take it on a monthly 8 hour round trip drive to Drill and never had a single problem, I got lucky with mine since I bought it for 2 grand. I love driving stick shift and the 4.6combination makes its great! I currently get about 22 on highway and 15 in town. My dad really like my pick up that he bought one for himself and my brother. All of our fords have well over 240000 and we trust them dearly. About a month ago I bought my second f150 for my wife while Im gone for 6 months, she had 92 Chevy Silverado but we started having trust issues with it since it overheated. I have had Chevy, dodge and Ford trucks from half tons to 1 tons and this model f150 has been the most reliable and trustworthy truck I have ever owned.

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  2 years old & Ive spent $7,000 in Repairs - 2013 Ford Escape
  By Bruce Reasoner - December 4 - 8:06 pm

  I own 2013 Ford Escape 2.0 L ecoboost AWD I bought new in 2013 It has 77,000 miles almost all freeway.. This year Ive spent $7,000 in out of warranty repairs. Faulty injector and faulty BCM (body control module) $2,500. New transmission $4,500 I am so disgusted with the quality of the Ford Escape This is worst car Ive ever owned and I think I would rather be hung by my toes than purchase a Ford Escape. HEED THIS WARNING.. FORD ESCAPES ARE ENDLESS MONEY PIT.

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  Dont Buy - 2012 Ford Focus
  By penny - December 4 - 3:27 pm

  Please dont buy this car.....clutch problems fro day one!

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  very comfortable - 2015 Ford Edge
  By Paul Chafer - December 4 - 1:52 pm

  have had 4 weeks. It is a Titanium AWD with 3.5 V6 .Carpet material and mats poor quality, lint sticks to surface and vacuum struggles to extract. Trunk light location poor. Put in 1 bag and light is hidden. Navigation control cumbersome. Visibility good except when entering tight space, hood design is high obscuring front side view. The trunk cargo cover design is poor. Does not sit high enough to stack 2 pieces of luggage. Have to remove cover to get more luggage in trunk. Not very helpful when travelling and you need to park in a lot for a break. Instrument display OK. Tach display is very poor. Indicator data points hide actual RPM display. Display is too small. sits right next to fuel gauge and requires deliberate focus to see, cant just glance for view of RPM I exhaust tailpipe is bent and dealer cant fix. Dealer has not suggested how it will be fixed. Too early to judge gas mileage. So far around 22 overall for distance driving, 17 in city. Performance not bad. Still going easy on acceleration but not a zippy as our 2012 Santa Fe. Love new adaptive cruise control, waited 4 months to get this feature. Ride and comfort excellent. Panoramic sun roof is very nice at this time of year. Car does feel big when driving in tight spaces. Operating door locks is still confusing, touch control isnt consistent in operation. Touchless trunk opening also vague. We have the tow hitch so swinging leg has to be done with caution or your shin is in danger. Overall we are pleased with our purchase so far.

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  Not to be overlooked. - 2007 Ford Focus
  By Andrew Parkhurst - December 4 - 1:50 pm

  This car is best understood in context. I bought it new in December of 2006 for around $15k. Hondas and Nissans from 4 years prior were going for $18k. It is an excellent deal for what you get, and I think that too many people dismissed it because it was an older design. Ford introduced the Focus around 2000, but that means by the time you they produced the 2007 model year most of the bugs were worked out. Remember this was an award winning car for many years until it started getting a little long in the tooth. I have had few problems in 115k miles. Little things do come up every now and then, but it sure beats having to drive a Corolla. The alternator went out at around 70k, but that is not necessarily Fords fault. The cruise control stopped working at 60k, got a cable replaced and it is as good as new. One problem these cars have is the clockspring (in the steering wheel, works with the airbag system), which had to be replaced at 75k. There was some carbon buildup in the throttle body at around 50k, but that is more because of my short commute at the time. The radio did stop working a few years ago, so I replaced it with an aftermarket Alpine stereo that sounds a little better, but the stock radio was not bad. Problems are basically electrical in nature, but I have never been stranded and the basic powertrain is simple enough. Simple is good. The hatchback design is one of a kind, and has actually aged a little better than the sedan. The 5-speed manual has crisp shifts and is well-suited to the 2.0 liter gas engine. It has a fantastically light clutch. 136 hp is not a ton, but it will accelerate just fine and keep up with traffic. The best thing about the Focus is its ride-handling tradeoff. The steering has excellent feel, the ride is never harsh, and it will go right where you point it. Not bad for an economy car. We have a 2013 VW Golf as well. While the Golf is a more mature, heavier feeling car, the Focus is much more playful with no dead spot in the steering and a near perfect driving position. The hatchback is nice to be able to load larger items, has great visibility and the back seat is so much bigger than many of the new compact/midsize cars. The 2012-present Focus is much more cramped inside. The weakest thing about this car is that it just wasnt screwed together very well on the inside. It rattles, sometimes badly, sometimes not so much, depending on the tire pressure. Sometimes I feel like I have the best car ever--it is quite fun to drive--and sometimes I just want something a little quieter, a little more refined, like a Golf. But then, I get on a back road with the 5-speed and realize that this car is one-of-a-kind and it will be hard to replace when the time eventually comes.

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  FORD EXPLORER IS THE BEST SUV FOR THE $$$ - 2014 Ford Explorer
  By Ernest - December 2 - 6:19 pm

  All these whiners on the reviews probably dont own one. I pulled the trigger and bought me one. I will agree to those that say that the modern control layout may be confusing at first, but after regular use its a breeze. (If you cant figure how to use touchscreen devices, well, stick to low tech layouts) Steering controls are easy and simple to use unless you have sausages for fingers. And for heavens sake its a mid size vehicle...If you know your passangers are behemoths, get a van or large vehicle. 3rd row seats are tight for adults but my 5 feet tall kids fit perfectly. MPG are not too bad considering the size of the vehicle. 20/26 avg give or take city/hwy.

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  Imagine That - 2007 Ford F-150
  By beltbuckle2003 - December 2 - 1:09 pm

  I bought this vehicle from Tinker AFB Okc, Okl...thru a dealer in Cheney,Kansas, it had 22,500 miles on it ( 09-25-2014). The bed inside the truck was beat up by dry- wallers, so I put a liner in and it looks new now, (and a Toneau cover). Was sad to hear about the cam phasers after I bought it. So, I kept it in hopes I can trade it off when the truck gets 65,000 miles on it...another 2 years probably, ( 39,250 miles now). The gas mileage is around 15-19 .not bad for the 5.4 . everything works great, and I guess, by all the bad reviews I have a 1 in a million truck that is OK...have more problems with the dealer..in the oil changes, and tire rotation, than anything. I rotate the tires ( LT275R70-17- Firestone- 10 ply) every other oil change, 4,000 miles....fyi...Federal Electrical Inspector-Kingman, Kansas...

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  Cubic Zirconia in Diamonds clothing - 2015 Ford Edge
  By Dissatisfied customer - December 2 - 8:57 am

  I just leased my 2015 SEL in October. I love the way it drives and handles on the road. However it has been in the shop twice with electrical issues in a month. The first time was when I tried to turn on the heat and no air came out. It turned out being a faulty pin according to the dealer. The next time was an electrical issue that prevented the car from starting and just about every warning light came on in the process. Im beginning to question the reliability of this model. I traded in my 2013 Focus for the Edge, thinking that I was getting a better made vehicle , as I had electrical problems with the Focus, as well. To add insult to injury, the dealer (Lester Glenn) has a ridiculous loaner car program where there is a two week wait and only about 3 vehicles, according to the service manger. Are you kidding? Perhaps if there is that much volume in the service department, the dealer should invest in more loaner cars. Also, they should give priority to customers who purchase vehicles at the dealer. FORD= Fix Or Repair Daily!

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  Nicve Car overall -- Poor resale - 2015 Ford Taurus
  By Steven Foster - December 1 - 2:56 pm

  The 2015 Taurus SEL AWD Stickered at $40k, wanted the new Mustang....trade in value at dealer $20k -- 50% depreciation in one year and 11k miles

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  Fantastic Vehicle for Family Fun - 2000 Ford Explorer
  By TrailThunder - December 1 - 11:58 am

  I bought this vehicle used and currently have 130,000 miles on it. It needs a little front end work right now, but nothing that isnt expected at the 130,000 mile mark. The Explorer handles great in winter weather and also does surprisingly well off road for an AWD vehicle. I am an offroad hobbyist and use this to tow both a Jeep and a camper at various times. There is plenty of room for me, my wife and our three kids. I am most impressed with the ride quality while towing. It tows my 3000 lb camper like there is nothing there. We do have a class III towing hitch which helps. The 5.0 motor is awesome! Love that engine. Overall I love this vehicle and have been very impressed with its durability and reliability. Take care of it and it will take care of you. Every vehicle requires maintenance with aging. Just do the maintenance and you will drive an Explorer for a long time.