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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  Love thiscar - 2002 Ford Focus
  By franker01 - May 22 - 9:50 pm

  Bought it several years ago with about 100K on it. Now pushing 200K. It did break a timing belt which cost me some but that was because the previous owner never had it replaced which I didnt know. Doesnt hold freon but neither does my wifes 5 year old Sienna so that is about 50 bucks a year to recharge. It is a very serviceable car that gets me places and is OK to drive. Looking into buying a newer model.

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  Solid Truck - 2000 Ford F-150
  By dhiebert - May 20 - 2:29 pm

  I bought my truck on auction for $4k. Best money Ive ever spent. No problems except for a stripped drain plug. Plenty of power, passenger space and cargo space. The only complaints are in the size and fuel economy. Its hard to park in any place other than straight in, and the best MPG Ive gotten is 17 hwy.

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  2014 Fusion - 10,000 mile update - 2014 Ford Fusion
  By oldsnwbrdr - May 18 - 12:18 pm

  This is my second review on the car, updated at 10,000 miles. Would I buy the car again? ABSOLUTELY, but I would look much harder at the hybrid model.

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  Fun to drive but very bumpy ride - 2015 Ford F-150
  By manny52 - May 17 - 5:27 pm

  Fun to drive. From the onboard computer, I get 13 L/100Km (18 mpg) on the highway, 15 L/100Km (15.6 mpg) in the city.

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  Ten years of owning - 2004 Ford Explorer
  By pilotbrs - May 13 - 1:21 pm

  Had more issues than I should have had my mileage is now 115,000. 4 wheel repaired twice, rear wheel bearing replaced and not an easy fix due to their design and cost $600. hinges on lift gate glass broke, lift gate plastic cover piece cracked (it covers 25% of the lift gate), controls in the steering wheel quit working, some of the interior controls no longer illuminate, in cold weather the left side of the sound system does not function, the front piece of the passenger side step rail broke off in the winter (its made of cheap plastic), the engine belt tensioner bearing went bad, the backup sensor quit working, and the 12 volt power socket broke and shorted out. Far too many issues.

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  disappointed - 2015 Ford Fusion
  By bendway - May 13 - 12:30 pm

  My wife and I looked for a new car for over a year and drove nearly every mid-sized sedan on the market, except for high-end models (and even a few of those!). Although we were not initially considering ford, in the end we felt the Fusion EcoBoost 2L Titanium had everything we both wanted and performed like my 2004 Saab 9-3 2L turbo I was trading in. Once thing I did not want to sacrifice was mileage, and the titanium was rated at 22 city/33 highway, about the same as my Saab. However, after 4000 miles I am only getting 20 City and 25 highway, MUCH less than the Saab (which got about 25 city/33 HWY). Mileage is horrendous for a 2L turbo. we are very disappointed in this vehicle.

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  Great except for front seats - 2015 Ford Edge
  By mpstanley - May 12 - 8:24 pm

  The new Edges is a great vehicle except for the plastic base of the front seats. Bolstering is good, but the plastic base sides prevent flexibility in the seat bottoms and prevent comfort on extended trips. Big miss for a great new design

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  My 3rd Focus - 2015 Ford Focus
  By sanfla52 - May 12 - 11:16 am

  This is my 3rd Focus. I decided to buy "new" this time, having bought used before and the cars were great. This one is great also in most ways. However, I do NOT like the transmission. The hesitation felt on acceleration is a big issue for me. Both of my previous Focus vehicles had quick acceleration. This one will too...but if you push past the "hesitation" then it REVS up to 3500 rpm and goes back down again, which I also do not like. When I bought this car I thought with it being new and the fact that I dont drive much that this might be my "last" car, now it will depend on how much I can tolerate that hesitation issue. No option to choose 4 cyl auto transmission which I have.

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  Extremely satisfied with EcoBoost Premium (A/T) - 2015 Ford Mustang
  By mojo_mike - May 11 - 5:43 am

  Im thrilled with the EcoStang. Nice power / torque as delivered. Have tuned the Mustang with the Cobb Accessport, and its now even more fun. The car rides / drives great for this segment. Shopped the Mustang vs. the Camaro and Challenger. The Mustang BY FAR gives you the most car for your $$$. Have heard lots of complaints about the noise the turbo makes. As delivered, its not great and could be improved upon. I know that in-line turbo 4s can be tuned to sound like something special. Highway cruising nets me an honest 33mpg, and 27 combined. Like having the variable drive modes as well as variable steering. Lets you customize the cars behavior to your mood.

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  DCT is not your regular Automatic Transmission - 2014 Ford Focus
  By gentle_coconut - May 10 - 8:12 pm

  That being said, Ford and its dealer network should do a lot more to explain to future owners what DCT is. The regular swish-style gearbox is simple in that one bears down on the throttle to go fast and eases to slow. DCT requires one to drive with a manual gearbox mentality. To quickly get to 4th or 5th, stay below 2500 rpm and then once on 4th or 5th one can push beyond 3000rpm to get some speed - I suspect thats when the turbo kicks in. Ive found 6th works best in the range between 2200 and 2600rpm. To accelerate, use manual mode but at 160hp from turbo, I dont think this is the horse for that race.