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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  Fusion Flaws - 2015 Ford Fusion
  By Cheryl - July 18 - 2:07 am

  Purchased 2015 Ford Fusion in December 2016. It was a lease with 38k miles. Shortly after, the car would not start after putting gas in tank, putters like it wants to cut off at red traffic lights, occasional rocking motion at traffic stops, makes a moaning sound in the gas tank area and jerks when excellerating. I took it to Tom Holzer Ford and a faulty purge valve was diagnosed. The warranty does not cover it and the dealership quoted $430. I found a licensed mechanic that will charge me $150, including parts & labor. Nevertheless, I am disappointed having to come out-of-pocket at all.

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  Hope the kinks are out - 2003 Ford Escape
  By Mike - July 16 - 10:28 pm

  Bought this car used and had problems from the day I picked it up. When I picked up Escape the remote mirrors did not work & the salesman had taken out the radio due to problems. About a month later the emergency brake froze (would not release). Then about 2 months after that the power moonroof would not open (no Escape for 5 days). No other problems after that (thank goodness). I was seriously considering selling this vehicle, but decided to hang on to it. Hopefully all the kinks are out.

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  FIRST FORD - 1999 Ford Contour
  By McGuireFamily - July 16 - 4:47 pm

  We bought our 99 Ford Contour over a year ago with 75,000 miles on it. The only thing we had to do was regular maintenance, oil change, brakes, etc. The interior was good but the dash started warping after the first month we had it. But we do live in Las Vegas were it get from any where from 160 degrees inside a car when its sitting there parked. It never broke down on us, and we never had any problems really. I would say this is a good car for a student, a high school kid maybe. But for a family itÂ’s really small. But itÂ’s very dependable as long as you keep up your owner duties.

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  Beware: Head Gasket - 1999 Ford Taurus
  By lemonowner - July 16 - 4:01 pm

  This car is cool looking and comfortable. It is also a LEMON. It has had a blown head gasket twice in 6 months, with about 30k mile on the car. BEWARE! It is NOT yet part of any recall due to this problem.

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  New F-150, problems already - 2003 Ford F-150
  By MRG - July 13 - 2:00 am

  The truck was great for the first 650 miles with no problems. I am not too happy about the body design and the fact that it is a Ford, since I have had problems with Fords in the past. At 720 miles the oil pressure switch broke and was replaced by the dealer at no charge.... hopefully this is the first and last thing to break for a while.

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  What a disappointment! - 2001 Ford Escape
  By LazyGecko - July 10 - 1:51 pm

  I have been a long time Ford owner and when my wife wanted an SUV, I thought the Escape made a good choice. Reasonable price, nice styling and a manageable size. I figured the Ford quality would go along with it. At 80k miles, I have replaced the transmission (!) and several suspension components. The ABS and brake light has come on, and the master cylinder leaks brake fluid. Worse yet my 170k mile Taurus is 200% better in the Wisconsin snow falls than this piece of junk! The ride is awful. The seats are almost as uncomfortable as the vinyl wrapped plywood found in 1950s Cessna 152. Also, the seats stain with spilled WATER!

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  Ford Probe - 1994 Ford Probe
  By Chaz - July 9 - 4:28 am

  Good car but too slow and too hard to find performance parts. Pulled a 18.5 1/4 mile which is pretty slow but fun and good looking.

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  Seats on 2001 F-150 XLT Extended Cab - 2001 Ford F-150
  By Birdie - July 3 - 1:06 pm

  Since I purchased my 2001 Ford F-150 XLT Extended Cab, I have been totally dissatisfied with the comfort of the cloth captain seats and low position of floor console.

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  Maintenance Nightmare - 2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By Indy - July 1 - 4:00 pm

  You name it. It had to be fixed. Leaks transmission fluid like a sive. Major transmission problems. Complete replacement at 5,000 miles, pan gasket replaced too many times to count, major transmission repair ($2,000) at 75,000. ABS sensor failure - warrany, windshield replacement - warranty, plus a ton of other stuff. Worst truck Ive owned. Would not buy again.

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  All FORD Acronyms Apply - 1999 Ford Windstar
  By Ed Mann - June 30 - 11:56 am

  Bought new. Less than 50k in almost six years. Paint peeled after 3rd year, power steering rack and other components replaced at 13k AND 43k, front disc brake pads replaced at 25k AND 48k, two power door locks intermittent, stereo cuts out on one side, head gasket failed at 43k, rear brake lights constantly failed (replaced sockets), gas mileage under 20 MPG. Whats next? Will not buy another Ford product. I have had great success with Toyota products and will go back to them next time we are in the market for a vehicle.