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:

• 

  ...after 9 months of owernship - 2016 Ford Explorer
  By Jill P. - November 25 - 10:10 pm

  I purchased my brand new Explorer in April of 2016. Here we are nine months later and despite loving my car I find it to be quite "buggy." First of all, the alignment was off since day one. Finally took it in to get looked at today and its not covered by the warranty because Im over the mileage limit – despite being an issue since purchase. In August, turned on the car and drove away. Within 50 feet I experienced a loss of power. The car stopped and I did all I could to move it to the side of the road instead of stopping directly in the middle. Dealer was great and knew what it was before even looking at it. They had a backlog of 2016 Explorers that needed the Throttle-body replaced. Luckily they had one in stock so I was only without my car for two days. Nothing else major has occurred. But small things, e.g. going in reverse the back-up camera comes on and then stays on for several miles, even when shutting the car off/on or Ive had "Park Aide Fault" messages – in other words the sensors around the car that help me park werent working. Then my Navigation wouldnt connect for about a day. The Sync wouldnt pair with my phone for a couple of hours. Also, it doesnt have enough cup holders or small storage areas. Despite all this, I love driving the car. Its very roomy and comfortable and will hopefully will serve us well when we start our new family. Although, I am nervous about the future and what major repairs may be in store for us.

• 

  Too soon to tell... - 2016 Ford Fusion
  By Buyer 2017 - November 25 - 3:17 pm

  On reliability

• 

  The Great Escape - 2005 Ford Escape
  By lkgfnp - November 25 - 2:33 pm

  A classy, efficient vehicle. Was amazed at the fuel economy when compared with my 2001 Escape. I like it very much!

• 

  Another happy customer - 2007 Ford Fusion
  By Kevin - November 24 - 9:23 pm

  This car is fun to drive. It has the extra kick I was looking for without having to move all the way up to the sports car class. Also looks great, I still get plenty of comments.

• 

  Puts the fun back in driving - 2005 Ford Mustang
  By D Henderson - November 24 - 10:20 am

  This is a sweet ride. Great performance and man does it turn heads. I have driven SUVs for years now and was a little apprehensive about a car. Especially a small car. But when I saw the 2005 for the first time i was hooked. I did all my homework on it. Read or heard nothing bad about the car. Then I went looking. Found one I liked and told friends if I drove it, I would end up buying it. Well, I went for a test drive. And that same day I took it home. A Torch Red one. And I couldnt be happier. Thanks Ford!

• 

  Why 15-16 mpg on V6, 2018 F-150 Platinum? - 2018 Ford F-150
  By Joe Turner - November 24 - 3:51 am

  I just took ownership of a Ford F-150 Platinum. Edmunds didnt allow me to state I have a V6, it forced me to say V8. Anyway, I just drove 600 highway miles between Santa Fe and Ft. Worth area. No a/c, no unusual wind. No speeding or unusual driving. Ford says this truck should get 23 mpg-highway. I got between 15 and 16. Im not dumb enough to expect exactly 23, but this is so far off, I have to lodge a complaint. I know the fuel history gauge has to be sorta broken in, so I calculated mileage the old fashioned way, dividing miles driven by actual fuel used. What the deal with this $60,000 truck that gets the worst gas mileage of any truck Ive ever owned? By the way, Edmunds would let me enter year 2018. It forced me to enter 2017, but truck is new 2018.

• 

  Dont let the looks fool you! - 2003 Ford Explorer
  By Gabriel Welch - November 24 - 3:13 am

  I purchased my 2003 Ford Explorer with 170,000 miles from a private seller because I loved the way it looked. I have always driven SUVs. I like feeling high up and safe. The Explorer was a good vehicle to meet those wants. The Explorer was fast and powerful! A great vehicle for any sort of hauling. Its also very roomy and comfortable. Ford really did a great job with the Eddie Bauer. It had so many great features for a 2003. Unfortunately the Explorers reliability or lack thereof was enough to drive me away from it after only a few months of ownership. I didnt expect much from an older SUV with high miles but I certainly did not expect what I got. There were times when I did not want to drive anywhere because I was too afraid to! The Explorer was a smooth and comfortable ride, Ill give it that. But maybe thats because I was comparing it to the frequent tow truck rides. I ended up selling the Explorer with around 183,000 miles because I didnt want to foot the bill for a bad transmission, leaking head gasket, three bad wheel bearings, bad steering and suspension components, and a bad charging system.

• 

  Excellent car for the money - 2000 Ford Focus
  By martin_tilam - November 24 - 2:00 am

  Of all the cars I could lease for 233 a month and 1500 down, the Focus was the best. The standard lease offered 2,500 more miles a year than volkswagen. Also my insurance company informed me that Ford doesnt require the expensive lease coverage that other companys do. The car is very comfortable and roomier than cars that cost much more. I have had one quality issue and that was the fuel pump, however that gave me plenty of warning and was covered under the warranty, also Ford rented me another car while mine was being repaired. The only disappointment in the car is gas mileage. Which I feel should be at least 10 miles per gallon higher.

• 

  Fix Or Repair Daily - 2001 Ford Focus
  By M MAY - November 24 - 2:00 am

  This is absolutely the worst car I have ever purchased. The title says it all.

• 

  Explorer sport - 2002 Ford Explorer Sport
  By exposport - November 24 - 2:00 am

  This is my first Explorer sport. I love the style on the outside, and the interior is nice, and is exactly the same since the 95 model in a lot of ways. the only thing i dont like is the handles in the interior, the paint chips off of the handles.