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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  now a misfiring cylinder! - 2000 Ford Expedition
  By Snake34 - October 2 - 7:48 pm

  This is an add on from my last review on my Expedition. Now, less than 7k miles from the blown head gasket, at 75k I have a misfiring cylinder. One of 8 the dealership reminds me, all of which could go bad just like cylinder 3 in my current case. $252 later I am still driving my Expedition. How long do you keep it before saying/admitting it was a loss and buy something other than a Ford? Maybe Ford will help now that I have spent over $2k in repairs since purchasing 2 years ago. I doubt it.

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  my baby - 2004 Ford Thunderbird
  By mbs - October 2 - 10:00 am

  the car handles like a dream and the v8 really gets up and goes. the body style is what i really love..it reminds me of the old tbird that my mom had..all in all i love the car!

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  Explorer Sport XLT Premium - 2003 Ford Explorer Sport
  By JamesC - October 2 - 10:00 am

  Edmunds thinks this vehicle is a little long in the tooth, but for me that means reliability. The drive train has been around for over ten years, so we think well have few problems. This is our second Explorer Sport, and we love it. Im 62" and Im comfortable driving it. My wife likes the conveniences of an SUV. Yeah the fuel economy could be better, but you dont buy an SUV for fuel econmy.

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  Classic ford quality - 2003 Ford F-150
  By edog - October 2 - 10:00 am

  Great Beautiful Truck!! Our second F- 150, has held up to almost every expectation.

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  super - 2016 Ford Explorer
  By Al Gordon - October 2 - 8:28 am

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  UPDATE - Cant believe its a Ford - 2006 Ford Five Hundred
  By JOHN MOOD - October 2 - 3:00 am

  Weve had the car for seven weeks. Close to 3000 miles. Took it to the dealer for a squeak. Naturally, it didnt happen at the dealers, so the issue is still unresolved. They also had to re-program the computer. Overall, We are extremely happy with the car. We get many compliments.. One thing though,we dont see many on the road and FORD doesnt advertise it much. Were somewhat confused about that!

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  The Money Pit! - 1998 Ford Contour
  By Mark Charlebois - October 1 - 12:15 pm

  This car is an awesome car to drive, but is plagued with serious tranny problems between 70-80k, seriously considered dumping the vehicle. Rack and pinion is garbage, alternators, heat blower, various sensors, hard on tires and brake rotors. To top it all off, the value of the car is disappointing its a complete loss because the headaches and wallet aches are endless. Never again Ford!

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  Worst Transmission Ever - 2015 Ford Focus
  By Bryan - October 1 - 9:17 am

  Honestly, there is one reason i would never buy this car again. The transmission is horrible. We have had it in three times, and had the clutch (its an automatic), replaced once. Today i am taking it in for a 4th time. All they say is "well test it and if its score is X well look into it further. If they dont fix this, im going to just sell it and buy a Subaru. The other thing that is horrible is the Microsoft Sync software. My wife even has a Windows phone and its horrible to sync. Its too bad, this could have been a great car, but the transmission is just THAT BAD.

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  Mustang - 2005 Ford Mustang
  By Dewey - October 1 - 8:30 am

  The best car in the world

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  Disappointment! - 2005 Ford Explorer
  By ebyers - October 1 - 1:18 am

  Ford has made 5 attempts at fixing my rear end and 3 attempts at fixing my transmission. This problem has existed for years in many models. Why cant Ford be honest and either fix the problem & stop making substandard vehicles.