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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  Best Car Ive Ever Owned! - 1997 Ford Expedition
  By Lorie - August 30 - 12:31 pm

  I LOVE my Expedition. Wish I could afford a new one. Would DEFINITELY buy another one (even used). No major problems in the 6 years Ive owned it. Replaced the tires once. Highly recommend this vehicle to anyone looking for a good, dependable, used car.

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  Stellar - 2005 Ford Mustang
  By MWard627 - August 30 - 9:33 am

  I have loved the Mustang since I can remember, when this vehicle came out I was in love. The marriage of old and new, perfect.

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  FAULTY THROTTLE BODY!! BE CAREFULL!!! 8400 miles - 2016 Ford Explorer
  By Adam from NH - August 30 - 7:14 am

  I NEED to post a review with the rest of the people that have experienced this issue and Hopefully Ford will finally do a recall!! The same issue happened to me this weekend when my family and I (5 people) took a 4hr drive from New Hampshire to New York City. About 2.5hrs into the trip all of a sudden my 2016 Ford Explorer with 8400 miles started sputtering and running rough and I when I pressed on the gas nothing happened and the wrench light, check engine light and air bag light all came on. I had to drift over the breakdown lane on the highway! Luckily it happened where it did, there was a big enough breakdown lane, there are big stretches of the highway that only have jersey barriers and NO breakdown lane. If that was the case a major accident could have happened! So here we are stuck on the side of the highway (Saturday) with basically a brand new SUV, calling AAA and finding a ford dealer that is open. Called about 6 of them and finally found one that was opened past 12:00 noon. Luckily they told me to tow it to them (45mins away) and they will bring it right in because they knew exactly what the issue was since there fixing a lot of them. They said if they cant fix it right then we were pretty much screwed because all the rental car places close at noon. So basically we would have to rent a hotel room and wait till Monday! After waiting on the side of the highway for for AAA to tow the truck, we also needed had a cab pick up my wife, daughter and boyfriend because the AAA truck can only carry 2 people. The cab came first and got them after an hour and my son and I waited the additional 2hrs for AAA, (3hrs waiting). While I was waiting I looked online to see what the issue is and read everybodys review on the same experience happening to them and still NO recall. The dealer ship was able to replace the part (in 15 mins) and get us on our way. This was at 5pm when we should have been in NY by 12:30 so the whole day was ruined. How do I know this wont happen again? The same part was installed not the recall part! The 4hr drive back to New Hampshire was the most stressful i think i have ever been not knowing if my truck will just shut down with no notice on the highway with my family. This experience could have killed us or someone else. Please tell every 2016 Ford Explorer owner you run in to..

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  So so car - 2000 Ford Focus
  By Evil Focus - August 29 - 9:31 pm

  I have owned this car for about 2 1/2 years, and I would have to say I have had my share of problems. A few months after I got it, I was left stranded because it just wouldnt start (only clicked). After replacing the solenoid at 30k miles the car did ok. The tires seem to wear down quicker then any other car Ive had. About a year went by with no problems then I got a transmission leak at 55k miles. Cant forget about all the recalls including the fuel pump that died on me as well. Also about a month ago the ignition decided to lock up, leaving me stranded again. And just the other day my alternator went which cost $350. Besides that, the car isnt too bad. I would recommend a newer model.

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  SEL Premium, first car - 2002 Ford Taurus
  By Rob - August 29 - 8:34 pm

  Just bought a 2002 SEL Premium a month ago. 32k miles. Mine has every single available option, including: leather upholstery, moonroof, 6 disc CD, floor shift, side airbags, spoiler, automatic climate control, traction control, etc. All but the leather and moonroof come standard on the SEL Premium model. So far all Ive done is replace the rear brakes. Otherwise, the car is a beauty. No major problems, fast acceleration, only complaint is the gas mileage, it seems lower than the class standards.

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  Great Family-Mobile - 2005 Ford Freestar
  By truckboy1 - August 29 - 6:37 pm

  My family loves this van, and visitors and guests love the comfort of the ride compared to my previous BMW sedan. Plenty of room when relatives ride along, and it has not let us down yet when it comes to reliability. My visiting parents commented how impressed they were with the quality of this Ford. My father had previously sworn-off Fords after his earlier fiasco with his Mustang decades ago.

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  love my minivan - 2005 Ford Freestar
  By Cindy - August 29 - 2:58 pm

  I traded a 00 Windstar for my Freestar. I love the power sliders. The leather seats are slightly less comfy than the cloth.The well behind the 3rd row is great for groceries, big improvement over the clips on the back of 3rd row in Windstar. Gas mileage is comparable about 20 mpg in city, took trip and averaged about 24 mpg on the road -- only had 600 miles on it, it was barely broken in so Im expecting slightly better. Kids love the DVD! I also like the storage improvement in the dash, the drawer keeps things from sliding all over. Overall, its better than my sisters Odyssey and other sisters Caravan. Has a very quiet motor, no knocks or rattles!

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  Great for Price - 2005 Ford Focus
  By N0v4c41n3 - August 29 - 1:03 am

  Im pretty critical of vehicles myself, but overall i was very pleased with the vehicle. Unfortunately it is not for the die-hard performance fan. Granted it definitely has the potential. No major problems with the car but it does rev too high between shifts, clutch is not as responsive as the engine needs, the engine does not lose rpms fast enough for serious performance use and takes most of the fun out of it, corners well, accelerates rather well, but cannot use the torque of the engine to drift in corners because the engine does not wind down. But for under $20,000 we shouldnt expect it to handle like a Porsche

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  165,000 Miles & Strong - 1998 Ford F-150
  By Roxanne - August 28 - 10:33 pm

  Most reliable, trustworthy vehicle I have ever owned. As original owner and at 165K, I have had less than $1,000 in repairs in 8 years. Maintenance costs have been very reasonable. Mine is a manual with V6 -- gets about 17 mpg city & 20 mpg highway. Highly recommend this over the Silverado. Still has tight steering, great suspension, great ride, no rattles -- after many camping trips on unmaintained roads.

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  Good fuel economy - 1999 Ford Escort
  By Nate - August 28 - 9:45 pm

  The transmission has gone out twice and the alternator once, but it gets great gas mileage and is pretty fun to drive.