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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  Not a happy first time Ford owner - 2010 Ford Fusion
  By T Jessen - June 25 - 11:33 am

  Bought a Ford for the first time (Fusion SE) The car seemed to struggle as it automatically shifted through the gears. Dealer couldnt find a problem & the husband insisted there was. My husbands thought was to have them drive it for at least a 60 mile period as he noticed more on his work days. Manager took the car home, put a monitor on the car and suddenly the found a problem. They told us it was a defect in the transmission and they would replace it. Only 6500 miles? Warranty on the trans doesnt start over and some owners had 2 or 3 transmissions replaced. Defect on the fuel filler (new part installed.Took for granted my automatic lights on my buick. This 2010 Ford doesnt have them???

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  Waste of Money - 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid
  By kingbb71 - June 11 - 4:00 am

  Do not waste your money on this car. Fords claim of 47 mpg highway is just simply not true. I had this car for 6 months and drove 6,500 miles, mostly highway, and averaged about 35-37 mpg. I even tried to drive slow and not accelerate, but could still only average at best 37 mpg. Also, after about a month, the ABS light came on multiple times and the dealer could not figure out why. The Ford MyTouch also does not work as advertised. The navigation system regularly froze and was pretty much useless. I hated this car so much that I took a loss of about $4k to get out of it when I traded it in after six months. Dont make the same mistake I did.

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  Same problems as everyone else - 2016 Ford Explorer
  By Monica Lee - May 14 - 3:28 pm

  Read the reviews and we have all had the same problems . I almost died with my 10 year old son in the car in north 275. Car shut down had it towed . No where to go on 275 cars driving by us going 90 . Got the car back after being fixed the second time and it still not running right . Runs rough and now my son wont drive in it . Called ford they dont care that my son is scared to death to drive in this brand new vehicle. Tonight I was driving again and lost engine power again . This is becoming nightmare . These cars are a mess

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  Poor Build Quality & Many Design Flaws - 2003 Ford Ranger
  By RJ2 - May 12 - 10:00 am

  Cant direct cold air to floor, poor fit & finish (e.g. uneven gaps, underspray behind gas door, around rear door hindges, under hood, engine pings, sick exhaust note, sliding window rattles & ticks (makes me crazy), tach buzzes at specific RPM range, right rear door rattles, turn signal cancelation mechanism is defective on nearly all Fords (prevents operation when wheel is at 10:00 & 2:00 positions, premature cancelation, fights driver), hood prop rod tears up paint on underside of hood when serviced by dealer (needs protective cap), dealer tears up wheels when removing center cab due to poor design.

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  Never Again - 2002 Ford Explorer
  By Disappointed - April 27 - 12:20 pm

  I thought this would be a great vehicle. Instead, we have had it in the shop at least 10 times. I am on the 4th transmission and it to is going. The back panel has broken numerous times, the dealership has to replace it several times when I take it in because they cant get it on without it cracking. The black paint around the doors is peeling - I was told that isnt covered in the paint warranty that we bought! The ignition had to be replaced twice because it wouldnt turn. We have had to replace numerous other parts on this vehicle. What I had hoped is to have a great vehicle for years - instead Im stuck with a lemon.

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  Too small - 2006 Ford Freestyle
  By Claudius - April 18 - 11:53 pm

  Like all SUVs and derivatives, built for small people. Center console (much too wide) seriously interferes with drivers legroom and knee. Maybe not a problem if you are 5"2, but it makes the car plain uncomfortable on longer drives for tall people. Seat comfort is mediocre, acceleration is poor (especially with 4 people in the car and/or any weight in the back). Needs more powerful engine and less clutter (get rid of the center console for a start).

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  Money Pit - 2004 Ford F-150
  By WestCoastJeff - April 14 - 12:19 pm

  Has the worst engine Ford has ever manufactured. You will only get past 150k miles if you are extremely lucky. Mine has 130k miles, new engine just done, rear end is going out, rear power slider leaks and needs replaced, and transmission shifts erratically some times. Took it into Ford dealership when I was having trouble with the engine and they said thats just how fords run and drive. Well 2 weeks later threw a rocker arm and destroyed cam and bent valve. Please do your research and never buy a Ford with a 5.4l engine it not worth the risk unless you get one that has a re-engineered reman engine in it that addresses all the flaws.

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  Thanks for the Memories - 2002 Ford Explorer
  By Higgy - April 12 - 4:06 am

  Purchased new in 2002. I have 64000 miles and have had the follow problems: rebuilt transmission twice, two power window motors replaced, two cracks on the back panel of the tailgate, airbag sensors not working properly, cruise dontrol stoped working, paint on the plastic panels between the doors coming off, rear end rebuilt. Currently making noise in the rear end going 45 to 55 miles per hour. Sunroof rattles.

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  Should be Recalled - 2011 Ford Edge
  By Wendy - April 7 - 9:51 am

  My 2011 Ford Edge is serviced regularly, just before the 5 yr mark it broke down while driving. Found out that there was water in the engine oil and I need a whole new motor at a cost of $7K for a car that was under 5 years old. Because i drive my daughtet to her club soccer tournaments on weekends the mileage was over the warranty and thus Ford would not warrant the motor. A car this new should not require a new motor! Something is definitely wrong with Ford and now the back up camera is flipped upside when reversing.

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  Nice looking car - 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid
  By Hans - April 3 - 3:34 am

  At 92000 miles transmission went bad on my hybrid. I was lucky it was under warranty . They said the warranty on transmission would only be good for the remaining warranty off 100,000. The dealer told me that this new transmission was around 10,000 dollars from the factory. Would I bye a ford again ? No My son also has a Fusion hybrid also has problems with it at 33000 miles. Thats what you get from a Mexico built car.