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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  Too many problems. - 2012 Ford Focus
  By amanda - July 16 - 5:42 pm

  I have had the car for 4 years and it now has 75,000 miles on it. 1- Not long after purchasing the car, it started jerking when I would try to take off. I advised Ford of this and they said it was normal. Then they finally sent out a recall for the transmission. 2- Car was a year old- driving down the road I started smelling something. Ford advised us to have the car towed to them. I did and they advised it was an overfill of something and it was just getting rid of the overfill (sorry, cant remember what it was). While the tow truck driver was helping us load the car, the front end of the car scrubbed the ground and scratched the paint off the car (a lot). Ford advised us it was the tow companys responsibility and the tow company advised us it was Fords responsibility (because Ford called them). End the end, no one took the blame so it is still messed up. 3- I had the car exactly 3 years when the driver side window quit working. Of course, no longer under warranty. 4- (July, 2016) Had the car for 3.5 years and the rear wheel and hub assembly needs replaced (not a cheap repair). 5- (October, 2016) the water pump busted. Not very happy with all this repairs and costs. Now thinking I should sell the car before something else goes wrong.

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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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  Sold on the Ranger 2005 - 2005 Ford Ranger
  By Fraser Ellis - July 16 - 1:10 pm

  Owned a 2002 and turned it in for a 2005. It has really been developed into a great truck.

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  I love it! - 2005 Ford Excursion
  By Gina Rogowsky - July 16 - 10:33 am

  I love this truck. Everyone says that itÂ’s a big truck its not. I love sitting up so high. And diesel is the only way to go. I get 500 miles to a tank and it lasts me over a month. When we go to Rochester we dont have to stop for gas. And its a 6 hour drive and 375 miles away from where I live. I have three kids, 3 year old and 3 month old twins, and let me tell you itÂ’s better than a minivan. Way more room. I can put a double stroller and a single one in the trunk with my groceries. I can put 2 people on the third row seat with my 3 year old and 1 person in the back seat with my twins. So all together I can fit 8 people in my truck. I will never own anything else again.

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  White Girl - 2001 Ford Focus
  By kara - July 16 - 10:26 am

  Ive had this car from November 2007 to July 2016. The owner before me had sold it to me for $3,500 with 75,000 miles on it. He was moving to Germany for a new job and couldnt take it with him. I was about to graduate high school so my mom bought it for me as a gift. The interior and exterior were in excellent condition, except the headlights had a cloudiness to it and later on the thermometer gage got weird. I switched out the radio, because it was too old school. Too bad it didnt stay that way, a few years later on the highway a heavy chair fell out of into the lane I thought I would be safe from it hitting me, so I had a dent on the side near my headlight and then my moms coffee spilt everywhere on the passenger side so speckles on the ceiling from that. Around 2014 my air stopped working and living in Florida its miserable but I didnt want to pay to have it fixed. Then in March 2015 after driving it for an hour my car made a really loud noise like a shotgun. Turns out my radiator is bad. Although my gage goes from red back and sometimes back to the middle and theres a little smoke coming from under the hood after starting it up. Im still able to get to where I need to go 10 mile radius of course. Repair isnt necessary because its how much the cars worth. Im not the type of girl who wants all the gadgets that come in a newer car so I love it. If it didnt have a baby on the way I would get another one. Since my husband bought a mini cooper s before we were married, its time for an suv.

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  Love my Ford Truck - 1999 Ford F-150
  By Great Truck - July 16 - 4:05 am

  Bought my truck from my father in law. His loss. It is a fantastic truck. No major problems. It is a four wheeling beast in the sand dunes. Never was a Ford fan before but my next truck will probably be a Ford again after my time spent with this one.

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  Lovin my new Explorer - 2005 Ford Explorer
  By John - July 16 - 2:51 am

  I thought I was a Jeep man for life (I drove a Grand Cherokee for the last 7 years), but I ended up in this Explorer, and I love it. The ride is excellent, the V6 is strong enough for my needs, and it sits higher than I expected. I especially love the third seat. When my kids are back there, I can barely hear them. Especially if I am thumping the Audiophile system. The only negative is the fuel mileage. It is only getting 15 mpg average, and that hurts. Overall, a great truck.

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  Another Bad Ford Transmission - 2006 Ford Five Hundred
  By bunnytwo - July 16 - 12:40 am

  After replacing 4 transmissions on a Windstar, and another on a Taurus SHO, we still bought another Ford. Now the 2006 Five Hundred needs a new transmission with under 100k miles. Here is the funny part. The dealer said we had the new CVT or VCT TYPE tranny, but the 2nd opinion mechanic said we dont. How could the dealer be mistaken? This is my LAST Ford.

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  Much better than expected - 2004 Ford Expedition
  By tharpomaximus - July 15 - 5:42 pm

  I bought this vehicle for several reasons: 4WD, 9 passenger seating and price. I have not been disappointed at all. Yes, the brake dust is bad, but I knew that when I bought it. Of course the gas mileage is not good, but I knew that too. For the money, this vehicle is hard to beat. I have the smaller V8 and it has plenty of power for me. The base model I purchased has all the basic power options plus adjustable pedals for my short wife. The biggest shortcoming is limited storage behind the 3rd row (please build an extended version!). Therefore, I have both hitch mounted and roof mounted luggage carriers. My wife loves this car. AWD is much smoother than my Sierra Z71.