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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  Fixed or Repaired Daily - 2001 Ford Ranger
  By killerspeed - October 15 - 2:00 am

  So far I am on my 3rd set of tires in 30K miles. Bad egr, both window motors went bad, tranny bolts fell out, power steering leaking all over the place, now there is oil in the antifreeze-BAD HEAD!

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  Finished with Fords! - 2000 Ford Taurus
  By Not Again - October 10 - 2:00 am

  While fun to drive, it is obvious that Ford skimped on the breaking and suspension systems of this car. Too bad! Have gone through rotors several times. Struts have also been replaced. Getting sick of this pain in the butt car, and have given up on Ford.

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  Unreliable - 2011 Ford Escape
  By Nicholas stinson - October 9 - 9:42 pm

  This car was amazing at first I loved it but the more I use it the worst it gets, 120000 miles and the ac has gone out twice now and this time it is a compressor, the seat belts don’t work at all they don’t even retract and the driver seat has already ripped. The Bluetooth half the time doesn’t even work and the highest package stereo is horrible the speakers pop at low volume due to not getting enough power out of head unit and amp. The stereo also doesn’t get any louder when you turn it past 4/6ths the volume after that it is pointless. Also things rattle inside the doors non stop from the radio and also from outside rough roads.

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  Buyer Beware Not Ready Yet! - 2005 Ford Five Hundred
  By ROC - September 19 - 4:10 pm

  I bought this car because of all the hype concerning its release and because Ive been a loyal Ford Customer for 12 years and 4 cars later. I spent $30,000.00 for this new car and the transmission blew up at the 1,300 mile mark. They replaced the transmission but the car still has no power and never did. It hesitates when you step on the gas. Ford say thats normal with their new six speed transmission. I feel so taken in by Ford. They underpowered this car in an effort to keep the price tag down and Im sorry I ever purchased their lemon car.

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  not so impressive - 2001 Ford Focus
  By susan p - September 12 - 10:00 am

  So far, the power steering went out, the turn signal broke two times, the remote trunk release inside the car is hit or miss and something electrical causes a back light/turn signal bulb to burn out every month or so lately.

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  Not safe… Electronic Throttle Body(ETB) issues - 2016 Ford Explorer
  By T-bone - September 5 - 3:20 pm

  My wife drove this 2016 Explorer for about 10 months and put only 5500 miles on it. A couple weeks ago, the vehicle lost power in the middle of a busy intersection. Luckily, my wife was able to pull to the side of the road without being clobbered by another car. The now infamous "wrench" light came on and the vehicle would only idle at about 2 mph. No response to the gas peddle. We had the vehicle towed to the Ford dealer. They told us it was a issue with the software that controls the electronic throttle. The dealer flashed some new control code and called it good. The vehicle has exhibited some strange quirks, like an erratic idle at stop lights, since getting the new software. Took it back to the dealer, but they insist it can take up to 500 miles before the computer learns our driving style again and that it will start acting normal sooner or later. My wife wont drive the vehicle anymore. I dont blame her. What if the vehicle loses power again turning left in front of a semi or trying to pass someone on a two lane road. Ive been a Ford man my whole life, but I think thats about to change. Thinking hard about trading in the 2016 Explorer on a Four Runner.

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  Unfulfilling - 2000 Ford Focus
  By snabdangler - September 5 - 10:00 am

  Bought brand new, now at 118K, at the time there wasnt many options for a small wagon. Reliability has been AWFUL. O2 sensor is always malfunctioning ..check engine light can only be off for a week or so, learned to live with. Many expensive parts; ABS sensor, calipers, wiring, wheel bearings, front suspension. Now tranny starting to act weird, also many recalls have been tiresome (lost track, at least 10 of them). Perhaps Ford has worked out the problems, they now offer longer warantee, (we had 3 yr, 36k mile), but I dont appreciate paying to be a tester. Interior is cheap, stereo is cheap. Cup holders, WHO CARES? (they are bad though). Seats are like boards.

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  NOT for use on gravel roads!!! - 2016 Ford Fusion
  By Kris L - August 29 - 3:16 pm

  This car is probably great if you never drive on gravel roads. Unfortunately, I drive on gravel everyday. This car sits very low to the ground. I have even had trouble with scraping the bottom on sudden rises when driving in town. On gravel, I have to be extremely careful not to drag the car when driving over ruts or potholes. Even worse, this car is very prone to getting gravel stuck in the rotors, causing a loud, irritating, screeching noise. This started for the first time when I had around 400 miles on the car. I now have less than 3000 miles on the car, and I have had this problem several times since. A week ago, it got so bad that I finally had it checked out because I was afraid there was something more wrong with the car than just a rock stuck in the rotor. I took it in to the dealer and, sure enough, there was a piece of gravel stuck in the rotor, causing the car to screech. I had the rotors cleaned, at my own expense, as the warranty wouldnt cover it. Today, one week later, I hopped in the car and guess what, its screeching again!!! Very frustrating to have to deal with this with a brand-new car. I dont understand what it is about this car that is causing this problem. I have always driven on gravel roads daily, and I have always done so in a car this size or smaller, but have never had problems like this before. If I had known that I would be listening to this car screech before it had even had its first oil change, I would NEVER have bought it! If you live on a gravel road, keep shopping!

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  Good SUV short on "Quality is Job 1" - 1999 Ford Explorer
  By hwydave - August 8 - 2:00 am

  The vehicle was bought new, for the end of model year vehicle. There are some rust under the car, nothing major but annoying. The dealer wont fix under warranty since it "did not rust through" as require under the warranty criteria for repair. I order the rustproof paint through internet and took care the rust myself. The vehicle got some rattle once in a while; the dealership has been very good at fixing these "recurring" issues. The dealership service has been OK – The dealer does not know what tires are qualify under the Firestone tire replacement campaign; I know more about this issue then the dealership by simply go to the information from Fords company website.

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  just dont like it - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By tbogg - July 31 - 10:00 am

  wish I would have gotten a different mini van. Am very disappointed in the freestar. What a waste of money