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:

• 

  poor customer service - 2013 Ford Escape
  By phx13 - April 3 - 11:06 pm

  bought brand new Escape. at just over a 1000 miles the car died. would not start. called dealer bought car from they offered me a free oil change, and stated what a great deal I got. they did not address the issue the car would not start. called road side service, got a jump start. went to a Ford dealer close. they only charged battery for 3 hours, refused to run a diagnostic. Called Ford Corporate office, their rep told us if the car kept having problems just keep taking it back in.

• 

  Absolute piece of garbage - 2003 Ford Focus
  By invisiblekid87 - April 3 - 1:45 pm

  Bought the car back in 2011, used, about 65,000 miles on it. I should be able to get some life out of it, right? Wrong. About 4 months later, the alternator had to be changed. Figured that was normal - took it for inspection in June of 2012 - needed a tune-up. Then - the ignition started sticking, got to the point where I was coming out of a hair appointment and the car would not start. Had to call a mechanic - $400 dollars to get the ignition fixed! Now - the batterys drained and my transmission is sticking. I have no clue how much its gonna be, but the car has been sitting in the driveway for about 3 months and I refuse to put another dime into it. Good riddance.

• 

  08 Escape 4 cyl Auto Great MPGs for SUV! Very reliable - 2008 Ford Escape
  By dalebass3 - April 3 - 9:16 am

  We bought our escape with 46k on it and have put 40k on it since. It is a great vehicle for a small family. We are about to have a second child so we are thinking about upsizing a little. These old style boxy SUVs have more room than the newer crossovers I think. Only problem we had was when there was a carbon build up on the throttle body that was making it hard to press the gas. That was easily fixed with some carb cleaner.

• 

  97 Ranger 4cyl 5 speed still runs great 143k - 1997 Ford Ranger
  By dalebass3 - April 3 - 8:56 am

  I bought this truck 2 years ago. I knew it needed a slave cylinder just didnt realize it was inside the tranny. So I had a mechanic buddy do it and replace the clutch and rear main seal while he was at it. Has run great since. Only problem is the A/C. It wasnt working when I got it. Found a big hole in the condenser and then it worked for a couple days but then sprung a new leak in another line with the new found pressure. This seems to be a pretty common problem. Engine runs great for its age. I see a ton of these on the road

• 

  Stock doesnt get any better - 2014 Ford Mustang
  By dkurtz42 - April 3 - 6:18 am

  I made the mistake of test driving the GT after owning an older V6 mustang. Night and day difference in terms of performance. Without trying you can get your pulse up in just a sec. Not just a straight line car though. Very tight and handles great through the turns. Wasnt looking for the premium package, but the refinement was quite nice. Very comfortable leather seats and nice materials throughout. Gave what I thought was a long shot offer to the dealer and they accepted without even countering. Very pleased with several thousand off MSRP with one of the first 2014s out of the factory. Great fun to drive, plus I can still get around 25 mpg on the highway. Looking forward to driving more.

• 

  So far so good - 2000 Ford Focus
  By dperry25 - April 2 - 9:00 pm

  Got car in August 2011 with only 48,000 miles. 8 months and 10,000 miles later and Ive had no issues. I have a pretty basic model with an automatic transmission. Gas mileage is good. Especially on the highway. I can fill the car up and the gauge doesnt even start to move for 78 miles. Ive gotten a little over 370 miles to a tank with mixed city/highway driving. Ive yet to drive it on a long trip but Im sure it would easily go over 400 miles! My only concern with the car comes from what I read on the internet. I have the SOHC engine, aka SPI (split port injection) and according to the internet, they tend to drop valve seats. Im hoping this doesnt happen to me. I love my Focus.

• 

  Nice minivan - 1999 Ford Windstar
  By yermom123 - April 1 - 5:05 pm

  Its a good car, when the transmission works. I have had to replace it 3 times. Honestly it drives really smooth! 200,000 miles and just took it to Nashville, Tennesse which is about a 12 hour drive from my house. Does well in the snow. I have had it for 14 years and no major problems except the tranny. It is very confortable. I am 6ft and 275 pounds and am very comfortable driving it. I feel really safe driving my kids in it with the triple 5 star crash test rating. Would recommend this vehicle, but make sure the tranny is good first!

• 

  Very reliable vehicle! - 2000 Ford Focus
  By yermom123 - April 1 - 4:54 pm

  Very reliable! I have had my Ford Focus for 12 years and had never had a major problem! Awesome gas milage at 32 mpg. I am six foot 270 pounds and it is a very confortable for me. My kids who are 5 ft. 5in. and 5ft. 6in. sat in the back seat for three hours driving to detriot with no complants. Has 200,000 miles on it and it still runs good. For its age it is still very stylish. Takes my wife to work 30 miles a day and only have to fill up the gas tank once a week. I would strongly recommend this car. Just gave it away for a 2009 chevy tahoe

• 

  so far so good - 2012 Ford Mustang
  By spbonus - April 1 - 4:01 pm

  I bought my mustang premium v6 with the MCA package new. I have had it for 15 months (15,000 miles). So far no issues. The car runs perfectly smooth and powerful. This is my second new mustang and this one is a huge improvement over the last one. Much more fun to drive, 305hp is sweet, brake and handling is a lot better also. On the highway I can get 30mpg. The 6th gear is a little weak so I rarely get to 6th gear unless I am coasting on the highway. Ford sync works really well with my iPhone. I have the manual and the cup holder is useless since I need the room to shift gear. I would recommend this car to anyone who enjoy driving (fast and fun) but doesn’t need a lot of room since

• 

  2011 Explorer - 2011 Ford Explorer
  By tdbmd - April 1 - 3:34 pm

  We traded in a GMC Yukon XL for a new Explorer XLT. This SUV has better seats, ride and handling. There is a bit more road noise on some surfaces. It is surprisingly good in the snow/ice. Especially given the all season type tires. We have had a few issues with the Sync/My Touch system, but all have resolved with the software upgrades. The engine is good, with fairly good power but you have to rev it to get to the powerband, which seems to be the case with many of the new V-6s these days. Gas mileage is very good for a AWD vehicle. Just returned from a 1500 mile trip and averaged 24 mpg with mostly interstate at 70 mph. Back seats are comfortable.