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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  Beautiful design, but it better be your second car - 2013 Ford Mustang
  By 1happycamper - February 2 - 9:45 pm

  We purchased the 2013 Ford Mustang GT in August of 2012. It is beautifully built, nicely detailed, has the Sync system which allows hands-free calling and streaming of Pandora, etc. However, the comfort of the car is horrible!! If this is your play car only, it might work. But if you have to drive this car any distance, forget it. You can definitely feel the road, but not in a good way. Every bump hurts after a little while. And forget trying to drive it in the rain...yikes! So Ford, you did a beautiful job in making a nice car, but the comfort factor made us sell the car within 3 months.

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  Nice upgrade.....you think? - 2012 Ford Fusion
  By basterisk - February 1 - 1:47 pm

  Bought the 2012 Ford Fusion SEL FWD 3.0L V6 certified pre-owned, have been driving it a little over a month now. Previous vehicle was a 98 Dakota pickup, so yes lol, quite a difference. I love the driving experience.....handles great, nice acceleration when the higher revs achieved, especially using the manual automatic mode. Comfortable, quiet, pleasant leather interior, enjoyable sound system. I look forward to driving it each day. A few complaints, for no vehicle is perfect. The transmission can shift awkwardly at times, especially in mid-RPMs. Rear visibility takes getting used to, and windshield rear-view mirror gets in the way when looking right. Glad i got the car......

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  Gas pump nozzle sticking in tank - 2013 Ford Escape
  By dentonl - February 1 - 1:30 pm

  Twice the gas pump nozzle has stuck in my tank. Ive reported to my dealer. Theyve also had the same issue with the 2013 Ford Escape. Luckily I was able to forcefully get out but the dealer had to have BP oil company dismantle the pumps to get out of the cars tank. The BP dealer reported they know of 14 cases in the St Louis area of this happening. Ive reported this to Ford customer service and waiting on a response. I know this has to have happened to others but they think that they have done something wrong as I did. I have a 2011 Fusion that this is not an issue. The dealer told me to not stick the pump in the car over an inch. This is really an issue to keep the pump on.

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  A Must Have Car! - 2013 Ford Focus
  By policemustang - February 1 - 11:23 am

  I recently purchase a brand new Ford Focus Titanium. I am very happy and would recommend this vehicle to anyone looking for a cool-looking ride with great fuel mileage in mind. My car has everything except for a moon roof. Its a little tight on room but you must consider that I am 304 lbs. So, of course its going to be snug. Everything works great and the transmission shifts just fine. Its quiet and smooth and in my honest opinion, the best Focus that Ford has ever produced. Purchased at: Mac Haik Ford-Lincoln in Georgetown , Texas. The Titanium package is the way to go! Or as an alternative, choose the SE model with the 201A option package.

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  The best non-turbo hatchback available. - 2012 Ford Focus
  By redcomet - February 1 - 1:57 am

  I purchased a 12 Focus SE Sport hatchback with the manual MTX-75 5-speed transmission and 17-inch option wheels, 203A package in May of 2012, and so far am very satisfied with the car. At the price point ($20k), its an extremely competent little car. The engine has a lot of get up and go (with the TCS off especially), excellent handling, a great gearbox, and a very refined ride. The car regularly returns a combined fuel economy over 30mpg average, and Ive gotten nearly 40mpg on the highway. The stock ContiProCotact Continental 215/50/17 tires are alright, though theyre holding up surprisingly well in a Northeast winter. Overall, a very fun, affordable, chuckable car. Kudos to Ford

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  I want to love it again! - 2006 Ford Fusion
  By mom2de - January 31 - 9:35 pm

  We bought this car 10 months ago after searching for 4 months for a car we liked and could afford. I read the reviews and saw the tranny flags go up!Take extended warranty. About 5-6 months ago I called the dealer to say our car was dry on oil.I wont even get into that dealership on here. Last week my car was bucking and shifting hard! Powertrain/transmission light came on and went off. Got it into dealership! 5 oil leaks! Needs a control arm as well. Thankful we took out the extended warranty because it now sits at shop with expensive repairs. Dealer says thats why it was bucking. Well we will see when I get it back.I am told by people oil leaks wont cause transmission to buck! well see

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  Very Pleased - 2012 Ford Explorer
  By whereismyhair - January 31 - 8:26 pm

  I am really happy with my Explorer. I think it is a good looking vehicle, I get 23 mph even when the 4wd is on (I live in the UP of Michigan and use it in the snow), and I like how it drives. The speed control with the auto slow down is great and it helped stop me when a car recently stopped suddenly in front of me on the highway. I have towed with it, filled it with a very large light item and many smaller heavy items and still it drives fine. I traded a F150 for it and dont regret doing it.

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  An overall Great car - 2008 Ford Escape
  By j3rry - January 31 - 10:22 am

  I had this 2008 vehicle as a company car. I was fortune enough to have no financial association with this vehicle. I rode it hard, and put it away wet all the time. I found that this vehicle stood up to my abuse extremely well. I did have some problems with it. warranty fixed most of them. they replaced something that leaked (Cant remember what, sorry) and my acceleration pedal failed on me once around 15,000km. This was repaired.

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  Do NOT buy a 2002 Ford Explorer!!! - 2002 Ford Explorer
  By joseph980 - January 30 - 8:53 pm

  The 2002 Ford Explorer is junk! Even Ford will not stand behind it. Lets see: New Transmission ($3k), new front and back timing tensioners ($2700), new wheel bearings ($400 each), new wheel springs ($400 each), new window regulators ($380 each), new back window ($800), new 4X4 module ($500), new fuel pump ($750), front suspenion things, work on the electrical system several times ($$), new O2 sensor, etc, etc. Its paid for but the problems started around 80K miles. Ford really made a POS. I know I am forgetting some repairs, there were too many. Quality is NOT job #1 at Ford. Time to buy foreign.

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  The 2013 Focus - Great Car - 2013 Ford Focus
  By 48hours - January 30 - 12:32 pm

  We have owned the Focus for one month and it has proven to be a great car to this point. We have had none of the transmission problems we read about in other reviews. The vehicle we have was manufactored in December of 2012. The car is very responsive and has very good fuel mileage and is near the advertised MPG. The controls are easy to reach and clearly displayed. Ours does not have the navigation system, but all other functions have had no problems.