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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  333,000+ and still goin hard! - 1997 Ford Expedition
  By chrischris71 - January 1 - 11:19 pm

  Bought this truck at 300,000 miles with a cracked radiator. Only real maintenance done to this truck is a new radiator, new alternator, one new coil pack, and some gaskets and seals. Before we started playing around with it it got about 17 city 20-25 highway. After putting a 2.5 inch suspension and 2.5 inch body lift its down to about 10 city and 15-17 highway. Mine is actually the 5.4L Triton V8. Soon the driver side A-frame will need replacing and the passenger side rotor needs to be replaced.

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  Built to LAST - 2007 Ford Expedition
  By stjohns - December 31 - 3:06 pm

  Ride comfort is best in class. Engine is strong & dependable. Cargo & passenger room is outstanding. This is my 2nd Expedition. I may never sale it.

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  Not my favorite but Im thankful - 2008 Ford Focus
  By lad87nek - December 31 - 2:02 pm

  Bought this car with 47k miles. Im at 104k now. This car was always dependable as far as starting each morning and getting me where Im going. Now when it came to the doors always opening or buttons that cost 250 bucks to replace breaking... well that was my experience with my focus. The back door mechanisms completely fell apart FOUR times in 2 years. Also had problems with buttons and knobs breaking. My last car was a 1992 and didnt wear down those things so fast. Talk about cheap. But what wasnt cheap was to fix the things that broke. I will say that I was involved in a rollover accident with my focus and totaled it. Rolled it 3 times and walked away unscathed.

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  No heat in the back seats - 2013 Ford Escape
  By jriley3 - December 31 - 10:14 am

  I am very pleased with my vehicle. It handles well and is great on gas. The only problems I have are there are no cupholders or vents for heat amd AC for the back seats. When you live in Maryland, which gets really cold and hot, there is a need for cool air and heat, especially for small children, who now have to sit with blankets across their legs until the spring. I was told by Ford to use the vents from the front and turn them toward the back. Thanks Ford!!! Who would think to check for vents in the back seats when purchasing a car? I thought it was a standard. So the new thing is to pay more and get additional vents in our vehicles to keep our children warm? Really?!

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  Awesome!!! - 2012 Ford Fusion
  By sacred007 - December 31 - 1:09 am

  This is my forth car. And i really enjoyed driving the car. With maximum power, comfort and reliability and falling in love with my car. The stereo system is superb. The build quality is appreciable. Ive reached 0-120kmph in under 12s which is very good from my point of view. The ambient lighting gives me a fresh look inside the compartment. I drove around 1000 kms a day once, which i couldnt feel any tiredness. Microsoft SYNC is also a good feature in which i can call, change music while am driving.

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  On a different plane... - 2013 Ford Explorer
  By keboss302 - December 30 - 9:39 pm

  Having considered an Explorer Limited since the 2011 redesign, my wife and I are glad to have waited a couple of years for the Explorer Sport. Trading off a 2007 V8 Explorer XLT, the Sports Ecoboost V6 and Taurus SHO driving dynamics made us completely forget the V8. This is a fully modern, refined and fun-to-drive vehicle that exists on a completely different plane from the body-on-frame Explorers of yore. Its tight, solid, carefully constructed and (to our eyes) very handsome. The dual-panel glass roof, ambient lighting and Star Trek dash layout create an interesting and special interior environment, especially at night. It feels upscale for a Ford. And at nearly $49K, it should!

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  On the road again - 2012 Ford Fiesta
  By spikes1gambit - December 30 - 2:18 pm

  I bought this car new in Feb and have since put over 15,000 miles on it. Ive been through the desert, up over the continental divide, over hills, through woods and stuck in traffic. Average Commute is 38 mpg, Ive hit up to 44 on the hwy. THe back seat is a little cramped and the arm rest is wimpy, other than that, I love hitting the road in my car.

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  3013 Escape SEL 2.0 EcoBoost - 2013 Ford Escape
  By yblockv8 - December 29 - 2:07 pm

  Have had this car for 7 weeks. After 900 miles on the odometer we drove it from our home in Las Vegas to Phoenix and as we entered Sun City the car recorded 30.2 MPG and there are plenty of hills to go up and down. Around Vegas were constantly seeing 24-24.5 MPG. Power is awesome! We keep pretty much to the posted speed limit and use cruise control when applicable. I have no idea WHY other 2013 Escape owners complain about poor economy. Keep in mind this car weighs over 4,000 lbs. We drove Expeditions for 12 years (2 of them) and always got 20 MPG on the same trip.

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  Ford Does Not Support - 2009 Ford Flex
  By jstaples15 - December 28 - 7:15 pm

  I have a 2009 Ford Flex that was involved in an accident with a deer. According to the repair shop, there is a necessary part that is needed on the vehicle, P/N 8A8Z16138A, that is not in production and not available anywhere in the US. I contacted Ford Motor Co. several times and they have informed me that they have no planned date for production, due to tooling issues. Their stand on the issue is that it is not their problem. I have exhausted all contacts and Ford has no answer when my car may be drivable again.

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  2012 fusion built as well as the 1959 fairlane - 2012 Ford Fusion
  By dvenesky - December 28 - 2:23 pm

  this car is of the same build as the 1959 ford fairlane 500 that i owned years ago. but it has updated technology that makes it a great buy in the market today. very limber on curves for a 4 dr serdan and very quiet. traded my malibu ltz for it and glad i did as it rides much better on long trips and handles better as well . no a lick of trouble in 10 months . love the car