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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  Lesson learned - 2002 Ford Explorer
  By critter - September 4 - 1:40 am

  WE have owned this vehicle, with many problems. I noticed that the rear differential was not right from the start, but the dealership told us everything was fine each service. This is a known problem with this model year and warranty coverage is questionable. There are other problems known to Ford with this model and unknown to the consumer! We have 50K miles on it; 4 years old and now they surface after numerous complaints. I am not happy and will NEVER buy Ford again!

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  I love my Freestyle - 2005 Ford Freestyle
  By Romana Primus - September 3 - 6:20 pm

  I havent really loved a vehicle for 2 decades! My Freestyle drives beautifully. The CVT transmission is great - you dont feel it shifting. We had two snow storms in the past 5 days, and my AWD enables me to drive effortlessly over the snow; I drove easily through my unplowed driveway yesterday, over 5-6 inches of snow. The seats fold down with a simple tug on a wide, clearly marked loop at the back of the seat. I can do it with one hand, while holding packages in the other. The 3rd row seats are slightly higher than the front seats, so people sitting there have good visibility. All that and the Volvo safety cage body! I also like the storage module on top of the dash

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  This Pony has more than one trick! - 2015 Ford Mustang
  By Dave - September 2 - 11:06 pm

  I bought this car in July 2015; traded in a 2014 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X MR. The Evo was a rocket on wheels, but the Mustang is a true GT car (Grand Tourer/Gran Tourismo). Id subjectively rate this car as about 4.7, but theres no decimal in the star rating. I had test driven a 2010 GT, and HATED it. The engine was great, but the rest of the car was junk. It FELT cheap (brand new, rattled and squeaked, and only had about 15 miles on the odo). It did NOT like corners. At all. When the back end tries to beat the front around a corner, thats not a good thing. The interior was horrible, CHEAP plastic EVERYWHERE. That car had one trick ... go fast in a straight line, hoping the thing didnt vibrate apart along the way. The 2015 is several orders of magnitude better than the 2010, hands down! Particulars: The Mustang GT Coupe with a 6 spd manual has plenty of get up and go. Is it the fastest car out there? No. But, with 435 bhp on tap, it WILL move. It accelerated faster off the line than the Evo. The track functions are fun to play with in an empty parking lot, or a deserted mountain road. The brakes on this car are incredible! Gotta be really careful, as they grab FAST and HARD. There is pretty much no fade through use. So far, as for road-holding, you have to work to make it lose traction. Seriously. Taking some of the curves on the highways in Phoenix at 80+ mph is almost, dare I say it, yawn-inducing! No fuss, no muss, no worries at all. Steering is precise, and there is decent feel in the wheel. Its not like the old manual steering days, but you can still tell whats going on up front. The front seats are REALLY comfortable! I did a 16 hour road trip, only stopping for gas, and I didnt end up with any fatigue or discomfort while driving. The bolsters are good at keeping you where you need to be without being painfully intrusive like Recaros can be. Rear seats ... good for small people. I mean SMALL. Three feet or less. At 6 4", no "car" is easy to get into or out of. Trucks, yes. Cars? No. However, for average height people, entry/exit is a breeze. Ford did a really good job with the noise dampening. The stock exhaust has a pleasant, albeit quiet, growl at highway speeds. However, tire noise on worn tires can be a bit intrusive, but not obnoxiously so. Ride comfort ... see above about the 16 hour road trip. There are sufficient cubbies to lose stuff in. The instrumentation is clear and easy to read most of the time. There are occasions when the auto setting for lighting is less than ideal, like exiting a tunnel. The dash is pretty dark at that point and you may not be able to read the instruments until the lights kick back off. The interior is well laid-out and the controls are easily within reach. Commonly used controls are in good spots. The materials used are generally MUCH better than in previous generation Mustangs, but dont expect a Rolls Royce or Bentley. The radio is pretty good. I dont have navigation, but getting my phone hooked up to Sync was pretty easy. There are two USB ports for connecting/charging devices, or you could stream audio via BT. Climate controls are easily reached and used, and the heater/A/C both work well. The only niggling little things that I find annoying are a rattle that has developed behind the center dash stack, and the tendency of the transmission to be a bit balky shifting into 6th. Otherwise, I think this car really does follow the spirit or intent of a GT (Grand Tourer/Gran Tourismo) vehicle. It has power, comfort, poise, and style without getting into cartoonish or boy racer realms. While this car may have been marketed to a younger audience, it should also appeal to folks over 40 who dont have to worry about kids in the back seat. It can represent on the track as well as devour long miles in comfort. This is probably THE best Mustang Ford has ever produced! The early models in the 60s were great, but thanks to 50 years of evolution, these are just better in pretty much every way. It aint perfect, but it aint far from it, either. EDIT: Corrected a couple of grammatical issues. Also, wanted to add that, for the price (mine was just over $32K), you really cant beat it. The Evo was $47K! I would seriously recommend you check this car out before going for pricier European options, or even other American options. Ive driven Challengers and was not impressed. I drove an older Camaro (2011), and like it, but I like my Mustang better. Its not gonna be for everyone, but it should be tested before being removed from consideration!

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  Just Right - 2004 Ford Explorer
  By Lee D. - September 2 - 6:33 pm

  This is just right for most SUV buyers. Overall quality vs cost makes it a good value. Started looking at the Escapes, went up to the Explorer because of the interior noise and less space. Then went to the XLT for the moon roof. Then added the 3rd row seating. Spent a little more, but think its worth it. Look forwar to the 4WD this winter.

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  Avoid! - 2011 Ford Edge
  By Ferjen - September 2 - 3:54 am

  Our Edge Limited is only 6 years old. Immediately after the warranty, the backup camera somehow inverted the image upside down. Cost would be hundreds to fix, so we never fixed. Ffwd to today, the car started sputtering on my wife and then shut down in the middle of an intersection. Ford tells us the entire engine seized up and will cost almost $7000 to repair! That is insane for a 6 year old car. And worse, they cannot tell us the cause without tearing it apart. The car was just serviced a month ago for an oil change and the brakes were just serviced 3 days ago. We gave the car 1 star for everything because a comfortable safe car is useless if YOU CANNOT DRIVE IT!

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  SVT Lemon - 2003 Ford Mustang
  By Trae - September 2 - 2:00 am

  Unfortunately, I would recommend against purchasing this car. The transmission has been serviced 6 times since purchase and the convertible top, twice. The car left me on the road the second day I had it. To make matters worse, Don Bohn Ford refused to repair the car. Currently, the car is pending replacement from the Ford Arbitration board and I may have to seek an attorney to replace it.

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  Dependable racer - 2000 Ford Mustang
  By Kimgrlrcr - September 2 - 2:00 am

  I have had my car for 3 years now and I love it now as much as I did when I bought it. I still get compliments on a car that is now 4 years old

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  Awesomeness - 1999 Ford Escort
  By Fajita - September 2 - 2:00 am

  I like my little Ford Escort. Its extremely reliable, and its fun to drive.

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  fun truck - 2001 Ford F-150
  By dougmrusty - September 2 - 2:00 am

  Love this truck. Been my favorite vehicle to own. Great for light duty activities such as hunting, towing boat/trailer, hauling rock/refuse/bark/dirt. Great road trip vehicle w/ 4 door super crew cab and bed extender. Can pack average size family, gear and dog with no problem. Handles great off road and build quality has been very good.

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  Impressed - 2004 Ford Taurus
  By Cory Teff - September 2 - 2:00 am

  I bought the Taurus for its five star crash safety record, and Im very impressed with its handling and styling.