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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  Economical and Reliable - 2008 Ford Fusion
  By dw1234511 - December 14 - 2:27 pm

  Ive been driving my 2008 fusion for about 2 years, purchased in Sept. 2010 from the dealer at 38k miles. It now has about 60k miles on it. I judge a vehicle based on number of maintenance issues. I have had 0 issues during my time of ownership, therefore the car has met my expectations. Its a very nice sedan and gets about 31 mpg on the highway. I would recommend the Fusion to a prospective buyer.

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  Too many problems to list, buy anything else! - 2000 Ford Explorer
  By jimbo28max - December 14 - 5:40 am

  I am sure that any positive review is from a Ford dealer or someone who has an interest in selling one. Because this car is probably the biggest pile of junk ever built. The biggest problem is that the dealer cant even fix them. I am on my third transmission. If you look online you will see that they all have the same known problem. I get a random check engine light that comes back as "bad shift solenoids". Dealer changer shift solenoids . and it was not the problem. Shifting problem misteriously went away for 1 yr and is now back. In true FORD fashion nerf bars rusted and literally fell off of the car, EGR rusted through and caused all kinds of problems, bad mass airflow sensor, etc

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  Dream Car come true... - 2013 Ford Mustang
  By lemuria81 - December 13 - 10:37 pm

  I bought the 2011 v6 Mustang coupe due to the many refinements and was very happy with it, but I had bought the base model and was wanting a convertible. There was enough refinements in looks and performance, as well as features that got me to trade in my 2011 for a 2013. This is the first time I have ever owned a convertible so it is a new experience for me. I think everyone should own a convertible at least once in their life! I got the premium auto with pony package, all leather and sync. The drive is much better than the 2011 and the looks are more masculine on the 2013 than the 2011. Even with the V6, there is enough power to do what you want!

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  Driving on SNOW STORMS - 1996 Ford Explorer
  By udarab88 - December 13 - 5:54 pm

  This is not a good SUV to drive on heavy snow high ways. Specially 4x4. I spinned twice and hit on the edge of the highway safety guards. I was driving 30mph on a 70mph road. Please use 2 wheel drive on high ways when its really bad on roads.

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  Just keeps going and going..... - 1994 Ford F-150
  By f1504eva - December 13 - 3:22 pm

  The more I read the horror stories of new and late model vehicles, the more I love my 1994 F150. At 18 yrs old (with reg maint) it just never lets me down. Its nothing fancy and i do use it for what it was intended for, but with just regular maint, it doesnt cost me a fortune to operate. It is a 5 litre V8 XLT 2wd reg cab with an 8 ft box and is my daily driver and I just love the design of the 1992-96 F150s. l also love the looks of the 04 and later F150s, but after reading consumer reviews here on Edmunds, i think Ill stick to my Ol Reliable trusty "94. Just like they say....they dont make em like they used to. Old Fords never die, they just keep going and going.....

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  Best bang.... - 2003 Ford Mustang
  By machlover - December 13 - 1:54 am

  I have owned a 2001 V6, 2004 GT and the Mach and there is a world of difference between the v6 and GT but the Mach is in a class of its own when compared to the GT. This includes the extensive upgrades made to the GT compared to a stock Mach. Of the dozens of vehicles I have owned and driven the Mach is by far the best bang for the buck. I traded in the Gt for the Mach in 2007 and the Mach is paid off and worth more than I paid for it, needless to say this is a rarity in the automobile market but it seems the Mach is still a car that people appreciate. I have upgraded it with just the normal bolt on parts and it performs perfectly. This is the 1st vehicle I know I will keep indefinitely.

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  Holds up well in an accident - 2010 Ford Fusion
  By fusion5 - December 12 - 8:39 pm

  The vehicle was rear-ended by a Mazda CX-7 traveling in excess of 40 mph while stationary, waiting to turn left at a red light (traffic had backed up into a lane of travel). The trunk was destroyed and the front clip was beat up front impacting the car in front of me, but other than that car held up surprisingly well (the seat gave a lot, and the large head restraints prevented what should have otherwise been a serious case of whiplash).

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  2013 Ford Fusion S - 2013 Ford Fusion
  By flbntz - December 12 - 10:43 am

  Just picked up my 2013 Ford Fusion S last night. Traded 2011 Toyota Camry Base. Two totally different cars. Toyota was easy to live with, invisible. Not quite as reliable as I expected from a Toyota, but still not a bad car. Ford Fusion is smaller, sports sedan. Wow. Excellent build quality. Solid thunk when you close the doors, or trunk. I got white, and its a beauty. Find myself laughing when I drive it. Feel a little guilty. Havent had this much fun since I was nineteen. Home run, Ford.

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  This car has been amazing! I will miss it! - 2002 Ford Focus
  By tara82 - December 11 - 5:20 pm

  I have had this car for 8 years, it has been amazing, I was actually looking to see what the reviews of my car were like to know whether to take other car model/brand reviews with a grain of salt. I figured that many reviews would be from angry consumers whom may not have had the average experience with their vehicles. It seems that way to me so far because I have so little issues with this car that I am actually scared to sell it, but we are running out of space and planning to have a second child, so -we need a bigger vehicle. Our car has 165K and still runs great. I found it had less serious/cheaper repairs than our 1990 toyota tercel.

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  Transmission Problems - 2006 Ford F-150
  By hphcanalfulton - December 11 - 7:41 am

  The transmissions are junk in these trucks and Ford Motors will not even acknowledge that there is a problem with their design. A person with a normal job making less than $40,000 a year cannot afford both maintenance and the payment on one of these trucks.