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:

• 

  Ill be buying another one! - 2008 Ford Fusion
  By PB - August 12 - 11:41 am

  Ive had my Fusion for almost five years now and other than maintenance that comes around 90,000 miles, I havent had to do anything to it besides routine maintenance. We recently got into an accident, running into a stopped Ford F150 going about 60 mph--complete front impact. I am more in love with this car after the accident because of the fact that we all walked away with minor injuries, with my 13 month old having none. Now looking for my replacement car, Im looking for another Fusion. The car is roomy, comfortable, and the trunk has a TON of space. Great gas mileage and an overall great, safe car.

• 

  not your casa ford - 2012 Ford Explorer
  By sal - August 9 - 5:31 pm

  Bought it on 2013 had 7k on it,first thing cooling fans went out about a week after I got it had to wait for parts 3 weeks. Next the windows front, shudder when opening and squeal,have had regulators replaced but have had to return at least 5 times so they upgraded my warranty to 70 k because they cant find a solution to the windows. The brakes were recalled took them in replaced but still squeak, dealer said nothing they can do,now power steering has a recall, and before this, instrument panel at times turns off, trim panels on front windshield had to be replaced for noise ,but I still have a window squeal and shudder which there is no repairs for it yet,oh and now the inside door handles are on safety recall, I think ford has really earned its name for "Fix Or Repair Daily"

• 

  1997 FORD CONTOUR GL 48000 MILES FOR $2400 - 1997 Ford Contour
  By ponc1 - August 9 - 1:30 pm

  Picked up the 1997 Ford Contour GL with only 48000 miles for $2400. Found it on Craigslist and the ad had it for $1995. It was mistake because the dealer I spoke to said it should of been $2995. When I brought a copy of the ad they had to honor the sale of the price. The dealer said I got this for a steal and since they didnt want to get in any legal trouble they took my cashiers check right away. The Contour runs great. The interior is in excellent condition. I am happy with my Contour. Just good luck I found this car. There lost is my gain.

• 

  Great Vehicle - 2008 Ford Edge
  By Bill - August 7 - 7:50 am

  Vehicle currently has 180,000 miles on it and has been an amazing car. Mechanically, no major problems have ever arose. I did have to do the rear wheel bearings at 150k. Besides that and your typical brakes, tires, and tune ups car has been flawless. It does have good power and excellent AWD system. Does great in northern Wisconsin winters. I drive about 60% hwy and average just over 21 mpg with aggressive driving, so gas mileage isnt great but worth it with the quality of the vehicle. Highly recommend if youre looking for an AWD crossover thats well built.

• 

  Versitile Economy. - 2005 Ford Focus
  By Devon Nelson - August 6 - 10:19 am

  I bought my 05 ZX5 back in 2013 with 76k on the clock, it now has 93k and nothing major has gone wrong.The worst problem being the driver side rear door lock going out, I bought a used part and replaced it myself. I wish the fuel economy was better I seem to get 28mpg max but other then that the hatch has allowed me to haul big items and 4 doors make passengers getting in easier. My friend got a brand new Fiesta ST and its a pain to get in and out of and the car feels downright claustrophobic despite being a great deal faster. The Focus is a great used car bargain.

• 

  Everything breaks after warranty expires - 2011 Ford Fusion
  By monique - August 6 - 5:22 am

  my air broke about 2000 miles after warranty expired along with my rack an pinion breaks. Then my latch to open my drivers door. This caris driven by a single driver.

• 

  Love iy - 2015 Ford F-150
  By A - August 5 - 6:25 pm

  Past several years Ive bought a different truck every year or so. But this seems to be my favorite so far. Love the ride, fuel economy, power, and its a great looking truck.

• 

  My 2nd Ford Focus - 2013 Ford Focus
  By TNugent - August 1 - 7:10 pm

  My 2013 Ford Focus SE hatchback is a terrific vehicle. We still have our 2001 Ford Focus ZX3 hatchback - 250,000+ miles and still a very reliable vehicle. Both are manual 5-speed transmission. The 2013 performs well in acceleration, road handling and on ice/snow. The only complaint i have about the 2013 SE hatchback is the quality of the "cargo cover". Its been falling apart (on the ends/connection) since a few weeks after I purchased the vehicle in August, 2013. I sent a note to Ford Motor Co never received a response. It gets 28-35 mpg normally the max mpg was about 50 mpg when driving a country highway for 30-40 miles at 50 mph. Overall, I like the head room/leg room for driver/front passenger, sunroof works well I purchased the winter package. Overall satisfaction is 9.5 out of 10.0 (due to cargo cover being poorly designed/materials).

• 

  A lot of bang for the small truck buck!!! - 2003 Ford Ranger
  By BillD - July 31 - 3:56 pm

  Ive owned my 2003 4 door super cab tremor edition edge ranger since it was new. The truck rides like a Cadillac on the highway and it aint so bad on a dirt road. Ive owned S10s with the Vortec 4.3 litre V6 and I swear I dont see a lot of difference in my Rangers 3.0 power plant. The truck will pull a heavier load that the S10s ever thought of. The sport side is just plain sexy to look at and the alloy wheels that came on the truck are good enough that Ive never thought about custom wheels for this truck. It hauls what I need it to in the back bed including all my camping gear and 4 Wheeler. Ive pulled heavy loads up hills through crappy roads ect and it does a wonderful job. I just rolled 202,000 on the odometer and the only thing Ive done to this truck is change the oil, plugs and wires and air filters. Its a little beast of a truck and if you take care of it itll take care of you. I live in Georgia and I wouldnt be afraid to fire her up and drive to Vegas because I know she will get me home. The only complaint I have is the jump seats in the back. Forget hauling 4 grown ups in the cab but two adults ride in comfort. I!m 63" and it fits me well. I highly recommend this truck as a definite buy if you find a good used one. They last forever.

• 

  Perfect Car for Me - 2013 Ford Taurus
  By LouA - July 31 - 2:05 pm

  Ive had a BUNCH of cars - a little fickle. Most of them have been Fords, not because I dont like other cars, but because I usually find that I get more for my money through Ford. In the Ford family, Ive had two Explorers (probably my favorite automobile of all Ive owned), a Thunderbird (old style), a Fusion, a Mustang and a Focus. My husband has a Bronco and is on his second Expedition. All good cars. My preference is to drive an SUV. When gas prices went up, I scaled down, but found that a smaller car didnt suit me, especially when I had to put a car seat in the back for my granddaughter. I purchased the Taurus used with about 24K miles on it. Ive had it for a year and a half, and I have 62K mile on it. I have a very long commute to work, so I like to be comfortable. The toys arent bad either. The Taurus is perfect for all that - it gets good gas mileage, plenty of space and a trunk that will hold a couple of bodies. Love the way it handles. I have a rear camera on mine, and I have to say that I would really struggle backing up without it. The ONLY one tiny thing that I dont like (and it is a very small issue) is the directional stick. Its got variable options so you can blink the directional only once, three times or full on. I find that whenever I want to turn the signal full on, I guess because you have to push it a little harder, I frequently end up flashing the person in front of me. I have to really concentrate on making sure I dont pull forward on it with my finger when Im putting the direction on. Stupid, I know. Other than that, not one complaint. If I end up buying another sedan when Im ready to trade, I would get another Taurus. Perfect car for me!