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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  Ford has stepped their game up - 2013 Ford Focus
  By weelman13 - October 7 - 12:16 pm

  Let me start at my previous vehicle:2006 audi A3 manual. I loved my audi, save the electrical gremlins, interior hardware, $90 oil changes, etc. I wanted a compact car and I like hatches. I did test drive a 2013 Honda Civic SI and 2012 focus hatch SEL. The honda was a nice car, but very vanilla inside. The focus (MFT and sync) is so much content! I have only owned the car for a couple of days, so this is just an initial review: My 2013 automatic titanium has the moonroof and the 18" tire/handling package. The car feels very planted and not too stiff, the 17" do ride alittle smoother. The MFT works pretty good, mostly bug free. The sync is awesome, just need to learn the standard commands.

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  Great Car - 2013 Ford Focus
  By angel8050 - October 6 - 11:59 pm

  Whoever does not give this car at least 4 stars is a [non-permissible content removed]!!!!! We bought this Focus Sedan SE about a month ago, it gives me about 40 miles a gallon on the freeway driving at around 70 mph. I tried the jetta s, did not like it nor has any power, I had a 2011 Toyota Corolla and this focus is smoother than it. I think the new re design focus is a great buy!!! I would say the only bad thing is that sometimes at low speeds, when you first take off I think the transmission gets a little confused, but other than that its perfect. I love the sync, the bluetooth, the voice recognition.

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  06 Explorer problems - 2006 Ford Explorer
  By corgimom1 - October 5 - 6:24 am

  I purchased my Explorer used from CarMax over 2 years ago. The clear coat is peeling around the front head lights. The parking brake handle (plastic) broke and the cost to fix is $400.00. Lucky for me, I have an extended warranty from CarMax. The drivers leather seat is cracking. The passenger seat has ripped on the seam. The rear seat holders are split on both ends. Due to ethanol in gas, miles per gallon are poor.

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  Excessive tire wear and very noisy - 2007 Ford Escape
  By monirol - October 4 - 5:58 pm

  I purchased my XLT in December 2006 and loved it until about 35,000 miles. I began to notice a lot of road noise from the tires due to excessive wear and "cupping" on the outside of the tires. Once I replaced the original continental contitrac tires with general tires and did a 4-wheel alignment the problem was resolved and it was nice and quiet. However, at about 30K miles on the new tires the noise began again. Despite rotating tires every 5K the problem persists and the tires/road noise returned. I really like this vehicle but this noise just kills me.

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  The Champion - 2007 Ford Fusion
  By kateymcinnes - October 4 - 11:35 am

  When i first bought this car, like a lot of others i didnt know if i would like it. after driving it home i knew i loved it. even with a breathalyzer installed, it never once let me down. Ive even been in two accidents with trucks (Ford F150 and a Dodge Ram) and a car ( Toyota Corolla ) and this car withheld it all, with next to no damage. The only problem i have with it is when it sits for about a month or longer the battery will die . this has happened twice now to me but i think maybe its just time for a new battery. And another thing to note is that ive had the brakes replaced 6 times this past year . All in all this car is definatly a champion and i would recomend it to everyone.

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  Major Problem that needs to be recalled - Throttle body - 2005 Ford Expedition
  By jschmidt122 - October 3 - 10:19 am

  There is a major issue with the 2005 Ford Expedition. I was driving down the road going 50 mph and received a check electronic throttle message on the dash and the engine stopped and so did the power steering and brakes. I was in the left lane of a two lane road and nearly got in an accident. I took it to Ford and they replaced the throttle body for nearly $700. Ive checked online and there are hundreds and hundreds of people with the same issue. [non-permissible content removed].

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  Only one good thing about it - 2006 Ford Focus
  By aarolar - October 2 - 6:45 pm

  Car was purchased new in 2006 since then, it has had 4 sets of tires in only 120k, 3 alternators, been back for a messed up fuel tank vent where it would spit fuel back out of the tank at you, and now to top it all off the cooling fan broke and jabbed through the radiator costing me another 800$! Add all this to the crappy ride and worthless uncomfortable ride and this excuse for a car only has one thing going for it and thats gas mileage. I knew the instant I found out it has a "lifetime airfilter" that this was a worthless throwaway vehicle. As soon as I get this radiator back together I am trading it on something worth my while!

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  Problems with 94 - 1994 Ford Bronco
  By jphillips93 - October 2 - 6:35 pm

  I have 94 bronco with the 351 under it with the auto tranny 4speed with o/d. i have a problem with it slipping into what seems to be netural when shifting from 4th to od and sometimes before that. Stepping on it at a light the other day i hit about 30mph and it just reved up to about 4grand and would go back into gear till i came to a complete stop any ideas on what it might be. I added a little fluid to it hoping it would help, havent had much time to test it out.

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  The Great Disappointment - 2012 Ford Fusion
  By shutupnrock8 - September 30 - 7:14 pm

  Im not one to sugar coat a review, so Ill get right to the point and the reasoning behind the title of my review. I have been an owner of a 2012 Ford Fusion SE for about 5 months now, and needless to say I have very strong mixed feelings about it. Being the first sedan I was going to own, previously owning a 2000 Chrysler Voyager, I wanted a new roomy, sleek, and fuel efficient sedan in which I was pleased at first with the Fusion. After driving for awhile, Ive noticed that Ive been going to the pump almost twice as much as my Chrysler. I have done two extensive tests to find out my Fusion is only getting a combined 15.5 MPG. This on top of other nagging issues is making me very unhappy.

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  New, at 500 miles I found the front seat very uncomfortable - 2012 Ford Focus
  By wheelman01940 - September 30 - 6:16 pm

  TAKE CARE ... the driver seat can cause leg pain if you are somewhere around a 32 to 36 inch leg . I am 6 ft, 180 lbs, 34 inch inseam (leg) and the drivers seat has a pressure point on the outer upper thigh. I have never experienced anything like this (noticable pain in the left leg) in the Mazda or Toyotas I owned nor did I experience it on any test drive ... if you are interested in the Ford, take it for a 20 minute test drive !!