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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  GREAT HATCHBACK VEHICLE-RECOMMEND HIGHLY - 2012 Ford Fiesta
  By prepppy - June 1 - 6:47 pm

  Changed from 2010 Toyota Matrix with the poorest visibility imagineable, could not see the curb when making a turn.. to a 2012 Ford Fiesta hatchback, automatic, heated seats, great visibility to all sides and back....sporty look and handles unbelievably well on the highway and in the city....good mileage...now looking foreward to going for a drive..Thank you FORD....

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  My first Ford - 2000 Ford Explorer
  By atwizted1 - May 31 - 11:52 am

  Bought mine in June of 2008 with 84,000 miles on it. Im the second owner and take extremely good care of it. Maintenance is always done religiously on time. It now has 145,000 miles on it and the only thing it needed was the oxygen sensors replaced. NEVER has broke down on me. Only issue I have is the rear wiper motor is stripped out where the arm is inserted into it and the rear window hinges have stripped out at the screws. I have taken it off-road twice, once in sand, and once up and down some decently rocky short hills and it climbed like a champ...still no mechanical issues! Ill buy another one if gas economy is better. Its an XLT V8 AWD. Prefer to choose 2 WD or 4 WD

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  2008 Mustang- FUN - 2008 Ford Mustang
  By camustangguy - May 31 - 12:46 am

  I bought my 2008 V6 in 2010 with 60,000 miles on the car. The guy before me must have really abused the car because the clutch was gone and the tranny completely gone. I had the clutch replaced with a spec stage2 clutch and a new T-5 tranny and the thing runs like new. I recently lowered the car on eibach springs, and their pro damper shocks and struts.I have a 91 octane tune, K&N Cool air intake, BBK throttle body spacer, 18in AMR wheels from american muscle, Straightpipes exhaust dual conversion, Pypes X pipe, Steeda throttle body spacer. I had Super Snake Stripes painted and the Raxiom Sequential tail lights. Its become my own project car. Overall fantastic car. Its well fast enough:]

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  Overpriced for poor quality - 2013 Ford Taurus
  By hatebuyingca1 - May 31 - 12:24 am

  I have owned many cars ie Nissan, Subaru, Toyota, VW..I never owned an American car. I was pursuaded to buy a Ford..with all the convincing of my firends. car feels great while driving,however driver seat is very cramped and I am only 5 feet 9 inches. Interior looks great..great gadgets but unfortunately as I expected no pride in Made in USA. Interior trim coming off/lose. Driver side rear door uneven with front door(noticed after I drove for a day). I am already unhappy with the car after one day. yes I am sure the dealership will fix (fortunately I went to a reliable place) but it has already put a bad taste in my mouth. Reminds me my experience with VW. Stick with Japanese cars

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  Horrible Car - 2010 Ford Fusion
  By kriswe80 - May 30 - 9:57 pm

  Highly disappointed! Have had this car for 2 years and have had it in the shop so much. The arm rest broke requiring the whole door panel to be replaced, the A/C switch broke requiring the entire dashboard taken apart, serpentine belt shredded and never made any noise before happening now theres a recall on the wheel stud & rear brake disc inspection and lug nut replacement and sure enough I had a lug nut break before I even got the notice. The drivers seat is also electric and is very temperamental also.

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  Love my Fusion Hybrid - 2012 Ford Fusion
  By starzeta - May 30 - 6:26 am

  I have put 3,000 miles on my new Fusion Hybrid and I am averaging 39.5 miles per hour overall. Most of my trips are averaging over 40mpg and my overall average keeps going up each week. Besides the awesome gas mileage, the car rides smooth and is very comfortable.

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  Outstanding - 2007 Ford Focus
  By greenpony - May 29 - 1:54 pm

  I am writing this review after five years and 120,000 miles of nearly problem-free ownership. This car is simple, inexpensive, reliable, and fuel-efficient transportation. Been in the shop twice, only for suspension-related problems. I blame Illinois pockmarked roads. Comfort is adequate for four people. Trunk is cavernous. MPG is outstanding! Post-2008 EPA ratings are 24/33, and Ive only had two tanks below 30 mpg (both 29.7). 40 mpg isnt uncommon in the summer. Reliability is excellent, should have no problem with ANOTHER 120,000 miles.

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  Woefully inflated ratings - 2011 Ford Edge
  By rbrice1981 - May 27 - 9:16 am

  The 2011 Ford Edge has one of the worst Consumer Reports Ratings and I have first-hand experience as to why. If you buy a 2011 Ford Edge, you are gambling and may be one of the 14% of owners whose MyFord Touch program/system is so faulty that it works less frequently than it malfunctions. Ford was unable to fix my vehicle despite 8 attempts and a lawsuit. In the end, I sued Ford and was awarded a settlement. I am appalled at Fords response to my real issues and because of this, my review for the Ford Edge is very negative. I married into a Ford family who have all now vowed never to buy a Ford of any type again.

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  DO NOT BUY or LEASE THIS CAR!!!! - 2011 Ford Explorer
  By modernart1 - May 25 - 8:03 am

  In May of 2011 I leased a Brand New 2011 Ford Explorer. In July of 2011 I began to have problems with the tire pressure monitor fault sensor. It was going off ever 10 minutes or so every time we drove on a highway. I brought the car into a certified ford dealer to get fixed and 3 days after they fixed it the sensor kept going off again. I had to bring the car in in August and November for the same issue. In March of 2012 my car OVERHEATED!!They had to replace the engine coolant fan.. Yesterday my ford touch screen that controls heat, ac and radio went blank...I have called Ford a few times and they say it does not have enough problems with it to replace the vechile..They are also VERY RUDE!!

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  So Far So Good! - 2012 Ford Fusion
  By slocruising - May 24 - 2:37 am

  I bought my SE Fusion model in May 2012, and was pleasently suprised! I traded in an 03 Cadillac Deville DTS for it, and let me tell you about the differences!!! The Caddy is a definite freeway cruiser, power everything, and leather for miles, but dont hope for anything that even resembles good gas mileage, because you wont get it! Lots of power, but you pay for it! And with 70K miles on it, things were starting to go wrong with it. Put it like this: If I was going to do a round trip from my house to the Ford dealer and back, it would use almost 1/2 tank of gas, and thats a 50 mile round trip! When I bought the Fusion, and drove home, the gas guage didnt even budge!