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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  My Mustang - 2013 Ford Mustang
  By loncray - May 23 - 8:26 am

  Ive had my Mustang for a week, and I love it. It has fantastic giddyup, pretty good mileage, and it looks better than anything else on the road. The engine is swift and responsive, the SelectShift transmission is smooth, and Im enjoying the Electronics package with Sync, Navigation and entertainment options.

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  Great Car For Price, Poor Interior Ergonomics - 2012 Ford Fusion
  By scruffdude - May 22 - 8:46 pm

  I really liked my Fusion. I have as a company car and it replaced a Malibu. Better driving, more responsive, decent milage. And it looks good. My issue is the poor design of the seat/dash area. I drive an average of 2,000 miles/mo and after a year I ended up with shoulder issues. The seat does not allow you to adjust to sit upright and the bucket is too narrow, forcing you to round forward as you drive. Too bad, I liked the car. Moving up to an SUV.

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  Love my SHO - 2010 Ford Taurus
  By carguy161 - May 22 - 2:49 pm

  Great car, limited production, I obtained a signed certificate from Ford which is pretty cool. Very quite and powerful car. Great highway mileage. If you buy a 2010, be sure to have the dealer perform the TSBs (technical service bulletin) for a few minor issues. I have spent under $100 in the last two years in service and maintenance.

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  Great choice for Wife - 2013 Ford Explorer
  By tbonz2869 - May 22 - 11:41 am

  I traded my wifes 2010 F150 for the Limited plus everything. She was disappointed in performance of the V6 vs the V8 in the F150. However even with her lead foot, she has managed to get between 20- 21 mpg. Excellent compared to the 16- 17 mpg in the F150. I have averaged 24- 25 mpg when I drive. She loves all the features and has found the MFT (My Ford Touch) to be easy to use.... She struggles with the IPhone. Overall great trade and no issues.

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  Retirement Guy - 2012 Ford Flex
  By don1985 - May 22 - 6:19 am

  Retirement car! Seat comfort with lumbar and adjustability for driver #1 & #2 superior. Sony Sterior and tech A+++. Storage large and small A+++. Versatile seats adjustment easy to use. Great space for pets and luggage. Traveled 12 hour days in complete comfort. Proud of Ford for being a stable company and offering this great car. "0" percent loan.

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  Loved it, now I hate it - 2006 Ford Fusion
  By marissa48 - May 21 - 9:47 pm

  I bought this car brand new and I loved it at first. The currently only has 63,000 and I cant even begin to describe the issues that Ive had with it. I live in Florida and I tried to take precautionary measures to reduce the heat of the car by using a windshield shade, but it didnt help. The car was so poorly built that it literally started melting. First, the defroster vent snapped off. Then the passenger airbag part of the dashboard is starting to lift up from the rest of the dashboard. All the door handles have waves and look like theyre melting. Just the other day my door handle snapped off in my hand and I have to open it with pliers. Just think twice if you plan on purchasing it.

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  So far... I LOVE IT!!! - 2012 Ford Mustang
  By david281 - May 21 - 4:00 pm

  Ive owned German and Japanese cars until last week. This is my first American car, and so far I LOVE IT. I LOVE the look of this car, as it looks like a throwback to the 60 - 70s designs, and doesnt resemble the Mustangs of the 80, 90s, or early 2000s at all. This is definately NOT the car I remember guys driving around in high school. The performance out of the 3.6L V6 is stronger than my Audi 2.7T A6, Acura RL, and BMW 328i. This car also handles tighter, and brakes harder than anything Ive owned so far.

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  Great Vehicle For The Price - 2012 Ford Escape
  By ffparamederek - May 20 - 7:13 pm

  Bought this car a few days ago so we could have a car to augment our GMC Acadia due to a growing family. It replaced a 1997 Escort so its definitely better. My dealers initial price quote was over $19,000. I was called a few days later and was told that that particular Escape was on sale for $13,995. For that price I would say the car is spectacular, being that it was less cash than a 4 year old RAV4 with 90,000 miles. Its quiet, rides smooth, is very quiet, and has ample power. The manual transmission is hard to shift, but I hope it loosens up. The interior is cheap and plasticky, but what should I expect for the price?

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  Explorer 2012 FWD good for the city but not for the snow - 2012 Ford Explorer
  By dryan865 - May 20 - 5:43 pm

  We are a Ford family and have owned at least one Ford car as long as we have been married. We purchased the 2012 Ford Explorer FWD 3.5L V6 Limited in March and have driven it on one long road trip (5K driven). We like the features and quality of the vehicle. However, in the snow it was very disappointing. We were misled when we purchased the vehicle by the dealership. (We were told chains were an option) After I got stuck in the snow and returned to purchase chains from the dealership, I was informed by the parts dept that Ford does not support any model of snow chains for the car. We are living in the Pacific NW currently and would not dare take a road trip in the winter with it.

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  97 2 door probe gts - 1997 Ford Probe
  By hilltw - May 19 - 10:05 am

  I got a great deal with this car. I never really heard of it until I bought it. My last car got smashed into when it was parked and got paid and rode to the store with someone and I saw this car with a $2500 price tag driving by. Of course we cut the guy off and then brought it. I didnt know what I was getting when I bought it. I had a fun problem when I first bought it is was a lot more power then I was used to so I was burning my tires all time. The guy before took great care of it and my mechanic told me it could almost pass as new and it had 135000 miles on it. I did run into some engine problem like it was over heating and stuff like that because hoses were old and stuff like that.