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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  Love It, Love It, Love It! - 2007 Ford Five Hundred
  By JWE - June 21 - 10:10 am

  I cant recommend this car enough, great on the open road, stylish, comfortable for tall people (Im 62" ) great safety features and excellent mileage on the road. Im getting 33 mpg. Its not a rocket, but I didnt want that, just a car with enough power, AWD, and plenty of comfort. I just love it!

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  How can you love it when it’s in the shop - 2014 Ford F-150
  By Don - June 21 - 2:40 am

  Fords abiility to diagnose issues is suspect at best. During the summer of 2016, Ford replaced the points on clynder # 7. Then replaced the short block then sent out and had the heads rebuilt. In the spring of 2017 a shutter in the transmission developed. Ford reset the learning process but the shutter never went away. In the fall ford indicated that they thought the torque converter was bad,but they could not get one. As such they replaced the entire transmission. Now after three resets of the learning process the transmission continues to clunk going in and out of first gear. Ford at this point doesn’t know what to do? My truck has been in the shop for over 40 days to date with no resolution in site. Thank god I bought the extended warranty!

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  Ford Trucks - 1995 Ford F-350
  By DocKristenRohde - June 21 - 2:00 am

  I have had a couple of Ford trucks and have had found them to have chronic transmission problems. Just put a new transmission in my current truck. (1995 Ford F350 4x4 dually diesel

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  Great Ford! - 2001 Ford Excursion
  By Gunnette - June 21 - 2:00 am

  I LOVE this car. The only bad thing is the parking spaces in the mall are too small! I love the back up sensors and ability to fit 8 full sized adults in the vehicle with no complaint of space.

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  me Mustang - 2002 Ford Mustang
  By vesco6 - June 21 - 2:00 am

  a nice over all car. . Somewhat Sparten interior compared to lot of cars, esp from the East. Dated would be a good word. handles well enough for most people. And under power for me, though once at freeway speeds, with a concious effort on the gas you will go.

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  Crapshoot - 2003 Ford Windstar
  By MrCool - June 21 - 2:00 am

  This is my second and last Windstar, the first was a 2000 SEL that was plauged with electrical problems. 3 dealers and no one ever solved the problem, so I traded it in for an 02 with only 17500 on it. So far my new 02 SEL has been fine except for one problem with the fan blower. Seems that the A/C system really takes too long to cool the car on 85 plus days. Right now I have my eye on the new Sienna, although I must admit I like the styling of the Windstar over the Sienna. But let me tell you it ends there. The new Sienna will surely rattle the industry in terms of Minivan sales, it should easily knock the Odessy out of first place.

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  What a steel - 1994 Ford Explorer
  By craiger - June 21 - 2:00 am

  One and only owner. 88000 miles and going. Did all the routine maintenances, but did replaced both radial arm bushings, breaks, shocks and took cared Manual transmission problem a couple of years ago... in addition to the two new batteries and two sets of new tires (one was recalled Firestone). Truck dont always get good grip in the rain. Will keep it for a while longer.

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  Still Skeptical - 2015 Ford Focus
  By Aaron - June 20 - 11:10 pm

  I recently purchased a used 2015 Ford Focus that had 45k miles on it. After driving it for a few days, I noticed a very bad shuttering/vibration upon accelerating and a lack of acceleration power. Took it into the dealer and was informed that the vehicle was revving up too high between shifts and also needed the clutches replaced. After the clutches were replaced, the shuttering and vibration have gone away and it drives like an automatic. As of now, this has fixed the problem. I am skeptical that the shuttering will be gone forever but one can only hope. The dealer informed me that the new clutches were designed differently to fix this problem. Also, the vehicle does tend to have very poor acceleration and it seems to be difficult to pass other vehicles when necessary.

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  Like this Truck a Lot - 2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By KBS - June 20 - 4:56 pm

  Overall this vehicle fit all of my needs at a reasonable price. I needed a 4 door truck, but I didnt want a vehicle that was too long. I have been extremely pleased with the truck so far. Handles well and has good pep when you need it. I also like the fact that I can haul things and not have to worry about a bed liner or scratching the paint.

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  great car - 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid
  By SailorBodine - June 20 - 8:00 am

  I have driven over 3000 miles with an average 41+ mpg. The dashboard display trains you to drive conservatively to increase MRP, but anytime more acceleration is needed, you can get it. The car isnt as fun as my Passat in terms of cornering and shifting, or my old Mercury Mystique (I miss the 5- speed!). However, the Fusion handles very nicely - - I often corner it sharply to avoid braking at low speeds, and it is very stable. The SYNC system makes up for driving more conservatively -- Ive been listening to podcasts downloaded to a USB thumbdrive.