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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  This car is HORRIBLE - 2001 Ford Focus
  By qtbex87 - March 12 - 10:12 pm

  When i bought the car i had 62000 mi on it and now its been 5 years with 116000 ive had to replace the trasmission, replace the water pump and timing belt, replaced the coolant system 2 times not to mention the hoses and clamps about 3 times or more tires have been replaced twice, just when you think the car is ok something else will break and it costs at least 500 dollars or more! the car has electric problems sometimes the lights will just go out by itself i bought it for 8000 and spent almost triple that amount fixing this stupid car. the cd player you have to get replaced since the cds will stop playing after like 20 min or less the only good thing with this car is the gas milage

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  Do not buy a focus - 2002 Ford Focus
  By max116 - March 12 - 9:26 pm

  I bought this car in 2002. I drive it to a nd from work, less than 10,000 miles a year. The car is the worst car that I had. Water occasionally leaks into the cabin, which smells of mildew. Shocks needed to be changed (front) at around 60,000 miles. Brakes re-done around 75,000 miles, first the hydraulics of one of the drums then the main pump. Car is not very stable and tends to skid around unless you use premium tires. Latch in the rear hood kind of broken after 20,000 miles. Disks of front brakes needed to be changed after 50,000 miles.

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  Ford truck, but in the shape of a minivan - 1994 Ford Aerostar
  By freshbrood - March 11 - 3:10 am

  This things just awesome. I bought a 94 XLT in 2011.. 282k miles on it. Thats right- Runs like a champ. Dependable, comfy, and surprisingly just about all the electrical works, except for passenger side window and lighter. All the lights and electrical otherwise are fine, still going strong.

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  2003 Focus ZX3, Duratech 23 = AWESOME!!! - 2003 Ford Focus
  By metalwych - March 11 - 12:53 am

  I got my 2003 Focus with the DuraTech 23 engine (2.3 liter) for less than $6000. It had 59000 miles on it. This car is awesome. I needed a car that gets good gas mileage (I also have a Lincoln and a 2011 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, so I needed a car that gets better than 25mpg). This little car has a lot of get up and go. Its quick and gets excellent gas mileage (when I go from San Diego to L.A., I average 46mpg...which is awesome). And its a fun car to drive. Now, it doesnt have the power of my powerhouse V-8s, but for a 4 cylinder, it really moves. The way this car handles is superb. I was pleasantly surprised at how well this car can corner. Awesome fun car to drive!

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  Low maintence reliability-great diverse truck - 2004 Ford F-150
  By gnat1 - March 7 - 12:32 am

  Love my F150. I bought it at 18000 miles and now have 73000 miles on it with no troubles. I pull a horse trailer with it and drive it to work, it is my "everything" vehicle. Other then changing my oil, and brakes, I havent had to do any repairs of any kind. Tows excellent with my horse trailer which probably reaches up to 5500 ibs. I have towed up steep grades when we go horse camping up in the mountains. Handles excellently. i would definately recommend this vehicle if you want a reliable, tough, and well designed truck. Only downfall is I dont car for where the "oh Sh@#" handles are in the interior. They are placed to far forward.

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  FORD FOUND ON ROAD DEAD LITERALLY!!!!! - 2000 Ford Contour
  By countourhater - March 6 - 10:27 pm

  What bad things can I not say about this car. I bought this car for almost $10,000 in 2008 with only 86000 miles. Within a matter or weeks of buying this car my spark plug popped out of the engine. It didnt stop there. Less than a year later my head gasket blew 100miles away from my home and luckly drove back but ate gas up all the way home. I had 3 wheel bearings replace. The car died right in the middle of the road beccause the Transmission died while in Drive. The starter died. Fuel pump died in a parking lot. A hose deteriated and made the car stall out. This car has cost me an arm and a leg for the loan but mostly in the cost of repairs. All theses probs occured b4 car could reach 150K

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  great car - 2005 Ford Taurus
  By mkrawczyk - March 5 - 3:09 pm

  owned this car 5 year bought with 8k miles now 68k never let me down i only put brakes and a battery in this car it runs great and still looks good anther great ford

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  Best Ford Car Going - 1996 Ford Thunderbird
  By mrthunderbird - March 5 - 2:59 am

  I have owned this car for 7 years and over 100,000 miles. There are some issues with the 3.8 that will cost some money to fix, but it is well worth the effort. Head gaskets go like clock work about 140,000 miles. I had mine replaced with better quality ones along with a valve job. Runs great so far at 188,000. Transmissions tend to be glitchy, but regular maintenance keeps that in check. If your looking for a lot of miles from yours heres a trick. Keep it maintained. Use Royal Purple motor oil and micro filter. Use Lucas Top Cylinder Lube in the gas every tank full. I am looking to keep mine for a long time. Still gets 29 mpg Highway. See you on the road.

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  Pretty good little car - 2012 Ford Escape
  By cpatterson1177 - March 4 - 7:12 am

  The leather seats are very comfortable once you get the seat adjust just as you like it. My passengers tell me that there is a ton of room in the back seats and that the back seats are very comfortable. I got the steel blue color and I notice that it shows dirt very easily. Even right after I wash it, dirt appears on it. The back area is very prone to getting water spray from the rear wheels. I would recommend mud flaps. The premium stereo has a lot of features to it, but the speakers do not sound "premium". I would like a clearer sound and some additional bass. Also, the speakers on the front are in the door, so you leg muffles them. The ride is very comfortable, but has big turn radius.

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  1st Mustang & we love it !! - 2011 Ford Mustang
  By patmiii - March 3 - 9:13 pm

  We have had this car for 16 months & can report no problems at all. Tranny has been good. Sure footed & fun to drive. We usually get 30 mph on highway & the expected 20 mph city. That highway mph was a selling point for us and is pretty incredible. We are keeping close watch on the transmission since we have heard of others with problems but we dont take it to high rpms or shift harshly. We did rent an automatic for 1 wk & highly recommend the manual 6sp. Front seats fit my 6 ft frame very well. One funny note: we are in our 50s & quite regularly come across kids who want to race us. Cant do but would like to get in on a track to see what it can really do. Overall we are very pleased.