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:

• 

  Eh... - 1998 Ford Explorer
  By NeedTeddy - October 10 - 10:00 am

  I have about 39,000 miles on my Ford Explorer. Got it for around $22k brand new. I dont drive it often for the gas mileage reasons but when I first got it I was ecstatic. However, I wish I have the new 2002 version now. I havent hit the mileage that most of the people are experiencing problems but I know its inevitable. Supposely the "better" Explorers become Mercury Mountaineers while the crummy ones remain Ford Explorers.

• 

  Get the 2.0! - 2016 Ford Fusion
  By Jdogg - October 3 - 11:44 pm

  I have the 1.5 EcoBoost. The only selections in the drop down menu were 2.5 or 2.0. I have the Sport Appearance Package with the spoiler, rims, etc. For a "generic" mid sized sedan this car looks good! However, my main gripes are: Poor acceleration and bad gas mileage. I commute 100 miles a day all freeway. I an getting 29 MPG. In my 2016 Dodge Challenger with a 300 hp V6 that weighs more I get 27 MPG. If the Fusion got 33-35 MPG on the highway the power would be fine. This tells me that the engine is working too hard. My other big gripe is about the Infotainment system. The screen is small especially in a vehicle equipped with a back up camera. Ford has made it nearly impossible to replace the stereo unit. The stereo does not sound very good also. At least I can change the speakers. There is an annoying squeak in the back seat that started at 40K miles. I love the looks and ride of the car.

• 

  Slightly Dissappointed - 2004 Ford F-150
  By dissappointed - October 1 - 10:00 am

  Overall, the truck has a great exterior styling. But the 4.6L V8 is sluggish even in the regular cab. Im actually afraid to tow a car and trailer behind it due to the lack of low end torque and power. Im not too impressed with the doors as well for the rear hinged door has already developed a rattle in the first two weeks of owner ship. The ride of the truck is exceptional, I have no complaints there. Interior is adequate for a truck. It fantastic for highway use and for putting stuff in the large bed. But for towing purposes forget it!!!!

• 

  2008 F150 - good but a very rusting truck - 2008 Ford F-150
  By Chris - October 1 - 8:11 am

  Bought truck brand new. Has always been and continues to be a very smooth and quiet truck - more like a luxury car. Good stable handling as well. Lots of room inside and in the bed and great for towing and good in the snow. Mechanically has been very good. However, rust has been a relatively serious issue. The steering rack was the first to go - rusted out and got very stiff and erratic to steer. Had to replace that and was very rusty. The second was much more serious. The transmission cooling lines rotted out. They let go just after I got home from a long trip to Nova Scotia with my elderly father. There was fluid on the ground the day after I came home. We could have been stuck in the middle of the night in the middle of no where. We were fortunate, but cost me about $900 to fix. Checked the underside and there was a lot of rust on the frame and especially the bed rails. Not very happy about that. Ive been spending a lot of time sanding, priming and painting the frame and rusty areas of the underside. Im also using the 3M rust fighter undercoating as well. Its costing a lot of time and money, but Im hoping it gives me a lot more years with the truck. Dont want another car payment! Looked at the underside of my wifes 2006 Toyota Sienna and noticed that it was undercoated from the factory and hardly any rust. Maybe Ford ought to consider that or they wont get any return buyers. If I get another truck, Ill be looking strongly at Toyota.

• 

  Focus - 2000 Ford Focus
  By liv - September 30 - 7:36 am

  I bought my Focus the year it came out in 2000. I had about one good year until many recalls came out. I was stranded out of state when the fuel pump broke, and it wasnt until year later that I recieved a notice for recall for the fuel pump. I had the replace the head gasket and the water pump. Many valves leak and it has steadily lost fuel efficiency. I would not reccommed buying the Focus.

• 

  Typical Ford - 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid
  By CarGuy87 - September 28 - 7:33 am

  This Escape is a Fleet vehicle that gets a lot of use - 25k miles per year. I was initially very happy when the company bought the Escape. The first winter the wrench light kept coming on disabling traction control. The power steering periodically shuts off, which the manual calls "normal". Recently this triangle light has been coming on almost daily which indicates a serious problem with the Hybrid system. The shift had to be replace after something broke inside releasing the car from park, resulting in a co-worker getting run over by the car. The gas/elec transition is rough, and the gas engine is loud. I understand its feet and itll have problems - but this is ridiculous.

• 

  Do NOT buy - 2013 Ford Fiesta
  By dtapia - September 26 - 8:23 pm

  Bought the 2013 Fiesta Sedan in 2015. I have had the car a year and a half and I have been and out of the shop 6 times. Everyone knows me there now. I have the exact same issue everyone else is having. I have had 2 clutch replacements and several TCM replacements. This car is just a joke and not safe. The shuddering is just horrible. I tried to return the car 3 days after I got it and they kept it longer than I have even had it. Save the headache and dont buy this car.

• 

  Another Throttle Body Issue - VERY Dangerous - 2016 Ford Explorer
  By Explorer29 - September 26 - 12:43 am

  My 2016 Explorer only has 7,300 miles and hasnt even had its first oil change yet. Last week, while driving on a major highway at 70mph in the center lane, it just shut off. Im so lucky that I didnt cause an accident. Finally got it working again and was able to get home. The dealer scheduled it for service but didnt seem concerned and it would be a week before they could see it. The next day, it did it again on another major road 4 TIMES. I barely made it home and then called a tow truck. Its been at the dealer now for 6 days. The Throttle Body Sensor is on backorder (probably from so many cases) and they have no idea when it will be in. They would not offer a rental car because I didnt pay for the extended warranty. So not only was this VERY dangerous, Im now without a vehicle for almost a week or more b/c of this. Ford should at least offer a rental car.

• 

  2002 Explorer is a Lemon - 2002 Ford Explorer
  By fordjunk - September 22 - 6:00 pm

  When we purchased our 02 Explorer in 03, we were so happy we found an affordable SUV with plenty of room, power and comfort. Little did we know it was an ABSOLUTE LEMON! Luckily, we purchased the extended warranty that covered the MANY problems we had within the first couple years of ownership. The vehicle now has about 87,000 miles on it and the transmission IS COMPLETELY SHOT! $3,100 later, we are wishing we had spent the extra money and bought a Toyota.

• 

  ouch - 2003 Ford Expedition
  By john murray - September 17 - 10:00 am

  Brake pad dust terrible. Too much plastic. Throttle whistle irritating. MPG poor. Wind noise bad. Side rear visibility not good. Insufficient horse power 5.4 engine. Noisy interior. Insufficient ground clearance compared to previous models. Memory system defective and cant be fixed.