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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  Awesome car. - 2003 Ford Thunderbird
  By redman - November 13 - 2:00 am

  This car is awesome to drive. It looks awesome to.

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  NICE CAR - 1999 Ford Contour
  By Dave Paris - November 13 - 2:00 am

  It is a nice car at a great price

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  great for off-road applications - 1993 Ford Bronco
  By Jaron - November 13 - 2:00 am

  i have had my 93 bronco for about 5 months and i love it more every day i drive it. i purchased it for 5,000 and it had 102000 miles on a replaced engine but the vehicle has 188000 on it. I have taken it off-road many times and each time it has preformed exceptionally well. i have gone off- road with many different vehicles and this bronco out preforms all of them. It has the 5.0 Liter engine in it that gives it execellent power. I can tow my 20 boat without worrying. The only problem with it would have to be the gas mileage, ford has never been good with mpg but they really suck gas on this one, I average 11 mpg in town and 13 on the highway.

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  Loving It - 2008 Ford Focus
  By boli - November 12 - 10:20 pm

  I purchased the Ford Focus 4 door se sedan. I have to say Wow. I have parked my 2500 Dodge Ram that cost $280 a week to fill. I am getting 41.9 miles to the gal. driving 35 miles each way to work and home. I simply wanted a throw away car with decent mileage. I called the dealership had them fax me a price over and bought it with out test driving or looking at it. when I went to pick it up I was totaly surprised I did not know they had redone the car. I have the vapor siver color and black interior. First thing I did was had the windows tinted all but the front and the car looks awsome. I removed the Focus and dealer sticker off the back. I love this car

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  The Jury is Still Out! - 2016 Ford Escape
  By MrGC - November 12 - 9:56 pm

  I purchased a 2016 Ford Escape after owning the older style Escapes and Mazda Tributes. I basically went from the boxy type to the more sleek, sporty design. The pluses with the car are pick up and maneuverability. The minuses of the vehicle are gas mileage (about 19) with Ecoboost. If you have a passenger in the front seat and passengers in the back seat, visibility and blind spots become an issue. Even with the back up camera, I dont feel confident backing up without visually seeing my surroundings. Overall, its a nice vehicle and certainly far better in engineering than a Nissan Rogue. If it wasnt for the gas mileage being so disappointing, I would give the car a five star rating. I expected to do far better than 19.

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  Scarily Unreliable - 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid
  By bcastro1207 - November 12 - 5:08 pm

  Ordered the car in October. Finally delivered December 26. The first night, half the dash panel did not light up. Took it to the dealer - it was a "fuse". Three days later, same half of the dash panel didnt light up again. It came back on the next day. Four days after that, the blind spot sensors stopped working and the warning light came on. Took it to the dealer - they had to order the sensor. Its on back order and is still not fixed. Got the car back. The next day, started the car and smoke filled the cabin as well as the smell of burning electrical wires. Dealer - the wires going to the visor light shorted and burned. Plus, got only 34.5 mpg. Bottom line: DONT BUY.

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  $30,000 Piece of Crap! - 2016 Ford Escape
  By Scott Wojtas - November 12 - 2:28 pm

  After doing a bunch of research on my next car, having grown up in a family of Fords and previously owning a Mustang; I decided to go with the Escape. Alot of what I wanted was based on the technology aspect as I installed an aftermarket radio that supported Apple CarPlay, which only came with Ford Sync 3 on titanium models. Day after Labor Day 2016, I found a 2016 titanium CPO with what I wanted and thought I had a great deal. Only to experience nothing but problems with the Bluetooth connectivity, drivers side wind noise, and noises from the undercarriage as I accelerate/stop/make turns. I took it back to dealer to resolve the issues as I was still under warranty. The door was adjusted, a part was ordered for the shocks, yet they couldnt replicate the Sync 3 issues that I had documented with video. The service guy was a jag and didnt care to see the videos I had. After that experience, I contacted Ford Customer Care and basically told me that the dealership is their "eyes and ears" and that they have to see it happen. So they said to drive right in next time the issues happen. So what happens when Im driving at night and the glitch happens and the service dept is not open?? I found another dealership closer to home, that was able to do a software update from 1.0 to 1.1 which didnt resolve my issues and still didnt give me the Apple Car play, one of the main reason I bought the car. On top of this, I found a crack in the windshield that I had to pay out of pocket to replace as it did not meet my deductible. As for the radio, it doesnt seem to work right as every couple days i have "reset" the console. Had I known I would be having these problems, I wouldve never bought the car in the first place. Ford continues to lie, and cheat its customers. Promising updates and then not following through. All I want at this point, is for them to replace the radio, as I documented with video the glitches, yet they want stand by their product. And thats why this will be my last Ford.

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  Great car - 2006 Ford Fusion
  By John - November 12 - 12:46 pm

  This has been a great car so far. Love the interior styling with the two tone color. Its surprisingly a solid car. The only downfall is the mileage we have seen is 25mpg in city and on the highway with the 4 cylinder and 5 speed manual. Hoping it will rise to the 31 highway as advertised when summer is over and we dont use the air conditioner. Its peppy for a 4 banger but very comfortable inside even with four 6 foot tall adults inside.

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  Ford Freestyle--loving it! - 2005 Ford Freestyle
  By carolyn - November 12 - 8:33 am

  Just purchased a Freestyle (Ford ads where are you, I had not heard about it!). I totaled my 2002 Mountaineer 3 weeks ago and of course had to have a new vehicle. The dealer was low on choice of vehicles because of the incentives and rebates. So he suggested a Freestyle. I was looking at a new Mountaineer, since it did roll over and saved our lives, but the ride was a little rough. So the Freestyle fit the bill for AWD and comfort & plenty of room. It now has 500+ miles on it and Im Loving it....

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  Great Replacement - 2005 Ford Five Hundred
  By Amy W - November 12 - 7:56 am

  I bought his car to replace my 01 Mercury Sable LS Premium and have not been let down yet. It is far roomier and the trunk space is amazing! I have a 2 year old and can easily fit 2 strollers, high chair and our bags in the trunk when we visit my parents. It has all the amenities the Sable had, plus a few extras such as the in-dash CD changer, dual climate control and heated seats (just to name a few). This is a great family car and I would eagerly recommend one to anybody who asked.