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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  NEVER BUY THIS CAR!!! - 2007 Ford Five Hundred
  By cjculster - May 30 - 6:11 pm

  Bought mine used with only 100,000 on it and before 3 months had passed, the transmission computer was fried and I was getting an average of 15.5 mpg. Also the tires wear out really fast, the ones that came with the car had about 10,000 miles on them and one blew out in the first 5,000 miles I drove it, this may have been a lemon tire though so I dont know if its actually the car or not. The brakes clog up and dont work on gravel and/or snow.

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  Lemon Alert! - 2003 Ford Expedition
  By Highly Dissatisfied! - May 29 - 10:00 am

  We conducted extensive research and fell in love with this vehicle -- then we brought it home. The dealer installed DVD system fell out of the ceiling after two repair attempts. The next week the interior flooded due to a defective AC drain hose, and this weekend it wouldnt start - totally dead. We went to pick it up tonight, and now the power seats are not working. The cigarette lighter stopped powering our cell phone, and the preset buttons are not functioning. And,the windshield antenna wont pick up any radio stations unless youre in the middle of a metro area. Weve had this SUV six weeks, but the dealer has had it more often than we have.

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  Accident waiting to happen - 2002 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By stewywerf - May 26 - 10:00 am

  I have had multiple problems with my Sport Trac. The fuel pump went out on me at 3,000 miles and it almost caused a large accident. Since the dealership replaced the fuel pump it has stalled on my 5 other times but the dealership wont take the time to diagnose the problem. I asked them if a technician could drive the vehicle for a week so they could properly diagnose it. They also had to replace my steering pump, replace an interior light, adjust my hood so it would latch properly and add a missing label.

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  My Car Is Crap! - 2008 Ford Fusion
  By Nesa - May 20 - 2:38 pm

  Make sure you test drive it a good 15 miles before you decide to buy it. I have had nothing but problems with mine. Some easy fixes, some not. Every time I get something fixed, something else seems to be wrong. If you can afford multiple problems, then buy it. If not I would personally look into something different. Coming from someone whom has only had there car 4 months!!!

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  never again - 2000 Ford Focus
  By geoboy - May 17 - 2:00 am

  very poor reliability, poor mileage

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  Why did they scew up th enterior - 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid
  By Seadog9 - May 15 - 2:50 am

  I replaced my 3 year old Escape with the 08 Hybrid. I immediately was disappointed with the interior changes. The heated seat button is on the side of the seat where you cant see it. You have to feel for it. The took out many of the little storage places and the center console/arm rest is hard to open when driving. The gas mileage is good, not great but good and it is a little quieter inside on the highway than my old one. I am very disappointed over all.

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  3,500 miles - ENGINE WONT START - 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid
  By Fusion_Disappoints - May 8 - 10:46 pm

  Loved this car for exactly 2 months. First new car in 10 years and loved all the upgraded accessories - navigation, SYNC, smart gages. Was averaging >40 mpg combined. One day, it just would not start (the green light wouldnt come on). All other lights were on but the engine would not start. As of today, its been in the Ford service shop for 30 days! They cannot figure out what is wrong. Its incredible that Ford would put this car on the market with this type of hidden defect and without having service mechanics (including corporate mechanical and hybrid experts) able to diagnose the problem. Ford customer service has been unresponsive. Buyers beware of the Ford Fusion Hybrid.

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  Not what I expected - 2007 Ford Shelby GT500
  By Ford Lover - April 22 - 9:30 am

  Bought this car for a little over msrp. I have been lucky enough to own several true sports cars in my life from all the major brands. This car is a blast from 0 to 60. But when the new wears off, the interior looks just like Mustang GT and the build quality is not what it should be. I think the Shelby team should have spent a little more time on the interior and fit and finish to make this a 10 out of 10. Also Ford dealers are trying to charge way to much over msrp for this car.

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  disappointed - 1999 Ford Explorer
  By first explorer - April 10 - 2:00 am

  This was my first ford explorer. It was great for a while and then problems with the electrical and suspension started around 45k miles. The impression I got from several ford dealers was I should just expect these type of problems and the associated cost. Afer 18 months of this I decided to trade the eddie bauer in and pick up a used 4 runner (its great). Beware of the lousy resale on the explorer.

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  Wont do this again... - 2001 Ford Focus
  By kreul - April 8 - 10:00 am

  I was not very happy with this vehicle whatsoever. It seems like I had everything happen to this vehicle. Side mirrors just simply fell off for no apparent reason. Alignment went off consistently. Transmission went out ($3000). To be honest I NEVER felt comfortable getting into it because I was always worried it would fall apart. Very fun vehicle to drive when it actually ran.