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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  Hated it! - 2000 Ford Contour
  By happygopink - December 19 - 10:45 pm

  I bought my Contour in July of 2001, it was a year old at the time. It was okay for the first few years, but just okay. Then, before I even finished paying it off, I had to have the transmission rebuilt. Then, in December of 2011, it went out AGAIN. The thing had 91,000 miles on it. It shouldnt need a new transmission every 45,000 miles, if you ask me.

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  POS - 2009 Ford Flex
  By btcadams - December 19 - 3:49 pm

  My wife and I drove numerous cars before deciding to purchase our 1st and last Ford vehicle. At first it seemed to be the answer to all of our needs. We purchased this car new in NOV 08. Within 6mnths,we had to take the car in to have the "sync" systems wiring harness replaced 4 times and the touch screen once! Within 16k miles (2 years) we had to replace the front rotors and brakes. And now just 11 months and 10k miles later, we now need to replace the front rotors again, the rear brakes and the rear rotors! Ford Corporate was of no help for this non-warranty item stating "normal/routine maintenance". Not to mention the horrible screeching sound that comes from the brakes, also "normal"

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  Nice surprise from US brand auto - 2008 Ford Fusion
  By bruceocala - December 18 - 10:11 pm

  I got this car in May. I thought Id buy Camry again, but got this Fusion w/automatic trans. It was cheaper than Camry and frankly fit me - a big guy - like a glove. So far, smart move. It has some dumb little design annoyances, but the conveniences outweigh them. Its as economical and reliable as a Camry, offering more space in leg room, overhead, front area storage, back seat seating, and a huge trunk. The handling on turns is like a race car, yet the turning radius getting into a parking space is poor always an extra maneuver for a tight spot.

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  Stang Number Three - 2011 Ford Mustang
  By mustangsd - December 18 - 4:09 pm

  My new 2011 5.0 Mustang Premium is our third Mustang and the best yet. We owned a 1969 and now own a 2008 CS/GT and 2011 5.0. Great car and would highly recommend.

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  2011 Edge SEL gas mileage - 2011 Ford Edge
  By oscar001 - December 18 - 3:19 pm

  I purchase the edge new in April 2011. With only 1300 miles on the car we took our annual trip from Florida to Seattle WA. on the trip of 4218 miles we averaged 24.98 mpg. On our return trip of 4065 miles we average 26.87 mpg, which is exceptional in my opinion. This was the reason the Edge was purchased. The car is quite and very smooth to drive, the six speed is great when going down grades it automatically downshifts to maintain cruise speed. I drive at interstate speeds but do not use jackrabbit starts, is probably the key to the good mileage I get. The car now has 14000 +miles and the more I drive, the better I like the for Edge.

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  Greatest vehicle made!! - 2009 Ford Escape
  By fordguy54 - December 18 - 2:32 pm

  excellent ride, very powerfull, looks sporty! this is a great vehicle made by ford! dont let the transmision problems scare you away from this great vehicle. ive had mine since new and have never had a single problem with it! ive checked into it also, and if you have a problem with your tranny more then likely it will be covered under factory warranty(not sure why people are complaining). dont waste your time with a chevy equinox, dodge nitro, or toyota rav4. this vehicle is the nicest for the money. and the most powerful as well. i had a 2010 didge nitro and traded it for this 2009 ford escape. gas mileage is awesome. if u wanna have problems buy a dodge nitro.

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  2011 Ford Ranger Supercab Sport 4x2 - 2011 Ford Ranger
  By 4ranger - December 18 - 2:08 pm

  Just purchased my 2011 Ranger Sport Supercab in November 2011. This is my 5th Ranger, 1989,1997,2000,2006 and this 2011. Ive not had any problems and most had over 100K miles on them when I sold them. I hate Ford is ending the production, thats why I bought my new 2011. Im 62", 285lbs and I have plenty of room.

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  Free Vibration Included :-( - 2012 Ford Escape
  By vikings2417 - December 16 - 5:10 pm

  I purchase a new 2012 Ford Escape 3 weeks ago and have been dealing with a strong and annoying vibration while the vehicle idles in drive, reverse, and low. Its fine in park and neutral. If you want to have the new car look with the 30 yr old junker feel, buy this vehicle. Per Ford, "this is a charateristic of the vehicle" and there is nothing wrong. The two techs that sat in it, agreed that it was very noticable but since there werent any service lights or codes, there must not be anything wrong. Buy a Rav4 or CRV (Ive owned both) if youre looking for a small SVU. Skip the Escape!

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  OK but ... - 2012 Ford Explorer
  By rogerd7 - December 15 - 4:43 pm

  The look is great, the ride is nice but there is a wind noise around the windshield that is very annoying. The vehicle is very quiet escept for this noise. It is especially bad if you are driving into a head wind. Dealer says 2011s had this problem but Ford says they fixed it for 2012 -- they did not. Also I just got a crack in my windshield and no replacements are available yet. Thanks Ford I like driving my expensive, new vehicle around with a big crack in the windshield. I am also wondering if the cracked windshield may relate to the noise coming from the windshield since the vehicle was new.

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  Transmission Problem - 2009 Ford Escape
  By smishra - December 15 - 2:43 pm

  I was fine it till the transmission died at 36200 miles. Fortunately I had bought extended warranty. I fixed it at the dealer and it still giving me troubles. I still see sudden gear change at low speeds. Do not know how much time this fixing will last, but I am always scared to take my family on a drive on this one. So Pros: 1. Ample of cargo space 2. Feels sturdy 3. Nice seats 4. Very fule efficient 5. Love the SYNC, I hooked up an external hard drive to this. It recongnizes and plays all my music. Cons: 1. Unreliable transmission 2. Interior is not nice - pretty cheap plastic 3. Very noisy - I reckon being an I4 engine it will be noisy, but it is a litle too much.