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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  found along the road dead - 2017 Ford Edge
  By Roland C Young - March 30 - 12:14 am

  WE were impressed the car until it had 1900 miles on it. The transmission started acting up then went out. The dealer said they would rebuild it but decided to install a new one in. Hope full after two week in the shop it will be ok. If I have any more trouble I will be going back to a GM I never had any problems with GM car or truck. I was a loyal GM employee for 42 years this was the first ford I ever bought. We liked the style an size of the ford edge that is why we bought it.

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  Think Very Carefully Before You Buy! - 2000 Ford Taurus
  By catskill - March 28 - 10:00 am

  Got a decent deal on the lease...leather, CD changer, etc. Car has decent highway ride and plenty of room. Mileage is only OK. Reliability has been good, with only a few fit-and- finish issues to speak of. The seats, on the other hand, are ABYSMAL. Neither my wife nor I can drive the car without leg pain, despite trying the full range of power seat arrangements. Also very difficult to get my toddler in and out of. I cant wait to give it back next July!

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  Total Lemon - 1996 Ford Explorer
  By Scott Follenius - March 22 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car with 58,000 miles. In 10 months I put 9,000 miles on it, a nd had many problems. Have had several small things such as Cruise Control buttons on steering wheel melting, interior handle breaking. Transmission had to be rebuilt twice! $1800 Differential Gears had to be replaced at $800. This car has been in the shop for about a month of the 10 months I have owned it.

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  Dont buy this car - 2001 Ford Focus
  By Puddgomez - March 22 - 10:00 am

  Ive had my Focus LX for only a short time and the clutch has already gone out six times. The rear defrost refuses to work and the brakes are crappy at best. I dont think Im buying American cars anymore.

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  Dont Buy!!!! - 2003 Ford Focus
  By Not Happy Either - March 22 - 10:00 am

  Have been in the shop since purchased vehicle!!!! One thing after the other and Ford is no help at all. Trading in this car next week!!

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  Rattles galore, brake dust king! - 2004 Ford Expedition
  By wilbur274 - March 18 - 10:00 am

  Outside appearance is nicer than the older style, sits lower and feels tighter on the road. It does, however have its share of rattles and squeaks, something totally unacceptable for a vehicle in this price range. Specifically, the dash, rear window, and tha passenger door window vibrates at highway speeds. Cant tell you what Ford uses on the front brake pads but its garbage! The brake dust on these trucks is brutal! Funny,they dont acknowledge it as being a problem. I changed pads with 10,000 miles, how bad is that? Finally, the middle row seat needs to recline with the outter two. Ever have kids fighting over seats Ford?

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  FORD!!!!! Fix your transmission problem - 2002 Ford Explorer
  By K. Cimmy - March 18 - 10:00 am

  Reading other reviews on this and other Ford Explorer models, confirms that ours was not a fluke. The dealer couldnt understand why we had transmission problems when Ford never acknowledged anyone else having problems. I thought maybe we had bought a lemon. Come to find out, there are a lot of lemons out there. To bad for Ford.

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  Great Car with Recent and Alarming Issues - 2008 Ford Edge
  By JJ - March 13 - 7:00 pm

  I have a 2008 Ford Edge with 55k miles - 3 Times in the Last year when I have been attempting to accelerate- All of my warning lights turn on - My spedometer gets stuck at zero, and I am unable to accelerate above 5 miles per hour for a significant, and dangerous amount of time. Took car into shop and they were unable to find any issues. Looking online it seems many other people have had the same problem and ford is unable, or unwilling to address the issue. Very Dangerous.

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  Remorseful - 2004 Ford Explorer
  By chilidog - March 13 - 10:00 am

  Features, style and price is impressive with other comparable vehicles however the GAS MILEAGE IS HORRIBLE. We will be trading this in very very soon. I had Jeep Gr Cherokee for years and I got tremendously better mpg.

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  Could be better - 2007 Ford Five Hundred
  By vocomchris - March 12 - 9:50 am

  Everything about this car yells Granpa or Granma. The truth is it has every safety feature out there that you want for your kids. That is why I got one. The problem is design flaws that allow for road trash to rip the fuel line off the bottom of the car. This happened to me. Some other annoying things are that it tends to accelerate while at a complete stop. It is akin to the Toyota problem. Then there are the brakes that dont seem to last more than 15k miles. I find the car has potential but just shy of four years the problems are starting to come out of hiding. It has soured me to Ford.