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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  Love this car - 2015 Ford Fusion
  By zanderman1 - May 11 - 3:23 pm

  This is my second Fusion, i had a 2013, and now i have a 2015, love the car. I have never had any problems with my old fusion or the new one. I would 100% recommend this car to everyone, great on gas great daily driver, my only two things i dislike is it could have a little bit more power under the hood, and my out side color is black and it is one of the hardest cars Ive ever owned to keep clean, i wash it about 2 to 3 times a week, the black color gets so dirty, but it really shines when it washed up and looks great.

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  Driving in the Edge - 2015 Ford Edge
  By ridgedrive - May 8 - 9:56 am

  I test drove the Edge and loved it right away. I have the SEL V6 and most of the packages. I test drove a Toyota Highlander but it was noisier and I did not like the steering feel. I wanted to test a V6 Outback but there were none within 75 miles. This is my first vehicle with electronic steering and I liked it better than a CRV that I drove. The vehicle is quiet, smooth, comfortable and has plenty of headroom (Im 6-02). I cant rate reliability. Ive owned four Fords with no major problems. The Edge drives like a heavier sports car with a nice solid feel. Ford has stepped up their game when it comes to refinement.

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  I love this car - 2006 Ford Freestyle
  By whitetigerlady - May 5 - 10:47 am

  I love this car - I purchased in in 2009 from a dealer with 50,000ish miles on it. There was one issue with the transmission 3 years ago that was repaired by the ford dealership for free because it was a recall issue, other than that, I have replaced the tires twice and the breaks once...just last month...My Gypsy as I call her - the GPS is very outdated LOL - now has 192000 miles and is still going pretty strong. I get my oil changed every 5K miles and use high mileage oil and thats it - I love driving a worry free vehicle. My only issue is they dont make them anymore and I have no idea what to replace her with when her time finally is up - I just hope thats not for another 200K :-)

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  Best car Ive ever driven - 2015 Ford Fiesta
  By jrazem - April 26 - 5:06 pm

  I only drive fun cars. I used to drive a 06 Audi S4, my wife drives a BMW 335i with the sports package, and after reading so many glowing reviews of the Fiesta ST, I decided to give one a spin and then easily decided to replace my Subaru WRX STi. The Fiesta ST is not only better than all those cars but also far cheaper. There arent many instances where you can replace something more expensive with something less expensive and have a better product in the end, but this is one of those times. The Fiesta ST actually does live up to its hype - it is that good. If you enjoy driving and love fun to drive cars, there is no more fun that can be had in any other car - no matter the price.

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  Great Car So far - 2014 Ford Fusion
  By grisd1969 - April 24 - 10:34 am

  I put about 20,000 miles a year on my cars and I wanted something comfy and big Im 67" so no sunroof but other wise I fit just fine in the car. I had a 2007 Fusion with the 4-cyl and a manual trans and compaired to this car I get 2 MPG better and gained about 70 Hp...Id say that was a win for Ford. My 07 never broke just kept going and going. Hopefully my 14 will do the same. I almost allways had manual transimissions and this it the first auto that I like. Love the down shift when slowing down and having the paddles to take over when I want to.

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  One week in - 2015 Ford Focus
  By dredd_tac - April 24 - 7:27 am

  Just read the elderly gentlemans review from march and felt compelled to respond. Im one week in owning a 2015 Focus SE Hatch. This is my second Focus. Had a 2012 that I traded in on the current one. Heres what was explained to me about the transmission by service and salesits actually a manual transmission that has 2 clutches. The chattering sensation is the clutches engaging against the flywheel and is normal. If youve ever driven a manual pedal clutch car not all but most make a similar chatter. Now when I say chatter this is very subtle and I test drove two 2015s and they both did it. My 2012 also did it and had 76,000 on trade with no tranny problems.

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  Best Midlife Crisis - 2007 Ford Mustang
  By rbmidlifer - April 23 - 6:46 pm

  I was shopping for a Corvette, came very close to buying a C4. Looked at many C5s also. I just couldnt find one that I thought was the right car. My brother-in-law suggested I consider a Mustang GT. Im very thankful he did, I found a 2007 GT/CS with 22,000 miles on it and couldnt be happier. I bought a much newer, lower mileage Mustang compared to the Vette. I realize many Corvette owners would cringe the thought of even comparing them but the bang for the buck cant be denied. My grin gets larger every time I drive it. I don regret my decision for one moment.

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  Worth Waiting For - 2015 Ford Mustang
  By tabill - April 11 - 2:13 am

  I ordered the 2015 Mustang in Sept. 2014 and received delivery on Nov. 2014. The push button start button is rad! Figured out right away you had to push in the clutch to start the car. If you have read other reviews, you get a lot of looks and thumbs up when you drive the car around. This car just wants to keep accelerating....what a kick! 435 ponies do not disappoint.

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  Bullitt Mustang - 2008 Ford Mustang
  By greenmamba - April 10 - 7:38 pm

  Bought first week in 2009. Been a great toy car. Never had any serious problems. When back to the dealer for a loose drivers mirror and a buzzing noise in the transmission (which I fixed myself, a loose trans inspection plate). Some performance and handling mods have been done, but its basically all stock.

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  Guess I Got One Of The Good Ones - 1996 Ford Explorer
  By greenmamba - April 10 - 7:23 pm

  Bought mine with 135K back in 01. It now has over 300K and has been the perfect vehicle. Still looks fantastic, interior has a small 1 1/2 inch tear on the driver seats side. Has never left us walking. Same transmission, water pump, rear end. The only big things replaced are a/c and radiator. Both done by me and all maintenance also.