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:

• 

  Couldnt be more satisfied. My EDGE is like a family member. - 2011 Ford Edge
  By gerryinohio - September 7 - 8:56 pm

  Its only been 8 months since I drove it off the lot and said to my wife ..."Did I really pay that much fir a Ford !!?" Now I am constantly surprised that I was able to get all these features, and this ride for such a low price. Ive owned 2 Accords, a Chrysler Town and Country Limited Van, an RX7, and before that a Chrysler 5th Avenue, and a Mercury Marquis Broughm. They all had their good points ... but none has fit me so well as this Edge. Decent mileage (19.5 city), comfort, all the pickup I need, and easy on the eyes. Im so sold on it, I should probably quit my job and apply at the local dealers to sell Edges.

• 

  Happy Overall but beware of possible tranny problems - 2006 Ford Escape
  By bayport24 - September 7 - 4:03 pm

  I bought this Escape from Carmax in 2008 with only 38k miles. I was aware that it preciously had been part of a rental fleet. The 4-cylinder is a little noisy but was so much better than my previous 2001 Honda CRV. The looks and toughness of this SUV is GREAT. My minor gripes are that the accelerator pedal gets sticky" during cold weather here in Texas and that occasionally the A/C fan makes a shrieking noise that sounds like something is stuck in there. This noise happens mainly in cold weather too. Finally, at 67k miles my transmission had to be replaced. Luckily I had a good extended warranty. I attribute it due to previously being an abused rental vehicle. I have 76 k on it now.

• 

  Beware of Manual Transmission - Built in China and Problematic - 2011 Ford Mustang
  By jmatero2 - September 6 - 11:30 am

  The 2011 and 2012 Ford Mustangs V6 and V8 are equipped with a Getrag Ford MT82 manual transmission built in China. These cars are not the subject of a safety investigation by the NHTSA as owners are reporting they are unable to shift. Personally, I lost my first transmission at 1400 miles, and my second transmission at 3,000 miles. This is a known issue and despite customer complaints all over the internet, they have refused to acknowledge the issue or provide a fix.

• 

  Impressed! - 2011 Ford Expedition
  By rlamascus - September 5 - 10:12 pm

  Thought I would never buy a Ford again but buying a travel trailer and needing the perfect tow vehicle made me check out the Expedition. Am I glad I did. Roomy, comfortable, great features, good ride, and drives like a big, solid hunk of metal on all road surfaces. Stable in wind, good on wet surfaces and in the mountains. Get the 3.73 rear end if you want to tow and get better acceleration with no mpg penalty. The nav system is quite good as is the sound system and flexibility of options. So far, I could not be more pleased. Oh yeah, folding power 3rd seat makes for easy loading and extra passenger space. Perfect tow vehicle.

• 

  Ford does it again - 2006 Ford Taurus
  By ericgdenver - September 4 - 10:08 pm

  06 was a good year for the Taurus. Bought mine with 24K four years ago from a Dealership. I am at 118K now. It has received all the scheduled Maintenance services, including synthetic oil and Motorcraft filters. Typical brake/fluids/tire replacement. Just put on a new set of tires with alignment and had the AC serviced. The car performs as good as the day I bought it. The ride is still comfortable and the handling is tight and responsive. Great in the snow. No leaks of any kind that I know of. Edmunds has the TMV at $7,697.00, which I would agree with. It has been a very reliable car that has held its value. I plan on driving it to at least 150K. An excellent production year for Ford.

• 

  97 Ford Explorer EB AWD - 1997 Ford Explorer
  By alg115 - September 3 - 10:23 pm

  Truck is a beast. Yea it does suck gas but if you drive like a normal person, youll be fine. Pushing 265000k truck is still on the road. No leaks little rust, but very reliable. SAfe for the kids and easy to drive. This is one of my favorite style of trucks has alot of room inside while disguising it on the outside. doing little cosmetics to eventually sell, already have 3 buyers...lol...at 265K..Love this Truck. AG

• 

  Ok except for the transmission - 2005 Ford Explorer
  By whizkidcat - September 3 - 11:50 am

  We bought our Explorer in 2005 new. It ran great for 36,000 miles. It now has 68,000 miles. The best gas mileage we have gotten is 18 hwy/11 city with a constant average of 14.6. NOT very desirable. No repairs, just regular maintenance for 3 years. Shortly after 36,000 miles we had problems with the reverse: going into reverse and going from reverse into drive. It would take about 3 to 5 seconds for the gears to catch and move the car. After a new transmission everything else started to go wrong. Interesting that until we took it to the dealer we had no other problems! The blinkers work intermittently, the rear windows work sometimes or NOT and the leather is cracking sides/edges.

• 

  Ford Focus Review - 2007 Ford Focus
  By nikkicoco - August 31 - 9:35 pm

  my 2007 ford focus has had nothing but problems with it i looked up online and they have problems with the transmission and alternator going bad around 40-50 thousand miles it is only 4yrs old. so i called bill pierre ford in lake city and i told them how many problems i have had with the car and heard they would fix it for free since there were so many people this was happening to well they were nothing but rude and not willing to help even though they have replaced other peoples transmissions when theirs went out I am so beyond myself right now I am forking out over $3,000 to repair my car. NEVER again will I buy a ford and I will make sure to tell anyone I know to never buy one. worst car I have ever had

• 

  Good Car - 2008 Ford Focus
  By j_lo - August 31 - 1:45 pm

  This is the first brand-new -0 miles car I have ever purchased. It is great! Good gas mileage, plenty of power (for a 4cyl.) and the inside design looks awesome, Ive gotten many compliments, even now 3years later. The only issues that I had were with the computer the first year I had it, must have been a defective part, but no hassle ford replaced it with a brand new one.

• 

  My Escape is no acception to the reviews - 2009 Ford Escape
  By catmandoo712 - August 31 - 8:29 am

  I read on the internet that the 2009 Ford Escape 6 speed trans has problems.I thought that this is not going to happen to the vehicle I purchase.Well much to my surprise I had to have trans work on my vehicle at 29000 miles.Very slow shifting from reverse to drive.Now I noticed that it has a ticking sound like a vehicle with bad lifters in an old car.The dealer does not seem to hear it ,I must be hullucinating.Loud exhaust and a growling sound when driving uphill.Got rid of a 11 yr old Chevy Tacker and it was a much quieter than this 2 yr old vehicle.