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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  Still loving it - 2002 Ford Thunderbird
  By fred154 - August 27 - 2:33 pm

  Ive owned this car for nearly nine years now, and I (and everyone else who sees it) still consider it a new car. It looks great and drives just as smoothly after 32,500 miles as it did when new. No problems with car whatsoever. I replaced the battery simply because I had a Firestone rebate that had to be used. This isnt a family car for daily use, but it is a great toy that still makes an old man feel like a kid again!

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  BAD TRANSMISSION ON 2006 FORD FUSION - 2006 Ford Fusion
  By bobalu2 - August 26 - 10:06 am

  I puchased a brand new 2006 Ford Fusion because of reliability and currently have about 74,000 miles on it and the transmssion is going bad- it slips and knocks. Talked to numerous mechanics and been given runaround! Will drive car until it dies but now I know why people are buying Toyotas and Hondas! BOBALU2

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  Overheating problems - 2011 Ford Explorer
  By hrivington - August 26 - 8:00 am

  I have about 7000 kms on this Explorer and I had to have it towed back to the dealer because of overheating problems. I have been driving for over 40 years and I have never had to have my vehicle towed. I had to leave my daughter at the soccer field. I would recommend to people thinking about buying a a Ford Explorer (Exploder) "Dont do it"!

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  We test drove everything, selected Ford Flex Limited - 2011 Ford Flex
  By mcc1234 - August 24 - 3:53 pm

  Our 2003 Yukon hit 140,000 and started to break down so we started looking for a 7 seater replacement. Couldnt face the stigma of a minivan so considered everything else in the $30-50k range. Reviewed and test drove many vehicles, including the new Yukon, Enclave/Acadia, Mercedes R/M, Lexus GX, Pilot, Highlander Hybrid and others. The Flex was not on our original shortlist and we only tried it because we had a spare hour last Saturday and dropped into the dealership. 2 test drives later and we ordered a fully loaded Limited from a nearby city. Love the car, the drive, 3 spacious rows, and the interior is like a business class aircraft cabin (great gadgets, dual DVD, fridge/freezer).

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  Ford Edge Sport - 2011 Ford Edge
  By cjohns1 - August 21 - 11:06 pm

  Forget going to the grocery store in a hurry. You will get quizzed on what you are driving. It goes across all age groups and even just driving around its a head turner too. We live in X5 and Range Rover Land and for the money there is no comparison. We drove them all including Lexus and Audi and Lincoln too but if aggressive style and value is your deal then this is the vehicle for you. This Edge is fully loaded and its like toy time for adults. Even our teenagers and their friends have a blast inside. Mytouch and Sync require a learning curve and there is an art to the touch screen too but once mastered its powerful stuff. Love the reverse camera and killer sunroof too.

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  Amazing Truck - 2011 Ford F-150
  By joe1955 - August 20 - 1:50 pm

  The truck was purchased new and now has 7,700 miles. The amazing features of this truck are its efficiency and power. Average mpg is 22.5 combined city and highway. Highway mileage has hit 26.2 mpg. Although the truck is a basic work-truck model, getting the 8 foot bed was well worth it ($300 extra), and so was the premium sound system. The ride is very smooth and the cabin is quiet. We traded in a PT-Cruiser for this truck, and the mileage is nearly identical, but the power is much greater. The truck is amazing.

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  Problems with My Synch just the beginning.... - 2011 Ford Explorer
  By lockew1 - August 19 - 1:29 pm

  My Synch never worked properly from day 1. The phone constantly froze up which brought the whole system down...the phone, radio, navigation. The dealer told her it was not compatible with her phone....a one year old Blackberry? She went out bought a new I-Phone and had the dealer program it. Same problems. Now they say it was a software problem. Replaced/upgraded software and the problems continued. It is a dangerous situation caused by the distractions of the malfunctioning My Synch. The voice activiation never gets the commands or the names right, so it might as well not even exist. Last week vehicle caught fire due to defective valve. Never want to see car again

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  Solid Truck & Tow Vehicle - 2005 Ford Explorer
  By tbill2 - August 19 - 1:02 pm

  We bought this vehicle to tow a 5,500lb boat and it does it easily and safely. We had bad reliability previously with a Ford Windstar and were reluctant to buy Ford again. But the Explorer fit into our garage (vs. the competing & huge GM products with 3rd row seating), had more than adequate tow specs, and had a nimble feel due to the independent supension. 6 yrs and 70,000 miles later we couldnt be happier. It has required only minor repairs, oil, brakes, etc. It rides smooth and quiet at xway speeds and is a powerful tow platform (glad we bought the V8). Gas econ is 16 - 18 which is acceptable given the fact that this is actually a heavy body-on-frame truck vs. the hybrids which are n

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  Alot of problems with this car - 2000 Ford Contour
  By garyd6 - August 18 - 8:14 pm

  I bought the car for $5000 in March of 2006. Since then I have put $9,100 in maintenance and repairs. This car has been very problematic and I cant get rid of it. The condenser leaks. The A/C compressor leaks. The exhaust manifold gasket, timing cover gasket, valve cover gasket are all seeping or making noise. The car has $185,000 miles on it.

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  Fusion a disappointment - 2011 Ford Fusion
  By rtbrain - August 18 - 8:13 pm

  I have the the SEL 2.5L 4cyl and have experienced the same sort of less than stellar gas mileage. It has almost 6800 miles on it now, about 65% of those are highway and the highest it has hit is 29mpg but the city average is only 24 mpg, a far cry from the 33 highway it claims. In addition, I think the transmission feels rough on both acceleration and deceleration and I have had it in for some braking issues that have been present since I have owned it straight off the lot. At first they told me I had warped rotors (on a brand new car) and they spun them. I made them replace them after that but it is still doing a shudder/hesitation motion when I brake. So far I have been very underwhelmed.