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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  Ford F-150 supercrew - 2002 Ford F-150
  By Ryan75 - February 3 - 2:00 am

  I bought a new 03 and I love it. The only thing that I wish it had was more horsepower and better gas mileage. I have the 5.4L and I still think it needs like 50 more horsepower.

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  Rattle, Rattle, Junk Heap Rattle Trap - 2003 Ford Expedition
  By BobAtlGa - February 3 - 2:00 am

  I thought this was the perfect car for our family with two kids. The car as a DVD player and captains chairs. After a few hundred miles an obnoxious intermittent rattle appeared in all windows. Ford did a service bulletin and replaced the molding on all windows. The rattle persists in the drivers window. Dealership will not repair and Ford Corporate says no. BUYER BEWARE!!! The interior workmanship is the worst in the industry. DO NOT buy this car. A $42,000 car should not have this problem!

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  good car/bad gas mileage - 2001 Ford Taurus
  By donnabella37 - February 3 - 2:00 am

  This is basically a great car, very comfortable for our family of four. However, Ford must have miscalculated the city mileage. The sticker claimed 20mpg city and 27mpg highway. The best that I have gotten is 15mpg in the city. The highway gas mileage is a lot closer to being accurate, but unfortunately, my commute is all in town. Great on long road trips.

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  Reliable - 2000 Ford Taurus
  By Bud - February 2 - 8:46 pm

  Tauras has been very reliable. only issue - Fuel pump replaced @ 38,000mls - covered under OEM recall. Nice design. Happy at 56,000mls.

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  NO START DEAD Battery - 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid
  By daydreme - February 2 - 4:03 am

  It is a cute car and comfortable if a single passenger is the primary occupant maybe 1 child anymore and its very tight - its not very well designed for a female. no where near enough compartments for all the items we need to carry for our children so everyday needs just ends loose all the back seat. I like how Toyota and Honda has little closed compartments on the dash.

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  Police Interceptor - 2004 Ford Crown Victoria
  By automaniac9 - February 1 - 11:29 pm

  This car is great value for the money, especially used; thats if you find the perfect one. Now, this being a police version, it does ride a lot firmer than the standard car, but since the seats are so comfortable, it almost doesnt matter. Being a police spec car also means that it gets all the powertrain improvements over even the LX Sport. I was even lucky enough to get one with matching seats. The wheels on the car do rust quite easily; my car has 159000 miles and there is quite a bit of rust on each rim. The power delivery is very broad in this car, but I found that it loses power when getting close to the redline. It corners pretty flat, but its easy to upset, especially in the rain.

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  6 months 11,000 mile review - 2005 Ford Focus
  By Mike - February 1 - 9:36 pm

  I bought this car for $13,100 (ZX3 SES with upgraded sound system, side impact air bags, moonroof) July 2nd, 2005. Since then Ive put 11,000 miles on the car and couldnt be happier. It has a lot of pep and handles the corners great. I average about 31 mpg at about 80% highway driving. I thought it would be a little higher, but I heard no cars ever truly meet what is posted on the car by the EPA, so no real concern.

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  Transmission problems - 2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By Frank Grimes - February 1 - 6:16 pm

  The SportTrac is a decent vehicle and served me well over a five year period. The trucks versatility and mix of luxury and ruggedness allowed it to handle most situations well. The windshield is prone to cracking when operating the defrosters in cold weather. There are a few sensors that have a tendency to fail. However, my biggest issue with the truck came at 95,000 miles when the automatic transmission ceased to function. The truck was well maintained, so the failure was quite a surprise. After much research, and expense, I found that this was common among these trucks. The automatic transmission has design flaws. Beware the blinking "O/D Off" light of death.

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  Great, Peppy 42-43 MPG car - 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid
  By hof - February 1 - 6:37 am

  For most people its not a 47 MPG car, but the fact is a great 42-43 MPG car. (My lifetime MPG peaked at 45 in October but is going down with colder weather.) Myfordtouch is fun to play with even though the speech recognition is a bit dodgy at times. The car performs much better than the Prius and is roomy for 4 adults. It doesnt really NEED a backup cam in that visibility in the back is better than a prius even without a cam, but a cam would be nice. Mine has the rear sonar which is useful, but a camera would be better. My only problem has been a tire pressure warning system light that wont go off withotu a dealer re, but thats not unique to the CMAX, thats a standard Ford part.

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  2012 Flex with 55k miles - 2012 Ford Flex
  By Browder.ba@gmail.com - January 31 - 10:14 pm

  We have had the car for one year, the only reason we bought it was because my wife and I had twins. Well 55k miles into the car and only 4 years old and the rack and pinion has to be replaced. Its not covered under the powertrain warrant so my wife and I are out $1k. Thanks Ford POS. Ill never buy one again. The car wasnt cheap to start as its a limited. Ive NEVER owned a car that has needed a major repair like this that had less than100k miles.