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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  Best car Ive ever owned - 2014 Ford Taurus
  By Brian - October 28 - 2:33 pm

  Been driving 41 years, owned quite a few cars. Prior to this I had a Grand Marquis and a Buick Lesabre, both very comfortable and nice riding cars. The Taurus is very beautiful inside and out. It is a pleasure just being in it. I find the Taurus to be fun to drive, comfortable, quiet, and powerful. Controls are logically positioned and easy to use. Handling and performance are impressive. Seats are comfortable. Personally I like this base models cloth seats, as theres no need for heating or cooling the seats. But at the dealership I did sit in the models that had leather and they were really nice too. Gas mileage is a little less than what I got in the Lesabre with its 3.6L V6. But really there is nothing I do not like about this car. I love it. I enjoy driving it. It is definitely the best car Ive ever owned.

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  From Taurus to Focus same issues - 2014 Ford Focus
  By Mark OKeefe - October 28 - 2:27 pm

  Several years back I had a Taurus wagon and transmission needed to be replace 3 times. Twice by ford and after going to transmission professional I was shown the cheap part Ford had put back into my transmission and was shown the upgraded parts need to make my transmission work. Transmission professional told me the same transmission was in the Ford Escort and to sell the car as fast as I could.

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  Good and Bad - 2013 Ford Focus
  By Brian in Florida - October 28 - 1:38 pm

  This car is well built and very nice looking. Easy to clean. Logical controls are easy to use. Surprisingly roomy. Surprisingly nice handling, and adequate power. A fun car to drive. By using the cruise control as much as possible I could get well over 40 mpg. However the drivers seat is a deal breaker. The seat is NOT height adjustable. The back part of the seat surface does adjust up and down but the front part - which touches the backs of your knees - does not adjust. This is a problem for anyone shorter than 56". And the seat back is narrow and curved which pushes your shoulders forward. There is no lumbar support at all. The headrest, even when pushed all the way back, leans forward too much and prevents you from holding your head so that your eyes look straight ahead at the road. This poorly designed seat will cause you to need frequent chiropractic care. After 19 months of trying different adjustments and different types/sizes of seat cushions I could not take sitting in that seat anymore and I traded the car for a Taurus. A few other dislikes - the glove box has no lock and no interior light. The headlights cannot be turned on unless the engine is running. No cup holders for the rear seats. No heated mirrors, which affects visibility in the rain or cold weather. The switch for the dome light is illogical: the button closest to the back turns on only the front light, whereas the button closest to the front turns on the back and front dome lights. This means that a rear passenger can turn on the front dome light but not the rear one, unless he loosens his seat belt and leans forward and reaches the front switch that is close to the front passengers. The driver and front passenger can easily turn on the rear dome light, but in order to turn on both lights hed have to reach back to the rear switch. Trade in value is not good because these cars are so common, "a dime a dozen" so to speak. Used car dealerships are flooded with these. The are so many great things about this car, but the few not-so-great things outweigh them. I was glad to get rid of this car even though I still had 43 payments left.

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  HATED THE CAR!! - 2012 Ford Focus
  By Mark Clemson - October 28 - 1:03 pm

  I bought my 2012 Ford Focus in October 2014. I should have done the research, but I didnt. I test drove the car and noticed a little shutter and how it went backwards on the hill, but didnt think anything of it. I should have!!! Within two weeks of having the car, my breaks started squeaking. I thought I needed to changed my brake pads. They said they were fine and couldnt duplicate the problem. Then two weeks later, it start stuttering to the point the car would shake every time I hit the gas to get the car moving. Took the car back and thankfully the warranty covered that. The brakes continued to squeak and I just had my mechanic change the brake pads anyway and the squeaking stopped. The car worked fine for a while then all of a sudden the stuttering came back and also when I would drive in the city and hit a even a small bump it felt like the back of my car would fall apart. I took the car in and was told I needed new shocks in the back. $450 dollars later I had new shocks and a realignment and that noise was still there!!! The stuttering would happen EVERYTIME I hit the brake and then the gas. Finally after dealing with this for over 6 months, the car violently shook on a hill while trying to accelerate. I couldnt take it anymore and traded it in the next day. I didnt get very much for the car and had to take money out of my Savings account to get my new Nissan Altima. Didnt want to, shouldnt have had to, but it was a great decision. I had my 2012 Ford Focus for a year and dumped almost $1000 of my own money on repairs and only put on 13,000 miles on the car. This was a complete POS and the biggest waste of money ever!! DONT BUY THIS CAR, YOU WILL REGRET IT!

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  Fantastic small vehicle - 2015 Ford Focus
  By tomkat - October 28 - 11:25 am

  I have owned a 2015 Focus Titanium sedan for about 2 months now and have about 5000 miles on it. I bought it new and it has been great. I average 38 mpg with mostly highway and country driving. This car is quiet and comfortable for a small car. The transmission works like it should with precise shifts and smooth operation. Every control and feature of the car has been engineered and thought through on a high level. I only wish there was the home link feature on the visor to program a garage door opener. I am a happy camper with this car.

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  Would buy again!! - 2010 Ford Fusion
  By Ryan Snider - October 28 - 10:47 am

  I bought this car 3 months ago and do not regret it at all. It looks very sporty especially the front but is still conservative. Picks up great for a 4-cylinder and gets solid gas mileage. Love the sync system and sunroof. A couple complaints would be rear visibility when backing out, low A/C controls and cmon plastic hubcaps? I had to buy rims because they were hideous but other than that love the car

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  LEMON - 2011 Ford Fiesta
  By Kori - October 27 - 6:24 pm

  Dont do it. I bought one and I cant even resell because of the Notorious transmission and its defects.

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  Best vehicle Ive ever had - 2015 Ford F-150
  By Amy F. - October 27 - 5:31 pm

  Amazing truck!

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  Built to Work - 2015 Ford F-150
  By Mike Bard - October 27 - 4:18 pm

  I bought the F150 because I know Ford makes vehicles that perform well have low maintenance and are always a pleasure to drive. I had GM products for many years, but there is nothing like a Ford and my 2015 F150 is no exception. My F150 is a quality product that gets the job done and looks good doing it.I have just under 5000 miles on my truck now and I get great gas mileage when not working and good gas mileage when i hook my 6000 pound travel trailer to it.

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  Going Back to Honda - 2014 Ford Fusion
  By Jillian Johnson - October 27 - 10:36 am

  I like my fusion, its beautiful. Here are the reasons Im going back to Honda after this car. 1. My car is one year old. My back up camera has already quit working. Fortunately, it is covered under warranty. However, it still took a half day of vacation to go get it fixed. 2. The transmission is already acting up. 3. I get 16 MPG in the city and 21 on the highway 4. When I start the car, my the air from my vents smells like mildew.