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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  Disappointed - 1996 Ford Explorer
  By Pete B. - July 22 - 2:00 am

  When Ford came out with the new (2nd. generation) 1996 Explorer I thought it was the sweetest looking truck out there. In 2000 I came across the same truck in the Eddie Bauer trim which made it even sweeter. To my disappointment for the past year and a half even with the extended warranty I have done nothing but dump more money into this truck than Ive ever had in any other vehicles Ive owned. In addition to the reliability issues Ive had with this truck is the lack of and no support I got from the area Ford Dealerships. Even with items they shouldve repaired at inceptions they did there best to ignore me.

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  All-around Cowboy - 2000 Ford Expedition
  By CobraJockey - July 22 - 2:00 am

  Weve had a range of trucks over the years. GMC, Chev, Mazda, Toyota. The GMC had been my favorite until I got one of these as a company car. It served great for both business and personal use. I hunt, and have jr-hi aged kids, so function and room are important. It meets em. My wife prefers it over her sedans, including a Saab and a number of Hondas. But Id still rather drive my Shelby...

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  Ford Escape is Great - 2002 Ford Escape
  By ltjohn - July 22 - 2:00 am

  fantastic vehicle, very comfortable, the features of a full size SUV but in a compact package. Only bad feature is it is slightly top-heavy and thus prone to roll over if a sharp high speed turn is made. I have the full opion package with the leather seats and center console. Everything is really convenient. I will definitely buy another when the time comes

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  Better than my previous Jeep Cherokee - 2002 Ford Escape
  By cincinnati - July 22 - 2:00 am

  The Escape is fun, designed well, quiet, comfortable and handles very well. I was a solid Jeep person for 30 years until I drove the Escape. Better gas mileage, more for your money with a corresponding lower price. I paid more for my last Jeep Cherokee four years ago than I paid for my Escape and the options on both are about the same. I got the 4X4 XLT model which comes standard with a lot of options. The only real option that was on the Escape was the Mach stereo system which has 300 watts, seven speakers, and a 6 CD changer. This thing rocks! And the way the weather has been lately, I may still get to try it in the snow!

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  We love our Escape Hybrid - 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid
  By Bako - July 21 - 5:26 am

  We have owned our 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid for almost one year. It has been a great car. We have had no problems with it of any sort. I had a good test of the AWD last winter when traveling a lonely state highway in a full-on snowstorm. There was 3-4 inches of snow on the road and the Escape handled it beautifully. The Highway Partol closed the road right after I made it through due to other vehicles involved in accidents. Our milage is a very consistent 27 to 28 MPG, whether city or highway. In very hot weather the city mileage drops if the A/C cant be kept in the "economy" mode. If the A/C is not in "economy" the gas motor runs all the time. Great car! Buy it if you can find one!

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  A solid car - 2013 Ford Fiesta
  By A.J. - July 21 - 3:29 am

  I purchased a 2013 Ford Fiesta Titanium HB with a 5 speed manual transmission with a little of 30k. At the time of this review I have had the car for about a month. Fist of all, I love the gas mileage, I am getting around 38MPG. The car accelerates good, but does have some motor lag with the AC on. However its a manual, so I just push threw it. I am not a fan of the Sync system. I am 6,1" and I fit just fine in the car. I made a 4 hour dive last week, I got 40MPG with the AC on, and I was completely comfortable. The trunk is super tiny, but the seat fold down, so you can get around that. I stayed away from the automatic because of the reported problems.

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  Love my Mustang convertible! - 2016 Ford Mustang
  By Jp - July 20 - 11:38 pm

  I have the eco-boost four cylinder turbo mustang convertible in magnetic. The car is extremely comfortable and has excellent technology with the *NSYNC navigation and especially the Bose shaker system! The car is incredibly fast and when I go on long trips Im getting 31 miles per gallon! It corners amazingly well and Im 6 foot five and have plenty of room even be even being a pretty big guy. I decided not to have the spoiler on the back and as a result it looks very executive and has line similar to the old Mustang combined I guess with a Jaguar. I know a lot of the purists believe only in the V8 but trust me when you put the pedal to the metal on this thing and it goes from 40 to 80 in seconds!

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  A very good buy - 2003 Ford Focus
  By Joe - July 20 - 8:23 pm

  Im sorry to hear that one person had such a bad engine, but mine has 32,000 reliable miles. Ive tested the bumpers twice without a ding at 5-10mph bumps. Very comfortable, even after 7 straight hours behind the wheel. (WOW, no neck aches.) Its got enough pep to get me on the highway. I also like my MP3 CD player that comes standard. Mileage has been disappointing. I had a Contour before with a similar engine and it got 35mpg whereas the Focus gets about 30 mpg. I am pressed to say anything bad about the car.

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  My Sport Trac - 2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By Candy - July 20 - 3:56 pm

  I am the original owner of my Sport Trac. I have really enjoyed the versatility of the truck. I did have trouble with the belt sounding like crickets. After getting the tensioner pulley replaced the belt doesnt make the noises anymore.

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  Still like new - 2015 Ford Fusion
  By Barty - July 19 - 4:36 pm

  Purchased this pre owned certified car from dealer for what I consider to be a reasonable price. Although it has 36,000 miles its in great shape and I bought the extended warranty just in Case! There is an annoying little rattle (more of a ticking) that seems to only happen when I drive...versus the dealer! Ha. The entertainment controls are cumbersome... And there are about four different ways to change the temperature or radio channel. I vote for simplicity over trending.