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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  WOW!!! THIS IS IT!!!!! - 2003 Ford Focus
  By j.becker - June 12 - 2:00 am

  Since owning this vehicle, I cant stay out of it! I look for excuses to go places. I am 44 years of age, this is my second Focus, my first a 2001 zx3 was also a great, and trouble free vehicle. I love the look of envy I get from all the neighborhood teen age kids when I pull up and they are messing with thier hondas ! Eat my dust!!!!

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  great all around - 2003 Ford Explorer
  By cb1 - June 12 - 2:00 am

  Traded in our mitsubishi montero for the explorer and the difference is amazing. 4 wheel independent suspension gives you a much improved ride. Very stable on the road. Performance is good with the V-6 a little noisey at times. The build quality is excellent. Allready have 10,000 miles on it since buying it in June. No problems at all. My only complaint is the fuel economy, it could be better. One would thimk with a 5- speed auto it would be better. I also own 4 f-350 p/u with the diseal engines and they get better mileage. But overall in its price category I find it as a value that is hard to beat.

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  Made M3 owner Jealous! - 2005 Ford Mustang
  By Mitch - June 11 - 2:00 pm

  This is my third GT convertible, not counting my wifes. Theyve gotten a little better each change up to this one - its a major upgrade. The build quality, interior, comfort, interior noise, stereo, shifting, clutch, steering, handling, power, function, character and overall fun level are on par with anything for twice (thrice?) the price. The coup de gras was a coworker with an M3 saying he was jealous! And, if he offered a trade, I wouldnt take it! There is no nav option - wouldnt fit the character of the car anyway - but every creature comfort is there. Press on the throttle, or take a turn off faster then you should and you get to what makes this car great to own and drive.

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  ZX4 ST a cool car - 2006 Ford Focus
  By joe scaramuzzo - June 11 - 10:46 am

  It was easy to buy, fun to drive.

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  Buyer Beware - 2012 Ford Focus
  By Bill Smith - June 11 - 4:26 am

  Bought car new and have had nothing but troubles with transmission. This car should be on recall as it is a safety issue when driving at highway speeds and car decides to buck and jump. Just traded it on a new Camry will never buy another Ford car. Real disappointment and the dealer could only make excuses. This car could get you killed when driving at highway speeds. Read the internet it is full of horror stories regarding the transmission. Purchased this car with the hopes it would be a dependable vehicle and then had to trade it in to get something dependable. Ford is terrible to deal with, dont buy this car if it is your primary driver as it will let you down and Ford will only make excuses for an inferior product. The Focus rates there with the flaming Pinto.

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  Waste of Money - 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid
  By kingbb71 - June 11 - 4:00 am

  Do not waste your money on this car. Fords claim of 47 mpg highway is just simply not true. I had this car for 6 months and drove 6,500 miles, mostly highway, and averaged about 35-37 mpg. I even tried to drive slow and not accelerate, but could still only average at best 37 mpg. Also, after about a month, the ABS light came on multiple times and the dealer could not figure out why. The Ford MyTouch also does not work as advertised. The navigation system regularly froze and was pretty much useless. I hated this car so much that I took a loss of about $4k to get out of it when I traded it in after six months. Dont make the same mistake I did.

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  Some Good. Some not so Good - 2008 Ford Fusion
  By Jim W. - June 10 - 6:46 pm

  I fell in love with the seats in the sports appearance package and forgot to check the firmness of the sports tuned suspension. If I could get the harsh ride softened a bit, I would. This car looks great, is roomy, has many thoughtful features, but it has some flaws too. Some controls feel flimsy and cheap (seat recline lever, light switch, HVAC control, outside door handles) Seats are very comfy and supportive, and as I said they look great with black leather, and black/red cloth inserts. The engine lacks pick-up, and doesnt seem enthusiastic. Fuel economy so far (at two weeks ownership) is about 19mpg. Hope this improves. However, this car was very well priced and nicely appointed.

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  2010 Sport AWD - 2010 Ford Fusion
  By 2010 Sport AWD - June 10 - 6:03 am

  This car is fun to drive and it handles great. I strongly recommend others buy it if they are looking for an attractive AWD sedan that is affordable.

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  Another hit by Ford! - 2006 Ford Explorer
  By Ken Errickson - June 9 - 10:40 pm

  This is our third Ford SUV. The first was a "94" Explorer XLT that we ran the wheels off. After 140K miles we hadnt turned a wrench on it. We then bought a "98" EB Expedition. That was also a great vehicle with absolutely no problems! This one, a "06" EB Explorer, (the kids are all grown) has to be one of the best designed on the market, we feel almost like were flying an airplane when sitting in the drivers seat. All the controls are at your finger tips and the ride is exceptional for an SUV. Ford sure beats the Chevys we have owned in the past. We are faithful with our service and exceed the manufacturers recommendations but could not keep transmissions in the GM SUVs.

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  Shame to see Sport Trac shelved - 2007 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By J Knbr - June 9 - 2:00 am

  Compared Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Dodge. None came close in creature comforts. Sport Trac is great size for family hauler, sales people, weekend warrior chores, and fun driving. V8 is the way to go with this vehicle - plenty of power with my avg mileage (combined) very acceptable 19-20 mpg. Ford should find a way to keep ST alive...a little strategic advertising could go a long way.