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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  2004 Z3 Automatic - 2004 Ford Focus
  By buffee - June 23 - 4:34 pm

  Purchased this car in 2004 Brand new off the lot in May of 2004. In Sept. of 2004 I had a work injury that required alot of surgeries, so I did not get to drive the car that much. To date it has barely 39,000 miles on it. It is the biggest peice of junk ever made!!!!!!! I will NEVER buy from Ford ever again. I had to spend 4,500$ at 28,000 miles for a new transmission, I have had to replaced the ignition because the damn thing locked up every 5 minutes, I have to replace the tires....and they couldnt be ordinary, they had to be some special kind of tire that cost 3 times more and complete brakes, all on a car with less then 40,000 miles. I have put almost 7500 into this car, it is horrible

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  Good Car - 2001 Ford Escort
  By hoffman2 - June 22 - 10:40 pm

  This was the fisrt car i bought it had 120,000 miles on it and had been sitting for a while when i got it but with a charged battery it cranked right up and drove amazingly all ive done to it was regular maintainance to it and ive had it for 3 years and have 188,000 miles on it now and it still runs beautifully i plan to drive it untill it dies. very good investment i would recommend to anyone.

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  Excellent Fusion - 2011 Ford Fusion
  By fusiondan - June 22 - 9:48 pm

  This is an excellent car. Its a smooth ride and enjoyable to be in. Th only issue I have is the front seats are too narrow but they are comfortable.

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  Hate my Fiesta - 2011 Ford Fiesta
  By hatemyfiesta - June 22 - 3:52 am

  I have owned my Fiesta hatchback for 2 months now. The Sync system is a joke. The only part of it that works 50% of the time is syncing my Ipod. None of the voice commands listed in the owners manual work except the initial sync. The transmission jerks while shifting if Im driving below 30 miles per hour. I have 2,000 miles on my car and I have to take it into the dealer to have the software on 3 of the cars computers updated. I can only imagine what awaits me down the road regarding the computers. Gas milage is cut by 8 mpg unless I go through a long process to disengage the traction control every time I start the car.

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  better than expected - 2005 Ford Taurus
  By maaky - June 21 - 5:22 pm

  The taurus really hasnt had a good name in quite some time.The 05 that i bought used in 05 has certainly changed my opinion of ford and the taurus.While it is not a flashy sporty ride by any means it has provided the reliability that I needed from a vehicle.Just rolled 90k 2 weeks ago without any failures.The only time it didnt start as back at 20k took it into ford they reprogramed it have had no problems since outside of basic maintenance.Averaging 25mpg per tank the ride is smooth (even at 80+),fairly quiet and accelerates smoothly as well. I must be lucky to have gotten one of the good ones off the line. Cant wait till the wife lets me get one of the new ones.

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  Year 4 with my Freestyle - 2007 Ford Freestyle
  By taxiatmmom - June 21 - 11:41 am

  After 4 years, I am still very satisfied with my Freestyle. No major repairs needed except brakes which were very reasonable. Roomy for my family of 6 and great for road trips. Im not bothered by the "low power" issues, and it is actually better than most at uphill accelleration. My only gripes are the road noise and that fact that the rear lift gate doesnt close automatically.

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  I LOVE MY CAR - 2008 Ford Mustang
  By pdxcarguy - June 21 - 9:59 am

  This car is a great value and Ford did a wonderful job merging classic design into a modern world. I get around 20mpg (18 if I rod around) in the city and up to 26 on the hwy. I think that the dark blue version is the best color and while my car has a grey interior and black top, I think that the best color combo is the dk blue with tan interior/top. Nevertheless, I get comments on my car all the time - this car is great for meeting people!! LOL!! I upgraded the lousy tires that Ford ships with the car - I went from being able to take a 45 mph corner at 55 to 80++!! If you test one and question its performance I would suggest checking on the tires . . .

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  Research the transmission before you buy the 09 - 2009 Ford F-150
  By testagrande - June 21 - 9:33 am

  I absolutely love my truck, except for the transmission. I developed a leak in the tranny case within the first 1500 miles of owning it. Also, I dont believe Ford worked out all the bugs with this new 6 speed. I have hard shifting in the first 4 gears (anything below 35 mph) and a stuttering downshift from 2nd to 1st. The dealership keeps flashing the transmission computer, because it is supposed to be adaptive. I have had mine flashed 4 times, and I still have the same problems.

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  Meh - 2005 Ford Explorer
  By wwrx2 - June 20 - 8:02 pm

  We bought our used 05 explorer in late 2006. It is an XLT model with the V6. It does NOT have four wheel drive. So far,it has been an okay form of basic transportation. The interior is boring. Ditto for the exterior. As time has gone on, more things have broken on it,but thats what happens with older cars,so you cant quite say its a money pit. The fuel economy is below average but not appalling. The worst parts are clearly the ride and the A/C. In Florida,the A/C is the most important feature in any car. Also-the CD player randomly swallowed a disc and wont spit it out. This was an attractive car in 06 but now you would probably be better off setting fire to your money.

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  Great Fun & Value - 2011 Ford Mustang
  By patmiii - June 20 - 2:15 pm

  We are in our 50s & have had this car 7 mos and cant be more pleased. In the past we have had Japanese vehicles. This time we decided to find an American car that wouldnt be so practical as an SUV or basic sedan. The power & handling of this car is outstanding. The acceleration is so smooth. The overall feel of quality has been a surprise since the test drive. Gas mileage was a big surprise at 29-32 mpg on the highway. We love the manual 6speed tranny. A month ago we rented the automatic for a week & came away knowing the manual trans was best for us. Much more fun. The automatic did not shift exactly when needed. Its still a good car but the manual rocks. No problems so far.