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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  Great job Ford! - 2012 Ford Fusion
  By vkmaxima - June 29 - 11:36 pm

  I traded my 2002 Lincoln LS V8 with 189k on the clock, and I must say Ive always been a Ford fan. I love my 2012 Ford Fusion SEL. Bought the car used with 49k now 54k on it. I needed something a little more fuel efficient and thats what I got. The car achieves 22+ mpg city and 29+ mpg highway. I average about 24-26 mpg in mixed driving. The car is absolutely comfortable, and is very quiet. I like to drive my family and friends around, and theyve all complimented how great the car is. My favorite feature is the SYNC system. Honestly, everyone who has had issues with it need to check themselves. Its a pretty easy system to use. The 2.5L I4 has very good power, all in all a great car.

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  Great small family SUV - 2008 Ford Escape
  By mrjustin24 - June 24 - 1:59 pm

  It still had the truck styling. Too bad the new ones look like space ships. We bought it as a small, safe, family car. It completely served the purpose. It had plenty of cargo space. The seats were cloth and a rough material. Water would leave rings in the material too. However, it was reliable.

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  Original owner bought new - 2002 Ford Focus
  By worldtraveller - June 23 - 10:51 am

  Ok. When we bought the focus it was the bomb. Beautiful leather seats. Great technology and cargo space and quality. Mines a automatic it never got 30 miles to gallon more like 27 highway. Also luved the beautiful french blue metallic color. As someone else said it is like a mini-minvan. I think the tires do wear out fast. I had numerous problems with the alternator. Mainly because people were putting in the wrong alternator I think for SE version not the ZTW version. Only get your alternator done at FORD never go to firestone for anything! I have 134k on it and lots of things are starting to brake. And I cant find genuine replacement parts thru ford for quite a few things.

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  Proud to own a "girly" car - 1991 Ford Escort
  By elroy1991 - June 20 - 2:54 pm

  My sister gave me her 1991 escort lx in 2006 with 116K miles on it. She said I may get a year out of it and then junk it. She was the original owner. Here it is 2014 and I still drive it with 198K on it. Ive had the timing belt break twice, have had to replace alt, starter, wheel cyl. Then last week, the ignition switch lock assembly broke. This car will NOT die. I love this car. Im getting 420 miles on a tank of gas. Ive had people offer $1500 for it and tell them no. Its been a very reliable car for me. My sister is still amazed its still in service. Im going to drive it until the motor blows or the tranny gives out, but I dont see that happening anytime soon.

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  Great car - 2014 Ford Fusion
  By burninrubba - June 18 - 9:59 pm

  I have the 1.6 with the manual transmission. I love the Sync, the voice commands work so well, you can say the complete address all at once and it understands 95% of the time. Very comfortable ride and very quite. The only thing I dont like is the MPG, I do a lot of highway driving and I cant average more than 28, and Im not driving hard. The car only has 3,000 miles, hopefully the MPGs will improve over time. Overall Im very impressed, its a lot of car for $30K.

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  2005 xlt with over 190,000 miles - 2005 Ford Explorer
  By vegasq1 - June 10 - 9:35 pm

  My explorer is great. It now has 190k miles and no issues. I keep it meticulously maintained with scheduled maintenance and oil changes. I hope it keeps it up for my 12 yr old in 4 years.

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  im MAD - 2014 Ford Fusion
  By tami14 - May 27 - 10:15 am

  Just got a brand new 2014 fusion. This weekend we took her on her first trip, 200 miles down to Vriginia Beach. An hour in, the transmission slipped and sent the tachomenter racing. Took my foot off the gas to let it catch again. It kept doing this, especially on inclines. I was very scared. Then a wrench icon popped up. Great, in I95 traffic with a brand new yet screwed up car. Well, didnt do much on my vacation in fear of breaking down. Driving back I only allowed myself to go 60mph, even in a 65mph zone, because I didnt want to break down. It worked. Also when I am at a red light, the car shudders and wants to stall. This started a month ago.

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  Very Good Compact Car - 2008 Ford Focus
  By jklag11 - May 26 - 3:09 pm

  Have had my 2008 Focus since 2009 and 9,000 miles. Have about 45,000 miles on it now and am very happy with the car. Provides a nice balance of a soft, quiet ride, and decent handling. I get about 29 mpg on my commute in heavy city driving. On highway trips, have gotten as good as 45 mpg. Sync system is easy to use and links my phone and iPod without problems. Trunk is very good size for a compact car with a nice, wide opening. Would definitely recommend.

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  Good SUV - 2000 Ford Expedition
  By jorge_sandoval - May 18 - 7:47 pm

  I dont know why other expi owners are having problem with gas mileage in my case I am not experiencing this considering the SUVs size, weight, power, and comfort this is a win for the buck, we cant compare the gas mileage of this to smaller SUVs and cars, I guess driving attitude contributes a lot in gas mileage, I do a very slow acceleration from the start til it reaches the right speed comfort. Following the recommended PMS, check up, A?C cleaning will is the key also, right now I am enjoying my Expi for 14 years and still works well, without any problems, just did a tire change twice from year 2000-2014. I love this truck, as a long distance driver, I feel very secured with this.

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  Mine was good - 2000 Ford Focus
  By carebearkon - May 18 - 7:39 pm

  My focus has been going strong for 184k miles, which probably isnt the norm. It idles rough from an unbalanced engine. The power locks and a/c dont work. The headlights are easily scratched and get really dim. The hatch doesnt hold open in the cold. Ive had to replace the ignition ($300) struts ($400) ball joints ($500) and vacuum hose ($80) in the 60k miles I have owned it.