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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  Love my FFH! - 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid
  By JB - February 3 - 11:00 pm

  Ive only had my FFH for a few days but its easily the best car Ive ever driven. So far Im averaging about 40 mpg but Im improving that figure nearly everytime I drive. The SmartGauge display is very informative! I find myself striving to beat my MPG average using the leaves and MPG graph as a guide. This is a fun car to drive and SYNC is awesome! Its definitely a high tech car and Ford put a lot of thought into designing the features. I love BLIS and the back up camera as well. Great job!

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  Unhappy 2012 Focus owner - 2012 Ford Focus
  By - February 2 - 3:19 pm

  Major issues with transmission!!!...Recall work done (a computer reset???) last week of June. Driving down Hollywood Fwy. at midnight, 4 days later and car just stalls while driving!( full tank of gas) Pull to side of fwy without getting killed by rushing traffic,key is still in on position so turn a notch and car starts... drive onto side street where the car abruptly stalls again. Managed to get car home to Huntington Beach and then fight with HB Ford dealership over such a poor quality car. No resolve from them so stuck here with an unpredictable brand new car....

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  Ford of Germany Design is Great! - 2005 Ford Focus
  By NewFocusOwner - February 2 - 11:10 am

  Ford finally got its small car design right by letting its German design team build the entire car. Handling is best in class - the Germans know how to design steering and suspensions; much more solid feeling than the Civic or Corolla. Excellent interior space and comfort for 4 adults. Cruises easily on the freeway and still has the horses to accelerate as traffic requires. I imagine that this FOCUS is what BMW would offer if it ever sold an economy compact car.

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  Nice family car-Good price - 2000 Ford Taurus
  By Arj104 - February 2 - 12:50 am

  We have had this car for a year & put 20k miles on it. No problems other than routine maintenance. Good passing power, but not very nimble. Pauses before dropping gears when you floor it. Quick lane changes makes the car lean a little. Not as sporty as I like, but great for the family. Very comfortable and only $300/month.

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  corrosion on hood - 2013 Ford Mustang
  By gersomlevi@att.net - February 1 - 8:14 pm

  on my 2013 mustang there is bubbling on the front of the hood. Ford will not cover repair as my car is out of warranty, even though the corrosion took place while the car was under warranty. (it expired a month ago). After reading on internet, several owners have had the same problem with the corrosion/paint bubbling happening around 36k miles or just after warranty expired. This is a Ford Problem, not a maintenance issue or where the car is driven. Do a search and you will see. Do not purchase a Mustang with aluminum hood or you will end up paying about 2k to fix it yourself. Ford takes no ownership of this problem.

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  corrosion on hood - 2013 Ford Mustang
  By gersomlevi - February 1 - 6:50 pm

  on my 2013 mustang there is bubbling on the front of the hood. Ford will not cover repair as my car is out of warranty, even though the corrosion took place while the car was under warranty. (it expired a month ago). After reading on internet, several owners have had the same problem with the corrosion/paint bubbling happening around 36k miles or just after warranty expired. This is a Ford Problem, not a maintenance issue or where the car is driven. Do a search and you will see. Do not purchase a Mustang with aluminum hood or you will end up paying about 2k to fix it yourself. Ford takes no ownership of this problem.

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  GREAT CAR FUN TO DRIVE - 2005 Ford Focus
  By Jon-Paul - February 1 - 8:10 am

  Very cool unique car, nice design and layout and great standard features. Wish they would make the SVT but no luck. Not a fast car but it makes up for it in reliability and features.

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  Dont believe the fuel estimate! - 2007 Ford Escape Hybrid
  By Mark - January 31 - 7:53 pm

  The 2007 Hybrid FWD is rated at 36mpg in the city. Dont believe it! Almost all my driving is in the city. I get only 23-24mpg. Even turning the A/C off adds only 1mpg. The Ford dealer said it needed to be driven for 2,000-3,000 miles to be broken in before the mileage would improve. After 5,000 the mileage is still the same. I know you never get the rated mpg, but 30%+ less is fraud!

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  Best 5-Passenger SUV Ever - 2016 Ford Edge
  By Andy in FL - January 31 - 5:13 am

  Edmunds drop-down menu does not allow me to select the exact vehicle I bought, which is a Ford Edge SUV, Titanium, AWD, naturally aspirated V6. - I opted for the 201a package as I did not want the lane assist (i.e., a friendly nudge when one changes lanes without using the turn signal; who needs that?). This is the nicest vehicle I have ever owned. The engineers at Ford really thought of everything. Every detail is just perfect. Air conditioned front seats (three levels of a/c). Front and rear heated seats. Synch-3 interface could not be easier to use and the graphics are easy to see and beautiful. The Sony stereo will rattle the neighborhood (but I dont do that, Im a normal person). The acceleration is fantastic. Placing you foot under the bumper lifts the automatic lift-gate, which is also height-adjustable. There are three memory settings for different drivers to select from for the power-drivers seat (with a button to choose 1,2, or 3). Also a power passenger seat. Ceramic perforated leather is extra comfy and breaths easy. Adjustable lumbar support and adjustable head rest. Ergonomic layout of the dash and interior is superior to any other vehicle Ive ever been in. Height of vehicle makes it easy to navigate through traffic. You will notice the quality of the vehicle build is superior from the first time you drive the car. The 19-inch tires contribute to some slightly noticeable cabin noise, but it is not enough to complain about. The Vista-roof is awesome and easy to adjust to the position you desire. You can adjust the color of the LED displays via the Synch-3 interface (the door sill has an LED "Edge" display which can be adjusted to the color you want, etc.). Plenty of room in the cargo area and rear seats. I got rid of the factory carpet floor mats and bought some WeatherTech all-weather mats (which fit perfectly). The car came from the factory with a nice rubber floor mat for the cargo area. The car is beautiful and the ride is superior. One review I read dinged the Ford Edge and recommended some Korean-made Kia... bwaaahahaha. [non-permissible content removed]. Id rather have my Ford Edge (and save $20,000+) than any luxury SUV. I did lots of research and compared the Edge to similar vehicles from Toyota, Honda, GMC / Chevy, Subaru and Jeep and selected the Edge and am extremely confident that I made the right choice. The engineers at Ford really did their homework. Great job.

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  Great Truck - 2014 Ford F-150
  By ed - January 29 - 7:50 pm

  Other manufacturers my have a better transmission, but the reliability and performance out weigh the difference. Still running strong.