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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  Satisfied owner - 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By Rondo - June 12 - 10:00 am

  I have owned my 2004 Sports Trac for about 5 month. Have taken two medium length trips and found it to be comfortable and it handles well. Easy to get around in heavy traffic. My wife loves to drive it.Our grand children love it. Gas milage is good but it could be improved. I have no major complaints.It is fun to drive.

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  have you looked at ford - 2004 Ford F-150
  By pissed - June 12 - 10:00 am

  vibration at40-60mph complete engine change at 3000 miles changed driveshaft, changed harmonic balancer,changed tires & wheels. 11/mpg hiway, loss of power, a real dog. won lemon law case thru arbutration, but ford not cooperating

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  Rescued From VW Scandal.... - 2016 Ford Escape
  By J, - June 12 - 8:48 am

  Well manufactured, looks great, sunset color is exceptional, lots of room, step-in height is perfect, easy in and out, good visuals, love the flip down head rests, feels solid. This car has to have the spare tire suspension system replaced...seems a recall is in the works. Ford will fix it for me. I really like this car, not quite the quality of the VW (diesel) but a good choice. It fits me! Thank you Edmunds for finding it locally for me!

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  46 year old found driving fun again - 2008 Ford Focus
  By HUGH LOWENSTEIN - June 11 - 11:33 pm

  Pure enjoyment and cost savings at the pump during these expensive times behind the wheel. With extra cash at the end of the month this car is a win-win situation. Very rare these days with all the blah, blah hype in the auto industry. This ride is honest and realistic in our current economy today. The faster you go the more fuel youll need. But fast is what it likes best.

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  fun car - 2006 Ford Mustang
  By greg - June 11 - 9:00 pm

  The GT has been a very fun car to drive. I really like the retro look to the GT, I only wished it had the retro side scoop. It has a lot of power and performance for the dollar. By far the best muscle car fro the money!

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  Excellent Car - 2004 Ford Crown Victoria
  By Gary S - June 11 - 3:36 am

  This was my first new car. At age 54, I had only driven used cars and decided to treat myself to a new one. Mine was a left-over 2004 model that I bought in early 2005 at a very steep discount. Its the cheapie base model, but who cares, I dont next extra plasti-chrome or fancy wheels. Its got a simple presentation but thats to my liking; I dont need extra cup holders or cargo nets or any of that fluffy stuff. Everything in mine is simple, like analog instruments, manual heat/def. controls, etc.

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  Please dont buy this car - 2013 Ford Focus
  By Cotton Wildbrook - June 10 - 9:09 pm

  We bought this car used with less than 50K miles on it. We had it serviced twice in the first month of ownership because the transmission studdered while shifting. We were told that was normal behavior for the car and that the transmission was designed to learn your driving style and thus not be suitable as a car for multiple drivers. How foolish is that? They reprogrammed the TCM both times, which did absolutely nothing to fix the problem. The car had to have new wheel bearings put on at 60K miles at a cost of $700! Finally we got a recall notice about the obviously faulty transmission, so back it went for more repairs. Again, this did NOTHING to correct any of the problems. In fact, after we had that done, the car died en route to work with no warning whatsoever. It literally lost 100% power while merging onto a 50 mph road. We had it towed to the dealership where they said it needed a new wiring harness that wasnt covered under warranty and wasnt related to the bad transmission (they said). That was a $500 job. After owning it for only 9 months we traded it in for another vehicle at a loss of $5000.00 Honestly, were just happy to be rid of it. It was too big of a risk to drive. You never knew if you were going to get to your destination alive.

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  The unreliable Ford - 2003 Ford Escape
  By Rob - June 9 - 4:57 pm

  As soon as my warrenty expired my ford fell apart. First it was a 3300 $transmission, then 1500$ rebuilding the front end, then the wheel cencers for 1000$, then the driveshaft bearing 500$, and now ford says it needs a new transfer gear box for 5000$! This car is unreliable, and constanly breaks down. i could have got a better car with the money I have spent fixing this one.

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  The unreliable Ford - 2003 Ford Escape
  By Rob - June 9 - 4:57 pm

  As soon as my warrenty expired my ford fell apart. First it was a 3300 $transmission, then 1500$ rebuilding the front end, then the wheel cencers for 1000$, then the driveshaft bearing 500$, and now ford says it needs a new transfer gear box for 5000$! This car is unreliable, and constanly breaks down. i could have got a better car with the money I have spent fixing this one.

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  2007 Focus ST - 2007 Ford Focus
  By grwilson - June 9 - 2:46 pm

  Very good car for the price I got it for. Handles like a slot car and feels more than 151 horses, good mileage too!