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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  Nice Car with no suspension - 2008 Ford Focus
  By dmustang - May 28 - 10:06 pm

  I have owned this car since 1/1 and had nothing but problems with the front suspension. This car has very weak front springs especially the right side bottoms out with every bump in the road, inclined driveways forget about it. The front underside has taken a beating with such a weak suspension. Has been in the shop numerous times but to no avail(so far). Dealership has replaced front strut, aligned it and reposition a strut also to rid itself of a loud popping noise on the left front side. Will go back in the shop next week. Springs are so weak I can compress them with a single hand Fuel mileage I find above average, great dash and readouts, comfortable seats(do not spill on them).

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  Great car and fuel economy above EPA - 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid
  By greycrx87 - May 28 - 11:05 am

  Just recently purchased my 2013 FFH, and absolutely fell in love with it. My previous car was only getting around 18MGP avg, while this car already is sitting at 43 avg. I have trips where I can easily go above 50 MGP, even as close to 60 MGP and the engine is not even broken in. I have the SE version that comes with Nav and leather seats, the car is very comfortable and I really like the way it handles. Regular driving to work I achive mid 40s MGP with AC on, and high 40s MGP without AC. Great car.

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  Owner - 2003 Ford Crown Victoria
  By Lee - May 28 - 3:16 am

  Rear axles went bad 2 months after warranty was past, but less than 36,000 miles. The car was on recall for this problem if it was a fleet vehicle, but not for a private owner. Rotors went out of shape at 39,500 miles. Wind noise around the front doors at highway speeds. Its interesting that Ford now gives longer warrantys for the same car. Is Ford hurting? No more Fords for me

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  2003 was a bad year for Focus. - 2003 Ford Focus
  By Jerome Barry - May 27 - 5:46 pm

  I bought mine used at 19,000 miles, and have had it for 13 months now. The drivetrain has performed well, except for the 1-2 shift issue appearing at sudden brief stops. I dont typically drive that way, so its not a problem. My problems have included the windshield wiper motor control, which had to be replaced, the cruise control, which had some connector that had to be replaced, the remote control trunk latch, which had to be replaced and even then had to be taken back and adjusted to proper operation, and the ignition cylinder, which caused a short and had to be replaced. All told Ive had the vehicle in the shop 6 times in a year for warranty repair and re-repair.

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  Good Car Badly Fitted Leather Front Seat - 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid
  By RJB - May 27 - 11:43 am

  We ordered the car 1/28/09 and took delivery 3/31/09. We have the 502a package and really like the many options. The leather front seats had many wrinkles and only got worse over a 2 week period. The dealer took pictures and sent to Ford who approved the replacment of the covers. BIG MISTAKE. The new covers that were fitted by a professional look even worse then the original. Now we have been promised 2 new complete seats from the factory but will have to wait until available. Has anyone else had problem with the front seats in leather? The rear seat fits perfectly

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  One Great SUV - 2000 Ford Expedition
  By Cliff1111 - May 26 - 8:10 pm

  I drive from Nebraska to Las Vegas twice a year and I cant ask for a better driving and more comfortabe ride than my Expedition. If it wasnt for the poor gas milage I would give it a 10 all the way.

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  Extremely reliable - 2006 Ford Focus
  By Marion A. - May 26 - 1:27 am

  Ive owned my 2006 Focus for 4 yrs now. Bought it from a friend (he was the first owner) with 77k miles on it. Its now at 130k and still runs like a champ. Only major repairs Ive had to invest in is changing out 2 of the engine mounts early on into me owning it (I blame my friend because he likes to push ANY car to its absolute limits. This is NOT the car for that) and changing the lower control arm on the drivers side (got hit by an out of control tire bouncing all over the highway). Other than that I do regular maintenance on my car and have my mechanic look it over every so often to catch anything that I might not notice. This car is absolutely perfect. I do have an aftermarket Bluetooth/Entertainment system installed so I cant say anything about the original system. And I do find it to be a teenie bit sluggish when going up a steep hill/highway (I have to floor it to stay above 55 mph) but thats not really much of a problem for me since I live in L.A. and we have pretty straight pavement here. Maneuvers well, accelarates/brakes well, great on gas, trunk space is pretty spacious. Overall, this car has been an absolute dream.

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  Finally a great car from Ford - 2007 Ford Fusion
  By Bob - May 24 - 11:20 pm

  I always liked the looks but after a test drive I was sold on this Fusion. I swore away from buying Fords or any other North American cars for the last 20 years because of reliability problems compared to Japanese makes. But the Fusion is really reliable according to Consumer Report surveys. So you get a really good car with a V6 and 6 speed transmission for the price of a Japanese 4. Its a great car to drive and I love the way that 6 speed transmission responds and keeps the revs down even when youre blasting down the highway. Sure mileage could be better but that was my choice over a 4. My only disappointment was finding out until it was too late that I couldnt tow a trailer.

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  ZX3 With PZEV engine - 2003 Ford Focus
  By nowlaj - May 24 - 10:00 am

  This has been a very fun car to drive. Acceleration is solid and the 2.3L PZEV engine has more pickup than its predecessor. No defects noted both exterior and interior. A wonderful car to drive

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  Escape from the compact SUVs - 2003 Ford Escape
  By topdeadcenter - May 24 - 10:00 am

  well thought out interior, plenty of non-towing power, and automatic 4x4 are all pluses on this vehicle. Drawbacks include, cheap looking plastic bumpers and exterior trim, lack of towing power, (had problems with a 1500 lb boat coming out of lauch) and a minor electronic problem that put ours out of commision for a day. All in all a step above the competition, (we drove most and found this to be the best) I would recomend.