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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  Worth waiting for. - 2011 Ford Explorer
  By maddygee - March 10 - 3:19 pm

  Had the vehicle for over a month and really loving it. Fun to drive. Only one problem so far, rear passenger head rest wouldnt go down all the way. Dealer fixed problem quickly. Jury still out with the tires. For some reason Im not crazy over them, mabe thats because I had a flat after only one week. Big nail right in middle of tire. Overall Im really enjoying the vehicle. Mileage is better than I thought it would be.

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  Piece of Junk - 2008 Ford Mustang
  By nomoreford3 - March 10 - 9:27 am

  Horrible made vehicle. My spoiler that is held on with double stick tape has come loose numerous times. Dealership finally put pop-rivits in it (creating holes in my trunk lid) and it still does not stay on. Under the hood is RUST, rust bubbling on inside and outside. And of course Ford doesnt accept responsibility for any of this. Wont repair anything. Interior is horrible and thin. Within less than a month the driver seat was worn and terrible looking from the getting in and out of vehicle. Have had at least one ford sitting in our driveway in the last 30 years between me, husband, children. Will NEVER buy another Ford vehicle. Very disgusting with this car and Ford Motor.

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  14 years of driving - 1997 Ford Expedition
  By objr - March 9 - 9:58 pm

  I bought her when my second son was born, traded in the 4 Runner. Towed the boat many miles and slept in the back camping many days. Snow, mud, rain did not slow her down. No major maintenance issues beyond a stuck shifter, compressor and alternator. Approaching 200,000, hot in winter, cold in summer. in a foot of snow and pulling a hill, nothing can stop her. I wanted to jump on the Obama $4,500 clunker deal but I couldnt bring myself to dumping her, they were going to seize her engine. It would be like putting my dog down, could not do it. I will drive her until she dies which will probably be around 280,000 to 300,000 miles.

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  Beautiful Car But Problems that could affect safety. - 2011 Ford Explorer
  By cessna100 - March 9 - 9:18 pm

  From a 2011 Honda Pilot (poor ride and noise) to the 2011 Explorer. The Explorer ride and low road noise is more then on par with the Acura MDX. Fit and finish are excellent. Unfortunately, the quality is not. The computer network that controls the intelligent all wheel drive and the advanced traction control is faulty. The car loses its stability and steering becomes hard. Not good. 3 week old and 1500 miles the car is back at the dealer. Told they must bypass a wiring harness and solder the connection. I hope this is a temporary fix. For such a safety related system a soldered wiring connect does not inspire confidence in Fords design.

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  Major Mistake for buyers - 2011 Ford Fiesta
  By kpdvice - March 8 - 1:16 am

  Purchased a loaded sedan for my wife 3 weeks ago. After doing research and deciding we liked the mileage it got. We averaged about 38 mpg with the car in city / highway combined. Seats were comfortable except everytime we drove it neither of us could walk after about an hour behind the wheel. SNYC system was horrible and complicated to operate. Vehicle has no tow hooks so when it gets stuck in 3 inches of snow you cant yank it out. no way to shut off the traction control system off so when its stuck in the afore mentioned 3 inches of snow you cant rock it out either. the automatic transmition jerks in and out while driving. This car was so bad we traded it in within a month!!!!

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  Seized Engine due to Overheating WithOut any Warning - 2006 Ford Explorer
  By tinman69 - March 7 - 4:04 pm

  Our Explorer got warm once . Gauge shot from normal to 3/4 of the way up then went down, then shot almost to the red. I pulled over added water after waiting 45 minutes to cool engine (cool winter night) . There was no more overheating indicated & was driven a few more miles before the engine seized without Any indication of anything wrong . Dealer says piston is fused to block & will cost $ 5,100 for New ford engine, doesnt mention about the cause of the problem, most likely the Manufacturer Defective Radiator or the Head Gasket is to blame from my research on this Model/Year (06/07) of Ford. Transmission is sure to go out soon I fear

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  Paint Falls Off - 2010 Ford Focus
  By fordbuster - March 7 - 2:16 pm

  See comments in here. Great car mechanically. very good winter traction with traction control. Very happy mechanically but one big problem. Paint under rear doors, and in door frames ( rear ), some in wheel well, also bumpers- all have lifted or peeled. Asked dealer about it at under 60k- said could not do anything unless there were holes. Manual said otherwise as I found out later. It could have been fixed. Neither the dealer in Collingwood, Ontario or Ford would help. Just the usual comments- you know. Too bad, otherwise a great car. Maybe the Chineese can figure out how to make paint stick in Canadian Winters on my next purchase. Wake up Ford! Currently, you are 1st in sales Canada????

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  What a truck!! - 2011 Ford F-150
  By dlong18074 - March 7 - 1:27 pm

  I recently purchase the 2011 F150 Platinum with 6.5 ft bed and the 3.5 l Ecoboost engine. This is an amazing truck. The fit and finish of the cabin is second to none.... Ford has thought of everything. The ride is super quiet and feels like I am sitting in my living room. I have to be careful as to my speed due to the fact that at 55 MPH it feels that I am hardly moving. The truck also looks great from the outside. The 6.5 ft bed is a must on a crew cab truck. It is much more proportional although it makes finding a parking spot a bit harder! I do worry a bit about the open grill for the Ecoboost engine but from what I have been reading it should not be an issue. Overall, excellent truck!

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  Detailed review - 2011 Ford Escape
  By viper5333 - March 7 - 1:04 pm

  As an owner of many SUVs, I feel qualified to provide a helpful review. I was worried about 4 cyl., but so far its pep has been a pleasant surprise. It has plenty of zip to merge safely onto freeways it maintains 70 MPH with ease up steep grades. As a trade off, the tranny is noisy through first 3 gears. It makes an odd noise if you jump on the throttle from a stop. Once at cruise it is quiet. The front seats are awesome...dont know how Ford did it, but feels like the seats have their own suspension. Fuel economy is great...almost 30MPG on freeway. The Sync system is best built-in voice command system I have tried...and I have used many. It does have a few quirks...mentioned bellow

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  Fun, Fun, Fun - 1996 Ford Bronco
  By 631rob1991 - March 6 - 11:41 pm

  My favorite of all time. Best quality, take anywhere 4x4.