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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  Better 2nd time around - 2006 Ford F-150
  By urbancowboy - March 6 - 6:36 pm

  I purchased a new 2004 F150 and had nothing but problems, all covered under warranty. Of course this was the new model year out. So I traded it for a 2006 and I only had 2 problems. The 3rd tail light leaked and was fixed under warranty and Seatbelt was put on from the plant backwards. I dont know how that happened. This truck has been awesome since then. No problems since then. I would purchase another considering the new model has better fuel economy and I read it is much more roomier. I have 2 kids, wife and dog and I considered buying a van but I always use the bed for hauling stuff. I just put on vinyl bed cover and it is locked away. Very quiet on the road.

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  Best car Ive ever had! - 2011 Ford Edge
  By niewmar - March 6 - 7:53 am

  We have just leased 2011 Edge Limited AWD (with all possible extras) and having owned Mercedes before and still driving 06 Acura RL I have to say that Edge is by far the best car I have ever had and driven before. Drive quality and comfort is superb, fit and finish is fantastic and the amount of technical features and gadgets is just unbelievable. I absolutely love the Edge and would buy another one without a second of hesitation. Best car ever! You have to be crazy to buy Lexus, BMW or the MB these days- just test drive the fully loaded Edge!

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  Passenger Side Air bag malfunction? - 2011 Ford Escape
  By cdooley - March 5 - 8:22 pm

  This is my 2nd Ford Escape (now driving the new 2011). I love how it drives. However, my passenger side-air bag keeps defaulting to "off" even when I am sitting in the passenger side!!! I am about a 105# female and I read the owners manual. It says it is designed to disable (will not inflate) when believing an infant is in the front seat. I am NOT an infant! I have had it in to 2 different dealerships (one while traveling) to have it looked at. Im now told I am jut not heavy enough for it to register my weight. I just leased this thing in December. Not happy!!!

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  Company Car - 2006 Ford Taurus
  By taurus7 - March 4 - 11:36 pm

  I have been driving the Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable since 1989, company cars, I used to make fun of them unitl I had a BMW, the Taurus is bulletproof. Corporate America buys these cars because they are safe, low insurance rates, ample parts, and they are cheap to own. The only weak point on the car is the transmission. Granted company cars only have pedal to the floor, brake to the floor, but at 65k the transmissions will fail. I just bought a 2006 with 28k for personal use and asked the ford dealer for an extended warranty only the cover the tranny. My gas mileage averages about 22 city and 28-32 hwy, for a car of this size its amazing. My sons Scion is not much better. Great Car!

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  Avoid the 2002 Ford Focus ZX5 at all costs! - 2002 Ford Focus
  By czechmate1974 - March 4 - 9:34 am

  1st of all this car has a automatic transmission not manual. I had 108,000 miles on the car and the head gasket blew and the entire cooling system failed along with the thermostat. This caused my temperature gauge to show me in the "normal" range when really I was burning my car up and did not know it. I had coolant everwhere and white smoke out of my engine. $2500 to $3000 to fix. This car had many problems over the years. All the power window motors were constantly breaking. Had to replace 3 and they are $300+ to fix. I hate this car, it ruined my life. Avoid it at all costs.

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  Stay away - 1999 Ford Windstar
  By carboy6 - March 3 - 10:13 pm

  Transmission went out at 60k. Mechanic said he replaces a lot of ,particularly Windstar, trannys. Have spent thousands on repairs. Got this car for free with only 12k on it. At first we didnt have any problems but that only lasted about 2 months. Had I known the quality of this model I would have bought my own car. Do not buy this van unless you like feeding mechanics families.

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  Awesome Car - 2010 Ford Mustang
  By dave347 - March 3 - 7:25 pm

  Bought this car as a leftover 2010 and got a grreat deal. The red candy metallic looks great with white stripes. This car is loaded and drives fantastically. On a recent drive (mostly highway driving) I was getting 26 miles to the gallon. I havent found a thing to complain about yet. This is my 4th Stang and they just keep getting better.

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  Great car for the money - 2008 Ford Mustang
  By wndsofchng06 - March 3 - 11:53 am

  I bought my 08 Mustang with 14k on it, I now have 54k and have had zero issues. The V6 has plenty of power for any legal driving and I get up to 30 hwy mpg! I recently ordered a new rear bumper and am changing her to dual exhaust! I love this car and will probably keep it until it can go no futher!

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  4 CYL FWD seems good so far - 2011 Ford Escape
  By kcmh - March 2 - 8:12 am

  Purchased one last week from the Dayton, Ohio area. Drove back to Columbus and already like the car so far. Front seats are comfy and plenty of room. 4 CYL is pretty small for it so dont expect a lot of power but the 6-speed auto will make up for it. Cargo space is pretty good. I packed in a golf bag (Staff bag) with fire gear and still had room. And was able to use the cargo cover still Sync system kinda hard to use, and turn by turn directions calls a phone number to use. Thats odd.

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  Very Satisfied - 2006 Ford Taurus
  By frank618 - March 1 - 4:30 pm

  I was given this car as a company car brand new, I drove it for 4 1/2 years and put 214,000 miles on it and ALL we had to do was brakes and 2 tie rod ends. The oil was changed every 3 to 4K miles. After my company retired this car, I was able to purchase it for my 16 year old daughter. After taking it to the shop to have it checked out, They told me that this car was a GREAT first car for my daughter and that everything was in really good shape!!!! the mechanic refered to this car as BULLET PROOF!!!