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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  Dont Be Fooled--Its JUNK - 2014 Ford Focus
  By D. Liebling - February 23 - 8:12 am

  No matter what propaganda you may hear about the dual-clutch automatic, STAY AWAY. My 2014 started to exhibit intermittent, severe chatter/shudder/slip/gran/noise shortly after I bought it. Pulling out from a stop is problematic to the point of being unsafe, as you never know what the trans will do. Dealer applied several software updates over the next 18 months. Ford Customer Service indicated they would pursue the issue until I was satisfied. Didnt happen. As the miles and months and repair attempts accrued, dealer and Ford interest waned. One day, Ford CS simply announced, "Dealer says car is normal... There will be no further repair attempts nor trade/buyback assistance. "Coincidentally", this happened as the car was about to become eligible for Lemon law arbitration. Neither Ford nor the dealer have acted in good faith re this vehicle. Ford has finally acknowledged the DCT is a failed design--They are eliminating in the near future. That might help future customers but leaves the tens of thousands of us with the current model with a vehicle that is undriveable and unsellable and has a horribly suppressed blue-book value. Ford has not acted honorably nor professionally in this matter... Dont expect them to do any better when you have problems in the future... BUY SOME OTHER MAKE VEHICLE. AVOID FORD

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  hate it! - 2002 Ford F-150
  By scott - February 23 - 12:14 am

  That is what I think of this pick-up truck. I just hate that I paid so much hard earned money for such a poor vehicle. The gas mileage is the worst I have seen since I owned a ‘70 Chevy with a 454 engine. Now that had pick- up. This Ford is the worst riding. My ‘70 Chevy had air shocks with 50 series wide tires watch out for bumps, it drove much better than the Ford ever could dream of. This Ford is so bad that my next vehicle may be from JAPAN. I never thought I would ever say that. It is no wonder the American makers of autos are having such trouble in today’s market.

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  FORD FOCUS IS A LEMON! - 2000 Ford Focus
  By Genevieve - January 13 - 5:18 pm

  I currently drive and own a 2000 Ford Focus. I havent decided if this is the worst car Ive ever owned or the Dodge Colt was. This car is in the shop every other month. I hate it with a passion & tell whoever I can not to buy one. Just wanted to make sure that my low marks on this dump would bring down the overall customer satisfaction that shows on the ratings.

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  Head On Crunched in Half - 1994 Ford Explorer
  By broken feet and legs - December 27 - 7:32 pm

  I bought the Explorer in July of 05. I drove it and had problems with the brakes and it going through tires much too fast, a bad battery cable, etc. It used oil. The dealership I bought it from said they had completely checked the vehicle out and it was in great condition. On Thanksgiving as I was driving to my aunts, a man in a Dodge Caravan hit me head on at full speed on the front driver side and completely crunched the entire front end into my feet and body. I became encased in the metal and steering wheel. I was cut out of the car and life flighted with 2 broken legs, head injury, lacerated spleen and liver. A month after I cant walk or stand.

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  Worst Car I have EVER owned - 1995 Ford Contour
  By Mechele - December 27 - 6:28 pm

  Worst vehicle I have ever owned. Bought it with 75,000 miles on it. Have had to have 4 MAJOR repairs before it hit 100 thousand miles (electrical problems). Gas mileage is horrible, even after a tune up, new tires, alignments & religiously changing oil and transmission fluid. My 4x4 jeep Cherokee got better city mileage than this Ford gets on the highway (@60mph.) I discovered this year and model is at the top of the "Do NOT buy used" list. I will NEVER buy another FORD vehicle everyone in my family has had poor experiences with Ford Vehicles.

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  owner - 2006 Ford Expedition
  By mary ann clark - December 20 - 6:29 am

  Coil pack design will give you years of frustration. Where one coil works in most cars, Ford put coil packs on each cylinder increasing repair cost from $300 dollars per car to $2,400. Any the coil packs will need replacing more often than other vehicles and Ford will not pay for the increased cost ... so watch out

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  Ford Fiestas are Nightmare! - 2013 Ford Fiesta
  By natalie simpson - December 9 - 7:08 am

  Lots of recalls...Ford really dropped the ball on this model!

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  I will never buy a ford again. - 2001 Ford Mustang
  By NoCobra - December 5 - 11:56 am

  I have had nothing but trouble with this car. Heres a summary... 0 miles: exact same squeaking sound coming from the plastic vent behind the hood that my 99 6cyl Mustang had and squealing brakes and rattling steering 5000: shift knob broke loose. 16000: the plastic handle on the inside of the drivers door broke off 18000: the keyless entry system has stopped working about half the time.

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  Pretty nice SUV! - 2016 Ford Explorer
  By Kyle - October 17 - 12:15 pm

  I absolutely love the look of the new 2016 Explorer. I needed something bigger to carry/haul things around and this thing sure does have the room! I wish Ford would make a V8 engine for the explorer because Im not much on the ecoboost engines. The V6 option performs pretty good, but this SUV is pretty heavy! Transmission is fairly smooth, could be smoother. With only 1500 miles on it so far, I cant tell how reliable it is but so far so good. I love the interior, its very comfortable. My ford touch can be a pain, but not a big concern for me. The Explorer handles like a dream and is a nice ride on the highway. Overall nice SUV.

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  A poor effort in this class, avoid.... - 2017 Ford Explorer
  By Rob S - October 13 - 8:33 pm

  I leased this car based on a significant discount Ford offered to move from another brand. I cannot wait for the lease to expire as the car finds new ways to disappoint on a regular basis. After 13,500 miles of driving I have dealt with the quirks of a SUV that really isnt. Today, I went to rent a carpet cleaner I have rented in the past and was able to put in the back of my previous mid-sized SUV. Would not fit in this one, the 3rd seat takes up a lot of floor space. So, I called U-Haul. They dont rent to people with a Ford Explorer. The Eco-boost/trailer package isnt all that useful since I cannot rent or use a trailer now from a rental. The transmission has a mind of its own. It slips in to S1 from time to time on its own, which acts like a brake so I am used to this quirk as it has happened 4 or 5 times when accelerating from a traffic light or stop sign. I average around 21.7 MPG so I dont drive this hard at all. The electronics have now reset itself 4 times... so everything says its resetting itself, all the settings are lost then about an hour later everything comes back online. The car also has a really unique feature I have experienced 3 times now. Making a turn in to a busy road, the Eco-boost will bog down, so after the turn has been completed and I need the vehicle to accelerate up to the speed of traffic, the car just kind of sputters and from what I have read this is an issue of the Eco-Boost having moisture or something. Regardless, I dont trust this thing and often wait out traffic knowing that if I turn it may bog down and result in an accident or worse. As to the vehicle... the premium seats really are not that great, I am over 62" and these are decent seats for someone who is maybe 55". The fancy massage seating loses its usefulness when I would really have another 2 -3 inches of seat length... so Ford must have a bunch of short people designing their seats as this seems to be a common compliant. The car should have an 8 or 9 speed instead of a 6 speed. The previous SUV had one that came out in 2013 and yet Ford still lags behind. Trying to find the heat/blower settings can take up to 2-5 minutes as I dont like to take my eyes off the road to figure something out that we all took for granted in cars before all this technology. Yes, the car looks a bit like the Land Rover however its just not a very good offering and Ford should be embarrassed for putting this product out. I am counting down the months until my lease is up and I am already looking at the MDX and offerings from GM. One final note, Ford must know its a loser as I have been contact ZERO times about my owner experience. The dealership have been great people and I wish they sold another brand as this is the last Ford. I have a family member that drives a new Lincoln every two years and I have already told them no more Ford. The car is a mediocre effort for a mid $40K vehicle... unfortunately it stickers at $55K and its way out of its class for that amount.