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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  Just a bad Ford experience, never again! - 2010 Ford Fusion
  By reverence - January 23 - 8:19 pm

  The car had a number of problems, every manufacturer will have them but its how the company handles them, Ford failed miserably. The most serious was the transmission, it did not shift properly, it slipped, and it made whining noises. I got nothing but a run around from the dealership and from Ford. I see where many others are having the same problems. The car had a build date of 6/10 which was suppose to be after the factory fix but obviously they have not figured it out yet. This went on for 6 months and finally I had enough and sold the car for a major lose. I laugh when I see the Ford commercials now about quality and commitment.

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  Disappointed with the New Explorer: It Missed the Mark - 2011 Ford Explorer
  By 1atomic - January 22 - 10:13 pm

  A happy owner of Ford F-Series pick-ups for decade. Wife wanted an Explorer after driving a Buick Enclave for 3 yrs. & for a change. We like Ford trucks, but never keen on any brand car other than GMs. The Buick gave us a flawless driving experience, but have been so happy with our Ford pick-ups that we looked at the Edge, which is rather small, Flex, rather quirky & looks like a hearse, Expedition, too big and wanted another car-like crossover that would be better on gas than our other vehicle, my King Ranch, a good truck, but terrible on gas. The 11 Explorer is mediocre & costly compared to the Enclave. We will hold on to this car for a year & see how it does. It may grow on us in time.

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  2011 Ford Fusion Sport (FWD) - 2011 Ford Fusion
  By superchargers - January 22 - 6:49 pm

  Check out my review here, since this site limits me to only 700 characters, which is not enough for a car review: http://autos.yahoo.com/2011_ford_fusion-reviews_user/_ylt=AntLmUq8GdsB3JfNdNDvgZgEc78F_ylv=3

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  Awesome - 2011 Ford Explorer
  By jbrewha74 - January 22 - 8:57 am

  Just got my Explorer XLT(almost loaded) 3 days ago. Anyone who posts anything negative about this vehicle must not own one yet. It has features in it you cant touch in luxury trucks for under 50k. Trust me, my other half has a BMW and we do not even want to drive that anymore. So far the only issue i do have is with the phone/SYNC. It keeps pulling up my text msgs as new and beeps for them as they are new msgs. Other then that everything else is crazy in it. Safety features galore and it feels like it is a 50k plus truck.

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  Problems Every 10k Miles - 2006 Ford F-150
  By hdjock - January 21 - 11:34 am

  I bought my truck brand new in 2006 and right at every 10k miles up to my 70k mile mark I have had problems of every kind. If it wasnt the window controls on the driver side it was the CatCon going out and running me almost $2500. My truck has been good as far as getting from place to place but gas mileage is horrible, it used to get 450 miles to a 26 gal tank, now it barely gets 300 so be prepared for that. This is not a truck used for work or any kind of off-roading. The other thing that I cant stand is how the 4x4 works. You have to put it into nuetral to switch the 4x4 in, then you have to put it into drive then nuetral then reverse and then back into drive for it to kick in.

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  Multiple safety issues outweigh the positives. - 2001 Ford Windstar
  By sandypants - January 21 - 11:01 am

  If Ford would just stand by their products and fix the numerous safety issues, this would be a great van.

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  Good Car - 2007 Ford Fusion
  By andrewland2003 - January 20 - 12:53 pm

  I bought my used 07 Fusion in July of 08. Its been a very good car, except for the times that Ive had to take it in to the dealership to have the control arms fixed, several times. No problem though, I bought the extended warranty when I bought the car, which has cover all but $100 of my expenses, and my local Ford dealership (Bartow Ford) hasnt given me any problem with getting a loner car. Ford has really won me over with this car, and their customer service.

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  Fun to Drive - 2011 Ford Mustang
  By discopsk - January 18 - 5:18 pm

  Traded in my 98 V6 for this Race red V6 Premium with Auto, Pony and Comfort packages. First impression was there is NO STORAGE. No place to put sunglasses, loose change, etc. I love the MyColor. The ride is comfortable and quiet, and the transmission is very smooth. Second tank of gas I got 29 mpg in mixed driving. 1 mpg better than my 98 with double the horsepower and an auto instead of manual tranny. Great job Ford! The Shaker radio sounds great. And I love the retro style which is very reminiscent of my 65 pony. Reliability remains to be seen, but if this car is as good as my 98, Im a happy camper.

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  update from review on 12/24 - 2011 Ford Explorer
  By feels_good - January 18 - 10:22 am

  This is an update on my 2011 ford explorer that I originally posted on 12/24/10. No after having the vehicle for 4 weeks and almost 2000 miles I feel everyone should know about the many bugs in the ford mytouch system. This feature is definitely not what Ford has advertised. The clock is constantly wrong on the display, when starting the vehicle the volume goes crazy and very high/loud. Also, many issues with syncing phone via bluetooth. Often the screen will freeze up when trying to connect my phone...and the problem is not with the phone because same issue occurs with other phones. When driving vehicle screen will sometimes simply "black out". Taking vehicle to dealer tomorrow.

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  6.2 Platinum 4x4 - 2011 Ford F-150
  By renelms - January 17 - 5:41 pm

  Love it! If 14-15 mpg doesnt bother you, then you will love this truck. Suspension, interior, sound system, the exhaust and THE ENGINE...everything is refined, smooth and very comfortable. Very spacious in every seat, huge floor space in rear seat, heated/AC seats front and rear, and all done in a soft leather. I have over 3000 miles on it so far and have no regrets. I have several GM trucks in our fleet, so i have plenty to compare....including a Denali. This one beats them all....easily. Best truck I have owned.