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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  most expensive scrap metal - 2015 Ford Mustang
  By pete zorria - October 12 - 3:38 am

  Paint not covered by warranty. Homelink does not work Windows do not open. Remote start does not work track apps do not work climate control does not work Has only 400 miles on it and loses $10,000 in value after one month of ownership. terrible piece of junk.

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  Okay Folks Listen Up About Ford Focus 2014 - 2014 Ford Focus
  By texasoo - October 6 - 12:18 am

  My daughter-in-law bought this car NEW in Jan. 2015. Nothing but a big problem. Before first car payment it had to be towed in. Now a "transmission shutter" FORD deems as not bad enough to fix yet! Ive been in the car myself. Totally an accident waiting to happen. Will be taking whatever course of action that needs to be taken to see this matter is resolved. Customer safety and satisfaction comes first.

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  Serious issues! - 2016 Ford Flex
  By Marie - September 4 - 3:00 am

  I have always loved Ford. We have owned an Expedition, 2 different F150, F250 and now the Brand new 2016 Flex. I will never again buy a Ford. I have been broken down 5 times in the first 6,000 miles. The car suddenly losses the ability to accelerate, very unsafe. First time it happened I tried restarting the car but it didnt help. I had ford roadside tow the car to the nearest dealer. I was told by that dealer they see it has a code, the throttle body was the problem. But when they test drove the next day it accelerated fine. Which ment they wouldnt be allowed to fix it by Ford motor company unless it continues to happen. I called the dealer we bought it from. They were very kind and said they would order the new throttle body and to keep driving the car. I was told it would be best for the warranty if it continues to happen. Well today my car broke down 4 times!! After the 3rd power loss I tried to have it towed to the dealer that already had a part on order. However I was told it had to go to the nearest Ford. I was so upset I hung up and decided to try to make it home to have my husband follow me to the dealer we were already working with. I was driving past the nearest ford on my way home. So I stopped and explained the problem and that I felt unsafe driving. I was told they couldnt take the car for repair if another dealer already ordered parts, they also said they were not able to help me get it to the other dealer maybe 20 min away. I was told to drive it on back roads and that it shouldnt keep happening. Well I tried but when it broke down during rush hour for the fourth time only a few miles down the road. I had the car towed to the dealer that had ordered the parts. No new car with 6,000 miles should break down 5 times! No car company should the car must to go to the nearest dealer and when it gets there refuse service. Parts are back ordered for weeks but I wont be driving that car. It is an accident waiting to happen. Shame on Ford!! It also has problems with the suspension, it will be getting looked at for that for a third time! They can hear the problem with the suspension but cant find it. I hate my flex. Worst car I have ever owned. Horrible service from manufacturer. We had isseus with past cars but Ford was always amazing and took care of any problems. Not sure what has happened to ford, but I wont be buying another ford. And I hope their lemon doesnt cause my family to get in an accident! Buyer be ware!!!

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  MM - 2006 Ford Freestyle
  By madid - August 11 - 7:32 pm

  do not buy this car ,it has a lot of problem : transmission dies fast , i drove only 20,000 miles and the transmission broke i took it to the dealer and he wanted to charge me 7,000 dollars plus $4,000 for labor.this it happened to my friend too .this car has a lot of sensors problem.its comfortable inside and it has very nice look every body like it but when you buy it you will face the truth.if you want to waist your money and all your saving money buy it. its baaaaaaad car.

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  never again! - 1991 Ford Taurus
  By bmc - August 4 - 2:22 pm

  It seems like everything that could have gone wrong on this car did. I replaced the oil pump the first week I owned the car. The transmission needed a rebuild, the engine had constant problems and even the front tie rods were falling apart. After $5000 it still didnt run and I gave up and ditched it. They are throw away cars and avoid them.

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  Loved Driving It, Hated The Repair Costs - 2003 Ford Explorer
  By ML - August 2 - 10:19 pm

  I went through 2 transmissions on this vehicle before 120,000 miles. Unfortunately this is not an uncommon problem. Finally traded it in when it required suspension repairs which exceeded cost of the car.

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  99 Ranger - a piece of junk - 1999 Ford Ranger
  By jukenukem - July 28 - 2:53 am

  Not satisfied with this truck and will never buy a Ford again. Too many mechanical problems where do I start? Poor performance with regards to hp (155). Mileage isnt too bad for fuel economy, but can be improved. Hate the flareside (step) bed. The bed lacks enough room for a 4x8 sheet of plywood. Its width is only 41 inches. Dont waste your money on this one, unless youre looking for a toy because thats what this is. With the split bench seat in front, it lacks any storage. The two seats in the back can only seat a child, but still not enough room for safety. Suspension is stiff with Off Road option.

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  Bad quality. - 2017 Ford Escape
  By Roma Ukhinov - July 19 - 1:35 pm

  One star for overall rating because of bad quality. The transmission control module was out of order after 1 week of owning of brand new car. I had to leave my new car in the service department for more than one week.

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  RUN AWAY FROM THIS CAR - 2013 Ford Fiesta
  By Cbyers6300 - July 17 - 5:28 am

  I have a 2013 Ford Fiesta. In the 12 months Ive owned the car weve continuously had electrical and transmission issues. It shifts hard or not at all, the lights go out with the heater is on, the heater goes off when the radio is on, the car turns off while stopped at red lights, etc. A ford dealership finally changed out the transmission last month after I had it in multiple times but only did so when I told them I knew it was under recall. They did not offer this recall to me. They blamed the electrical issues on the transmission. They finally changed out the transmission in Jan 2018. The problems came back three weeks later and the dealership blamed it on the alternator this time. We paid the $500 to have the alternator changed and the car is still shifting hard, running at 4000 rpms in 1st, 2nd, 3rd gear, dying at red lights, etc. How do I solve these problems once and for all you ask? Sell the lemon and move on with my life. Or at least that is my plan. Ford has not been helpful at all in solving this problem once and for all.

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  Consider something else - 2015 Ford Focus
  By Joyce Sykes - July 9 - 1:43 am

  I have no idea where to even begin, but so far with just 9,000 miles on this car, it needs quite a bit of work. The wipers act like rain sensing wipers, which I do not have. The heater when on level 4 acts like it has climate control, which it does not and also likes to come on when I start the car (I shut it completely off when shut off the car) and then it takes five or six tries before it will stay off. I have a belt that squeels when I start the car. The shifting of this car is a laugh as it has more noises that I can count and they told me that was normal. The way this car acts, I am afraid of what will happen when the warranty runs out. I just have the feeling that this car will not be reliable at all. The positives of the car are I like the color (performance blue), I love the heated seats and heated steering wheel. These are the only two things that actual work right. UPDATE 8/12/16 - have had the car a year, has 17,000 miles and it continues to be a problem. Transmission was fixed for about 3000 miles and now makes noise again. Electronics all messed up and dealership cannot "replicate" the problem. I am ready to take the loss and trade this piece of junk in for a Toyota Corolla.