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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  Amazingly Tough!!! - 1996 Ford Explorer
  By glenniz - March 10 - 10:32 pm

  Bought this 1996 XLT as a first car for my daughter to learn how to drive and then I was going to sell it. Well guess what....Im going to do some maintenance on it and keep it for myself. The 5.0L motor is amazing and the transmission shifts like it was new (this vehicle has 185,000 miles on it). It still gets 18 mpg in the city and about 23 mpg on the Hwy. and has absolutely NO oil leaks!!! Im Impressed!!!!!

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  No reading on odometer - 1995 Ford Probe
  By pastor129 - March 10 - 9:55 am

  bought new and was on the expressway and my son asked how fast we were going, keep in mind we just left the dealership, and I looked down and the odometer was not working. The fact is nothing on the dash was working at all.

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  Escape Does It All - 2011 Ford Escape
  By truth1hurts - March 7 - 10:40 am

  The 2011 Ford Escape is a dream and a much welcomed relief from our endless anxiety with an inferior product, a 2008 Jeep Patriot 5-Speed Manual. This Escape has great styling, spacious interior and far better visibility with its surround glass than the substandard design of the Patriot. We took it on a 1,600 mile trip in 2013 and never sweated. The 4 cylinder motor gives you good power on uphill roads and it comes with better tires than our former lemon. I would highly recommend the Escape and/our dealership as Ford has better customer service and attitudes towards their customers. The escape lets you "escape" the city jungle and is great in the outdoors and is very reliable.

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  Apex Suv And An Asset To Any Owner - 2011 Ford Escape
  By truth1hurts - March 2 - 12:22 am

  We love our 2011 Ford Escape as, in our opinion, it hammers the competition and it is a valued asset in our family. The pathetic competition, the 2008 Jeep Patriot does even come close to the reliability, power, style, reputation and perks of a comfortable Ford. The Escape will not hurt pocketbooks it is reasonably priced and I would recommend people trying to get a better deal through the employee pricing campaign. Money well spent, the Ford Escape. It made a former unhappy owner of the Jeep elated when we slid into a 2011 Ford. The competition will be full of jealousies as Ford is known to give many the "wow factor" in an winner vehicle.

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  Satisfied! - 2013 Ford Explorer
  By danxthemann - February 27 - 12:59 am

  I have a 2013 Ford Explorer Limited and its great to drive! I really enjoy it! Sometimes I wish itd accelerate faster but that doesnt take away from how gorgeous and luxurious looking it is!! The interior quality is very luxurious and well done! A MAJOR upgrade from its older model. This is my second ford and they never seem to disappoint. I know longer drive my 07 BMW because Im enjoying this so much!

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  KEEP OIL CHANGED EVERY 4K miles and TIRES ROTATED - 2000 Ford Explorer
  By woodinva - February 23 - 6:26 am

  We are original owners of this car being our 2nd Eddie Bauer Ford EXPLORER 4X4 . Wife uses it as a commuter vehicle, I get it when anything is wrong with it....lol. We have 326k miles on the car. She commutes 30 miles daily 4 miles city 26 miles highway daily with vehicle. We got 350k miles out of the previous generation car before someone hit it and totaled it. You can get good mileage out of these cars if you dutifully maintain them. Husband has Ford Explorer Sport Trac for work around the farm and grounds. We also own VOLVO sedan Maintain these vehicles and they will last as long as we have had them. find a good mechanic after you have finished your first 100k with dealer service.

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  A good fit for me - 2009 Ford Escape
  By michiganphil - February 22 - 3:25 pm

  I have owned two 2009 4 cyl FWD Limited Escapes, traded one at 41K miles, last month, and still own another with 43K miles. The only issues I have had with the vehicles is with the Fan motor, in which a resister went bad. Otherwise, I have had no issues with either vehicle. The vehicles offered me the features I wanted, with few I did not want. The acceleration, handling, braking were good enough for me. I was impressed with the gas mileages, I topped 32 MPG, door to door, with both vehicles on long trips, a number of times.

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  Do not drive at night - 2014 Ford Escape
  By hueyok - February 22 - 10:29 am

  I have a 14 Escape SE with blinding dash lights. According to Ford technicians, they are suppose to automatically dim in conjunction with the ambient light. For example, if it is daytime and full sun, the dash lights are full bright. Then as it gets toward dusk, the lights dim somewhat. At full night, the dash lights dim more to avoid bright lights in ones eyes. An alalogy to this would be like driving at night and an oncoming car has its lights on bright beam. Then as a courtesy, the person dims the lights to the low beam. This is why I am kaking Ford to task for designing a car that wont dim its dash lights as specified.

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  Happy with the purchase - 2014 Ford Escape
  By vaiyo - February 21 - 12:19 pm

  Just bought a 2014 Ford Escape Titanium equipped with the 2.0 liter turbocharged engine new off the lot. Im very happy with the purchase. I live & work in the hilly suburbs of Pittsburgh, and the 2.0 liter engine has plenty of power and it still handles like a smaller car. I had concerns about the SYNC feature but Im happy to report that it is not broken like non-Ford salesmen claim. The negative reviews about "functional storage" on the redesigned Escapes are true, though. The glove compartment is small, hard to reach (for the driver), and nearly useless and there is very little in the ways of storage for odds and ends. Trunk space is smaller but opens up with the back seats down.

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  Great car but... - 2006 Ford Fusion
  By maxima155 - February 13 - 3:04 pm

  Purchased used in 2006 with 1,200 miles on the OD. For the first three years car was brilliant. No problems, just routine maintenance, brakes, oil changes, ect. Ride was excellent and the seats are extremely comfortable and well trimmed. In 2010, we had a few problems with the engine, but was covered under an extended warranty. Service engine soon light would come off and on. Also problems with charging system. In 2013, the car reached around 96,000 miles and started to develop some transmission problems. Dealer inspected the car and would not be a cheap fix since the extended warranty had ended. Decided to trade the car in and avoid major repairs in the future.