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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  2014 Black on Black - 2014 Ford Mustang
  By hazard1 - December 11 - 8:25 pm

  This is my favorite Ford car yet. I got a great deal on it and used the savings to add fog lights, black wheels, and quarter-window louvers. Even with the V6 and 2.73 rear end, the acceleration is unbelievable. It is not real fast until it hits high rpms, so off the line it is not winning any races, but soon afterwards it will throw you back in your seat. The select shift is useless unless you shift at higher rpms. In the low rpm range (under 2000), it will say you shifted on the dash, but it is lying. I love the layout of everything, especially the dash. The overall interior and exterior are beautiful, even in the base trim. As for mpgs, I averaged 29.8 in the first 6 months.

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  Love my Focus - 2011 Ford Focus
  By breiser2 - December 9 - 1:12 pm

  Ive had my focus for two years now. I bought it used with 11,000 miles on it. Now Im at 50,000 miles and have still had no trouble. This is a car I would recommend to everyone. I did extensive research when buying my car. I narrowed my list down to the Focus, Fiesta, Nissan Versa, Hyundai Elantra and Scion XD. The Focus came at the best price, for the best reliability ratings, was the most fun to drive, and was the best looking. The Sync program isnt the most efficient system of all time, but it is a nice convenience. Occasionally it struggles, but anything electronic has its occasional lag. This car is great, I swear by it and plan to drive it for the next ten years.

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  Excellent Initial Quality - 2015 Ford Fusion
  By herman15fusion - December 7 - 3:35 pm

  Just purchased a 2015 Fusion SE last weekend on a great deal! After a week, I absolutely love it. It is comfortable, the ride is smooth & quiet, and it is so much better than the 2012 Focus I traded. I got the 1.5L Ecoboost engine, and it is fantastic. I do mostly city driving on my daily commute, and am getting 26-28 mpg. Not bad...The only negative is the sound system. Perhaps I could do some tweaking on my end, but the sound is fairly weak compared to the 2008 Fusion I owned a few years ago. Overall, I highly recommend the Ford Fusion!

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  1st Mustang - Worth the Wait! - 2015 Ford Mustang
  By mjplx - December 3 - 6:00 pm

  I was looking for a fun, sporty car earlier this year to supplement my DD (Audi A6). Looked at Suburu BRZ/Scion FRS (ride a bit stiff & only OK power) Hyundai Genesis Coupe (ride too stiff & only OK looks) and Camaro (lousy visability). Reading the car show reviews of the new Mustang and seeing pics I was intrigued. Ive had my Mustang for about a month. WOW! Its beautiful inside and out. Great lines, fit & finish top notch. Premium level interior. Very sporty - clearly a Mustang but updated for the 21st century and much more refined. Ecoboost power is great / very responsive, the handling is outstanding with great visibility. Front seat comfort = to my A6. Comfortable ride.

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  Great Car - 2013 Ford Fiesta
  By guitar74 - December 3 - 11:12 am

  First, my disclaimer: I am NOT a dealer, but an owner with 30,000 miles on my Fiesta S. First, if you are used to a conventional automatic transmission ,then the six speed auto DOES take some getting used to. That being said, I have never owned a car with an automatic tranny that DIDNT roll back a touch on a hill. Automatic transmissions have torque convertors that are the equivalent to a clutch but design to engage at a preset rpm. Too loww and your car will be below any kind of torque curve which will kill acceleratoin AND economy due to increased throttle input. Buy a v8 if you want to overcome a standing start at idle, otherwise live with it

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  Love everything about this car EXCEPT the cloth upholstery - 2013 Ford Edge
  By 1happycamper - December 1 - 10:35 am

  I truly love this car. I previously owned ten Volkswagens and two Subarus and found the Edge to be much more reliable and the build being of better quality. I can put the back seat down and the front seat down and put my kayak inside the vehicle too! The interior plastic is of good quality and does NOT rattle at all (which was a big issue I had with the Subarus...that and the stupid muffler guard always being loose). I will stick with Ford in the future. The only thing I wish I did differently was I wouldve bought leather. The cloth upholstery is HORRIBLE and even when rain hits it the seats look like someone peed on them! Pay for Scotchguard or get the leather package!

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  Love This Car - 2013 Ford Edge
  By jefffie - November 29 - 6:30 am

  When we decided to buy a new car we had time on our side. It took 2 months to test drive 15 different makes and models. We would not let the dealers trap us & they willingly worked with us. We made it clear that we were just shopping. We choose the Edge because it did not feel cheap. Love the cars looks both inside and out. The ford touch was a little hard at first but we have not had any problems since we have gotten use to it. Once we decided to buy. We found 2 cars 30 miles apart and worked the dealers against each other over the phone. We had our deal in less than 1 hour and paid with our own financing. It was easy and fun shopping.

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  Great Update - 2015 Ford Mustang
  By scorpiomi - November 27 - 4:26 pm

  I got my 2.3 EcoBoost Auto 2 days ago and it is great. I preordered before I had the chance to sit in one! External look: Sharp, Aggressive, Smooth. Internal: Updated from prev years. Better lookingand feeling material. Comfortable, feels bigger in the front, still no space in backseats, Great console compared to prev ones. Engine: Very Powerful, more than my 3.7V6, probably louder too which is good. Better Acceleration. Tech: Can switch between different Steering and Driving Modes. Smart Key, Keep in ur pocket and u can open the door and drive without using it. Music sound is good. Rear view camera standard Auto has tip-tronic feature. Aired and heated leather sts

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  EXCELLENT TRUCK - 1999 Ford Ranger
  By lutorr6 - November 26 - 9:18 pm

  I bought my 1999 Ford Ranger brand new with 13 miles on it. It was the best purchase I have ever made. My truck is extremely reliable. It has never left me stranded. The parts are cheap. It gets descent gas mileage. I LOVED MY TRUCK. My current mileage is 310,000. If you considering buying a truck, I would highly recommend a Ford Ranger. It was the best purchase I ever made.

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  I love my focus - 2014 Ford Focus
  By vw1991 - November 26 - 12:26 am

  I bought my car a few months back and while it may be a bit soon to review I have to say I love this car. I can fit a disturbing amount of shenanigans into my focus. I have 2 children a well over 6 foot husband and our family dog. We all manage to pile in with room to spare. It handles much better than my previous cars on the highway. All my cars have been 4cyl hatchbacks and I have to say that EVERY one of them was miserable at highway speeds. The focus doesnt even sweat at the 75mph limit here in KS. I read the awful reviews of the automatic and I opted for the familiar old 5 speed instead. I would definitely recommend this car to anyone looking for small cheap car with tons to offer.