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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  The Barge - 2004 Ford Excursion
  By Cecil - September 16 - 2:00 am

  From the day I test drove this, I did not like it and had problems. First off, on the test drove and pulled out in traffic. The Excursion snorted bucked and chattered as we tried to accelerate into traffic. I told the salesman that I wanted to go back and test drive one with the V10...He said- THIS IS THE V10! When I went to get out of the vehicle. The door handle snapped off in my hand! Not only has this vehicle been nothing but problems, the dealer I bought this from could care less. I think it even seems to burn gas when the engine is off. Going into a corner with the Excursion is like trying to manuver a drunk hippo.

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  best way to travel - 2005 Ford F-150
  By linda criger - September 13 - 8:46 am

  With over 40,000 miles in one year we have tested it. No problems. Mileage is good, power is good, ride is the best. Drives perfect. If you want the best truck on the market and American made too, this is what you want to buy. Has a top rated crash test to protect you and your family. We have been to the east coast and the west coast each two times and never an ache or pain from riding. Not bad for being seniors.

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  WARNING THIS THING TIPS EASILY - 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By Corinnenr - September 12 - 10:00 am

  I had my Sport Trac for less than 3 weeks when i got inot a major accidnet, but it was one that shouldnt have happened. I barely jerked my sterring wheel when all of a sudden my truck is going all over the freeway the next thing we know we hit the back side end of the the vehicle to our right then we kind of spun around and then flipped 5 times. The only good thing i can say is if the cab hadnt held up so well me and my friend would be dead right now.

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  Avoid! - 2011 Ford Edge
  By Ferjen - September 2 - 3:54 am

  Our Edge Limited is only 6 years old. Immediately after the warranty, the backup camera somehow inverted the image upside down. Cost would be hundreds to fix, so we never fixed. Ffwd to today, the car started sputtering on my wife and then shut down in the middle of an intersection. Ford tells us the entire engine seized up and will cost almost $7000 to repair! That is insane for a 6 year old car. And worse, they cannot tell us the cause without tearing it apart. The car was just serviced a month ago for an oil change and the brakes were just serviced 3 days ago. We gave the car 1 star for everything because a comfortable safe car is useless if YOU CANNOT DRIVE IT!

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  Ford should get out of selling cars - 2012 Ford Focus
  By M. Israel - August 30 - 8:13 am

  Nightmare! Transmission/clutch is out. The car is sitting collecting dust. Took the car in while still under warranty for transmission and clutch problems. Expecting them to replace the clutch but instead they cleaned the clutch checked it on the computer and said it was fixed. 3k miles later I took it back in for the same problem. They said the clutch is out and it is no longer under warranty and they were not going to fix it. It will cost me $2000 to fix with no guarantee that the clutch will not go out again. Prior to this happening I had a car accident because the car shut off while I was driving. I though I did something wrong but to find out it was the transmission. Besides that the dealer said there is a 3 month wait on the clutch. The law firm that is representing the class action lawsuit said they go to court in 2017. In the meantime, i have a lemon and I cant make lemonade. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER AMERICAN CAR! [non-permissible content removed]. How can the Japanese make such great cars and America puts out such crap?

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  STAY AWAY - 2015 Ford Focus
  By annoyed focus owner - August 17 - 11:19 pm

  I have had this car for almost a year and I have hated every single day with it. The car looks nice and has some nice features such as heated seats, heated steering wheel, back up camera and parking sensors, but the way it drives is absolutely terrible. This car does not drive like a normal car should. It is very very hesitant when you need to get up and go. Starting off it shutters like its about to stall. At first it was ok but it gets very annoying after a while and at this point I am looking at every option to get rid of this car. It also has a cheap build quality. I have had to had my rear passenger door adjusted because it was falling of the hinges. My drivers seat always comes loose and moves around while I am driving. Mind you this car is not even a year old. I have had to replace bulbs multiple times as well. I would HIGHLY recommend staying away from buying/leasing this car. There are so many other options and better cars for the money than this terrible car.

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  Power Loss - Violent engine shake\shutter 10,800 k - 2015 Ford F-150
  By B.Wenzel - August 8 - 2:41 am

  My truck is 6 months old and has 10,800 miles. As in drove home from work during rush hour traffic the engine shut down and went into "limp mode" at 65 mph. There were 3 warnings icons: #1 Service Advancetrac, #2 Wrench Icon "see manual", #3 Hill start assist not available. Later the engine light came on. Ford Roadside towed the truck to the dealer, my research found 100 of complaints about is engine shutdown on Ecoboost engines. The engine will idle at 1000 rpm extremely rough, but pressing the gas pedal does nothing. Very dangerous when driving in heavy traffic, as all you can do is coast to a stop. Turning off the engine and restart did get the engine moving for another mile before it shut down again. Beware of this for your safety and your family. I also saw another review here with a similar issue, so it may not be insolated. *****UPDATE******* June 2016 Problem was the THROTTLE BODY. Dealer replaced under warranty.

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  What a disaster!!!! - 2017 Ford Fusion
  By David M - August 2 - 8:40 am

  The 2017 Ford Fusion Sport is AWESOMELY fun to drive and is as comfortable as it is agile. I like the active dampening compared to my 2015 Ford Fusion, but oh how I miss that car compared to this one. Ive called Ford Roadside Assistance 5 times in less than three months to deal with electrical issues with my vehicle, which has less than 3000 miles on it. Finally decided to take it into the dealership yesterday, couldnt get a loaner, and sat there for several hours. But alas! The problem wasnt the battery as I suspected but instead a measly fuse that has been causing unwarranted drain to serially kill my battery. Great! Until I hop in my car this morning and it wont start... What a joke! Shipped from the manufacturer with a lemon of a battery or potentially worse - electrical problems. The dealer claims they cant replace the battery until it fails on the rotunda, and they say it has "passed" their specs. Whats truly troubling is how much I love driving this vehicle but what use does a car have if it sits in your driveway without being able to turn on? Dealer wont fix it in a timely manner or to customers satisfaction. I likely wont be purchasing another Ford again, and I certainly cant recommend the brand to any of my friends or family.

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  terrible transmission - 2014 Ford Focus
  By Jeff Traylor - July 25 - 4:27 am

  Do not fall for Fords claim about an extended warranty. This thing shudders all over the road but unless it meets certain transmission slippage rates (set of course by ford ) the warranty does not cover it. This car makes a drive to the corner grocery store a beating and takes any joy out of driving. Youve been warned- dont buy any Ford, but especially not this one.

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  Buy a Mazda 3 instead - 2016 Ford Focus
  By D P - July 3 - 6:22 am

  Transmission is awful. Grinding and shaking is called normal by Ford service. Noisy pumps are also considered normal. I tried to save a few bucks and buy American but this will keep me from ever buying a Ford again. Comfort on long trips is lacking as well. Parking brake is positioned just in the wrong place and digs into right leg.