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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  Not too shabby - 2008 Ford Focus
  By alisajg - February 1 - 7:01 pm

  I bought my Focus to replace my nightmare VW Beetle. Overall I like it .Im at 14,000 miles. It does well in all weather. I find the seats to be very comfortable. The seat backs are high, which is great because Im on the tall side (for a female). The moonroof is nice, but cuts a lot of headroom in the backseat. The back seat is hard to get into with the coupe. SYNC is pretty neat, but hard to use sometimes. The brakes are terrible, and are very underpowered. The headlights are not very bright, and Im probably going to put in some HIDs. I have beige cloth that I have worked very hard to keep clean, but I should have gotten leather. I get better than estimated MPG. Nice, smooth clutch.

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  Im loving my 2015 Focus SE - 2015 Ford Focus
  By lamondjohnson76@gmail.com - February 1 - 1:04 pm

  I have read all the so call complaints about the Focus, now I have own Lexus,BMW,Acura and Honda this is my first Ford I wanted something not to big and not to small and thats great on gas and can move when 2.0 liter I have is good I mean Ive never own a 4cyl car, but this little car movies the Style on it is nice and I love the Sync works great with my Android and my IPhone on and gas mileage is awesome and it does break my pocket to fill it up. So with that being said I love and enjoy my Focus

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  Ultimate tow vehicle - 2003 Ford Excursion
  By c wallace - February 1 - 12:17 pm

  My Excurision is a 4x4 with the 6.0 diesel, as of Jan 2009 it has 83,000 miles with no major problems. This is the tow vehicle to have if you have a large family. We can put our three kids, all of their stuff, the dog, and all of me and the wifes stuff and trek out with no worries. This includes towing a holiday rambler 33 foot trailer. I have a few modification that I recommend for power and fuel economy. Because I put a two inch lift, 315 75 16 tires, and aftermarket front and rear bumpers with a front winch on it my fuel mileage decreased. I added a banks intercooler, cold air intake, power pda, and a magnaflow four inch turbo back exhaust. What a difference!

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  Thanks Ford - 2009 Ford Fusion
  By Mark w. Todd - February 1 - 7:10 am

  Looked at several cars. The Fusions sporty looks, ride, and handling stole my heart.Wife came out of a Impala and is very impressed. MPG and ride very competitive. I drag race a 6 second car and think it has great power considering, Im not putting it on the dragstrip. Plenty passing power. Lot of car for the money.

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  Love My CMax! - 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid
  By bevt - February 1 - 3:39 am

  The car handles beautifully, both in acceleration & braking; its very solid feeling, responsive, and very energy efficient. After 2 days of owning it, its already giving me an average of 46.5 mpg . I can also put the car in cruise control on the highway and set it for 63 for EV energy only. I was thrown at first by how much the gas kicked in because of the hilly terrain where I live, but after learning more about how it works, that no longer bothers me because its supposed to do that; considering the mileage Ive gotten already, it can only get better when it hits 1000-3000 where they say the hybrid feature gets really good!

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  Merkur XR4TI Reborn as Ford Focus ZTS - 2002 Ford Focus
  By swampfox - February 1 - 2:00 am

  As a former owner of a Merkur XR4TI, I could not help noticing the similar shape and design of the 2002 Ford Focus ZTS. At 64" I fit in the drivers seat snug, but comfortably. Plenty of headroom. The dash and instruments look like a work of art. You either love it or hate it. Have put 6,000 miles on it so far through snow storm, sun and rain. Drives beautifully an tracks like a true sports car. Suggestion: Use premium gasoline only. It increased my mileage to actual: 25 City/34 Highway. 34 average on a 2,000 mile trip. The increase in fuel cost is compensated by the increase in actual miles per gallon. Wanted a new 2005. New design stinks. Very, very, happy with my 2002 model instead.

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  Love my 2006 SEL FWD - 2006 Ford Five Hundred
  By Topside - February 1 - 1:43 am

  Bought my 2006 SEL FWD used, many miles on it, great condition. I cant believe what a great value it is. Leather, sunroof, CD, rides nice, handles very well. I must be getting old, Im excited by a 4-door. But its beautiful inside and out, black exterior with light tan leather, nicely done woodgrain trim. Im in sales and wanted to buy American, but most American cars dont appeal to me. This one does, looks almost German, the VW Passat was clearly their benchmark, but with much better interior room. Too bad they dropped the Five Hundred name and went back to the Taurus. I would have never bought it if it was named Taurus - geez, Im getting older, but Im not dead yet.

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  My second T-Bird - 2002 Ford Thunderbird
  By Gordon - January 31 - 1:42 pm

  The car is a blast to own and drive. It has eye popping good looks and is comfortable for short drives of not more than 150 miles. It handles extremely well as it is well balanced and I have driving it at speeds up to 115 mph on the Nashville Speedway on the high banks, it ran well anywhere on the track, high, low, middle with no difficulty. A great summer cruiser for trips to wine country or cruising the coast line. It is fun, fun, fun.

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  Ive only had this car for 1 week! - 2009 Ford Fusion
  By Sarah - January 31 - 9:27 am

  When you sit in the car it snuggles you in and prepares you for a smooth ride. Acceleration is quick and smooth. The hum of the engine sounds similar to the Mustang. I really like this car. Ive owned a 2000 Camry, 2004 Dodge Stratus & 2004 Nissan Sentra--none comes close to the sleek and smoothness of the Ford Fusion. I look forward to buying a new one when this one is paid for! The Ford incentives are great right now. Dont let this car slip by you!

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  Surprisingly nice car! - 2007 Ford Taurus
  By Chandaniwala - January 30 - 7:56 pm

  I drive this car for work purposes. I work for the government. I am pleasantly surprised by how well this car rides and handles. I like the looks as well. My personal car is a 2006 Mercedes Benz E350. Handling and performance-wise, this Ford is almost on par with the Merc. It does not have the 6 CD changer or the real walnut trim, but the ride and handling are very good, and in the end, thats what matters.