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:

• 

  Avoid the 2002 Ford Focus ZX5 at all costs! - 2002 Ford Focus
  By czechmate1974 - March 4 - 9:34 am

  1st of all this car has a automatic transmission not manual. I had 108,000 miles on the car and the head gasket blew and the entire cooling system failed along with the thermostat. This caused my temperature gauge to show me in the "normal" range when really I was burning my car up and did not know it. I had coolant everwhere and white smoke out of my engine. $2500 to $3000 to fix. This car had many problems over the years. All the power window motors were constantly breaking. Had to replace 3 and they are $300+ to fix. I hate this car, it ruined my life. Avoid it at all costs.

• 

  Stay away - 1999 Ford Windstar
  By carboy6 - March 3 - 10:13 pm

  Transmission went out at 60k. Mechanic said he replaces a lot of ,particularly Windstar, trannys. Have spent thousands on repairs. Got this car for free with only 12k on it. At first we didnt have any problems but that only lasted about 2 months. Had I known the quality of this model I would have bought my own car. Do not buy this van unless you like feeding mechanics families.

• 

  2011 Explorer Already In the Shop - 2011 Ford Explorer
  By ford_owner1 - February 11 - 2:27 pm

  Our 2011 Explorer Limited is already in the shop with less than 1,000 miles on it. The entire MyTouch system that controls the climate control, stereo system, bluetooth, navigation and rear back up camera crashed. This is our second explorer and we also have an F-150 and I am very disappointed with the 2011 Explorer. The gas mileage improvements are not true. The best mileage I have been able to get is 16 mpg on the highway. The car does not have the power I expected and the luxury features of the Ford MyTouch were not worth the 50K price tag, especially since they dont work. I wish I had Mid-Sized SUV from another company!

• 

  Just a bad Ford experience, never again! - 2010 Ford Fusion
  By reverence - January 23 - 8:19 pm

  The car had a number of problems, every manufacturer will have them but its how the company handles them, Ford failed miserably. The most serious was the transmission, it did not shift properly, it slipped, and it made whining noises. I got nothing but a run around from the dealership and from Ford. I see where many others are having the same problems. The car had a build date of 6/10 which was suppose to be after the factory fix but obviously they have not figured it out yet. This went on for 6 months and finally I had enough and sold the car for a major lose. I laugh when I see the Ford commercials now about quality and commitment.

• 

  Disappointed with the New Explorer: It Missed the Mark - 2011 Ford Explorer
  By 1atomic - January 22 - 10:13 pm

  A happy owner of Ford F-Series pick-ups for decade. Wife wanted an Explorer after driving a Buick Enclave for 3 yrs. & for a change. We like Ford trucks, but never keen on any brand car other than GMs. The Buick gave us a flawless driving experience, but have been so happy with our Ford pick-ups that we looked at the Edge, which is rather small, Flex, rather quirky & looks like a hearse, Expedition, too big and wanted another car-like crossover that would be better on gas than our other vehicle, my King Ranch, a good truck, but terrible on gas. The 11 Explorer is mediocre & costly compared to the Enclave. We will hold on to this car for a year & see how it does. It may grow on us in time.

• 

  Multiple safety issues outweigh the positives. - 2001 Ford Windstar
  By sandypants - January 21 - 11:01 am

  If Ford would just stand by their products and fix the numerous safety issues, this would be a great van.

• 

  Well is this it? - 2002 Ford Explorer
  By vue5531 - January 1 - 2:50 am

  I have a 2002 Explorer Limited, but I have the V-8 model, and all I can say is that I absolutely hate this vehicle. The interior is of poor build quility, its not roomy, comfortable, or very attractive. I am 67 and also have a Saturn Vue and it has so much more interior room.The ride is absolutely terrible. You feel every bump and crack in the road. The transmission has gone out twice since Ive owned the car, electronics work when they want to. I think that if your going to spend near $43k like I did (brand new), you can buy so many other vehicles that are much better and cheaper, and with less problems. The only good thing is the power the V-8 produces.

• 

  Lemon - 2004 Ford Focus
  By grover04 - December 19 - 8:39 am

  I have had my 2004 Ford Focus ZTS for 5 years and it has been nothing but a money sucker ever since. For the past 5 years my focus has randomly shut down while Ive been driving and I have taken the car to multiple shops and a Ford Dealership, still no one can figure out the problem. I have had to replace the headlights twice every year, and as soon as my car hit 70,000 (this summer) my car basically lived at an auto shop (been in 5 times the past 6 months). My friend who has the same make, same year, has had all similar problems as has a neighbor of mine. The only positives I have to say about this car is a spacious trunk and nice interior.

• 

  If I had to do over... - 2010 Ford Escape
  By tishpit1 - December 17 - 4:49 pm

  Had previous bad experiences with Ford products so was hesitant to trade my old Jeep Liberty for the Escape. But after reading so many positive reviews and driving one, I decided to give Ford another shot. Pros: Ride is decent, comfortable seating position, impressive mileage for V-6 with AWD Cons: Unreliable... at dealership with less than 8,000 miles on it, possibly electrical or computer related. Dead in garage. Numerous "strange noises," feels flimsy. Overall: Wish I wouldve opted for a new Liberty. My old one with over 75,000 mi. never a repair, unlike my Ford with less than 7,500. Very disappointed, but hope for the best. Sync is costly gimmick better to put $ into quality

• 

  Transmission Out at 97,000 miles - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By jayman1201 - December 13 - 12:23 pm

  Bought this thing in 06 with 67,000 miles on it. 1 year after purchase the AC went out. In 08 coming home from my sisters wedding in Canada, the transmission went out. Torque converter broke apart and screwed the Transmission. On 2nd one now and the 4th gear is shot in that. Worst vehicle ever. Ford should have had a recall notice on the transmission. Too common a problem not to address.