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 ford fusion SE 2.0 Fuel Tank Problem - 2014 Ford Fusion
  By jimmyd11 - January 8 - 9:46 pm

  I have a loud fuel slushing sound in my fuel tank when tank is 3/4 to full. Ford technical staff told my selling dealer this is a normal characteristic for this vehicle. The dealer filled one of his other se 2.0 fusions on his lot with a full tank of gas, and sure enough it did the same thing as my car. I have had 5 previous NEW Ford cars before this Fusion and they did not make this loud slushing sound. I remember the fuel fire problems that the Ford Pinto had in the 70s and I dont feel safe in this car. Please, anyone have any thoughts on what I can do to resolve this.

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  Fun Car - 2014 Ford Mustang
  By fl_surfer - January 6 - 11:50 am

  I havent had a "fun" car in 30 years due to family & company car requirements. My 2014 basic 6cyl manual is a totally fun "toy". I use the Mustang for daily cummute & weekend erands. The car gets an amazing 25.5MPG & the attention the Mustang gets at the gas station is surprising. The 6 speed manual is more fun the longer you own the car.

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  OK Subcompact, Needs slight changes- Automatic, not 5-speed - 2013 Ford Fiesta
  By commuter247 - January 5 - 11:00 am

  I bought this car 9/20/12 and have put over 31,000 miles on it, in a mix of city, back roads (northern New England) and highway. Probably 25%/ 40%/ 35% if I had to break it down. I am in this car up to 8 hours a day. I am 57" and mostly torso. I have owned all Fords. The car handles great- my favorite roads are empty, curvy back roads. I have driven in all but 1 snow storm since I bought this car and I have every confidence in this vehicle in the weather. The clearance is higher than the Focus by about 1.5", which helps in a storm. I have gotten hung up on an ice shelf once, but its to be expected in a FWD. I recommend this car for a 1-2 person ride, but expect to make concessions.

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  TOO EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR - 2003 Ford Thunderbird
  By merc51 - January 4 - 11:29 am

  Beautiful car. Purchased in January 2013 for wife who loved it. White with hardtop and black and white interior. Had only 73000 miles on it and looked hardly used. came with all service records. Car was fun until the summer when the HVAC fan controller would only run at full blast. Found out that part was unavailable EVERYWHERE in the world but just as important cost to replace was over $1600 in labor! While still trying to find part 3 of the coil on plugs modules failed. Then transmission started to make noises. So car had to go . Loved looks and ride but!

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  Business Driver after 150,000 miles - 2012 Ford Edge
  By tn_driver - January 3 - 9:18 am

  I drive a 2012 Edge SEL as my work vehicle approx. 5000-6000 miles per month--currently has 148,000 total. Proven an excellent car. Had GMC Acadia prior to this, and though unfortunately not as large cargo capacity, the Edge has been far superior to that SUV. MPG has averaged 24.5 for entire life. No mechanical issues at all except headlamp bulb and turn signal switch. Very comfortable driving position and seating at long distance--and I should know. Only real issue has been SYNC system as relates to Bluetooth to Iphone. This performance has improved with Ford updates, but still sometimes phone to system link is faulty. Overall an excellent car--replacing with another Edge this year

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  True muscle in the V6 is hidden, but waiting to be unleashed. - 2012 Ford Mustang
  By adr58 - January 2 - 9:07 pm

  Ive had my 2012 base V6 convertible auto a few months. It was a rental and has just under 50,000 miles My first Mustang. It is certainly behind in design compared with European sports cars, especially the base model, but the appeal of the Mustang is in some ways its simple raw charisma, not its bling. The new V6 has awesome acceleration and can match the old V8 in terms of performance. The stock auto setup is a compromise though. For general driving the Mustang is sweet. When you want to unleash the beast, there is throttle lag and imprecise gear shifts until you get above 3500 rpm, then she pulls like a train.

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  DUPED BY ECO-BOOST MPG - 2012 Ford F-150
  By flaf150lar - January 2 - 4:17 pm

  I too was duped by the MPG that Ford so proudly advertised youd get with the new Eco-Boost 3.5L engine. I have had mine a year. I have a friend who bought the 5.0 v8 F150 and his gas mileage is far better than mine. Makes me mad since I paid more $$ for this engine to get less MPG. I would not recommend this engine to anyone unless you were pulling something all the time. Someone mentioned lights leaking, mine are also leaking and the visor mirror is in need of repair as the lid wont stay closed. Wish I wouldve listened to some of the reviews I read when I was buying this truck. My advice is dont buy the chrome package either, it turns out its all plastic and hard to keep clean.

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  Great Little SUV - BUT slippery when wet - 2008 Ford Escape
  By descape1 - January 1 - 11:59 am

  Ive only owned my Escape for 11 months, and I love almost everything about it. It has plenty or room, all seats are comfortable and its fun to drive and easy to park. I have not had a single issue with it, except I think it might need a battery soon, but thats to be expected with any car that has 72,000 miles and temps around zero here in the Midwest. My only complaint is I didnt get the 4wd. Even with new tires, the front wheels spin at every start when its raining or snowing. Im getting used to the traction control light blinking at me (indicating the wheels have lost traction), but still very annoying. Maybe I have a lead foot for the amount of torque in the V6.

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  Great ride, but transmission problems right away - 2013 Ford Fiesta
  By reillan - December 30 - 1:53 pm

  Ive owned my Fiesta for 7 months, and have already had the "automatic" transmission repaired after the clutch went out. Unfortunately for me, this went out while I was on vacation and using the cruise control on a wide-open interstate. I had some concerns about the transmission from the moment I got it, since it shifted loudly and had odd hesitations that were very scary (like pulling forward across two lanes while attempting to turn left on a 3-lane road, and suddenly finding a complete loss of power and oncoming traffic). Ford was awesome throughout the repair, however. Crossing my fingers that this is the only repair it will need.

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  My 5.0. Super crew xlt xtr - 2011 Ford F-150
  By carstryke - December 23 - 3:09 pm

  so far so good after 34000kms. no problems have arrived as of yet. Fuel mileage varies, most recently I completed a 900 km road trip with 2 adults and 4 kids averaging 110 kph in -20 Celsius weather in 4x4 nets 17mpg, which I thought was pretty decent. In summer unloaded in 2x4 would net low 20s I presume. Only minor things nag me like cheaper feeling materials in the cabin, but I guess it is a xlt after all.