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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  Transmission news - 2010 Ford Fusion
  By babbs3 - October 25 - 5:44 pm

  Saw on this evenings news that Ford got bad marks for their transmissions .Finally all of us that have been complaining about the strange 6sp. auto. has been heard. Can we hope that Ford will properly address these problems? Ford is still building some great looking cars but oh those trannys are a nightmare. The 6 sp was supposed to increase mpg. but how can it if the engine is reving like a race car between gears?

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  CVT stands for Crappy Vehicle Transmission - 2005 Ford Freestyle
  By gcolemanjr - October 14 - 1:35 pm

  Please beware when buying a 2005-07 used Freestyle...learn from our mistake. Bought the vehicle used with 38,000 miles on it. Maintained the vehicle very well and then suddenly out of nowhere, weird noise from the engine during idle in Park or Neutral. two weeks later super loud noise from engine compartment, similar to a chain being dragged across a hollow wooden chest. two weeks after that tranny completely gone. $5900-$7000 to fix or install new one. Still owe just under $7k on the car. Mileage is only 116k. unacceptable and were walking away from it. vehicle is sitting in the garage next to sons electric power wheels Ford truck that ironically still runs after 3 years...

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  Transmisson and steering - 2010 Ford Fusion
  By lesmor1 - October 11 - 10:14 pm

  I thought the candy apple red metallic on the fusion was so pretty. I forgot it needed to be dependable. At 4000 miles it would not shift from 2nd to 3rd. Had to rebuild the transmission. Drove to Boise from Portland a in Meridian the rack of the steering had to be replaced. It was about 12,000 miles. Fortunatly for us it happened when stopped. Not a happy Fusion owner. It is a nice car but needs to bdependable. Wish I had my Toyota back.

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  Its okay, but there are better choices... - 2011 Ford Flex
  By jeffyb - October 5 - 8:43 am

  After spending considerable time driving my 2011 Flex on different types of roads, under varying conditions, Id say its good as a people-mover, and a good alternative to a mini-van. However, it is not as sporty as its image portrayed on TV. After 11,000 miles the drivers window squeaks like a pig, and the auto tailgate is very annoying (way too slow opening & closing). Unless you have 6 or 7 people to haul, I would suggest an SUV like the Honda CRV or Toyota RAV4 instead. They have as much useful cargo room, handle much better and get better gas mileage.

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  worst car ever owned - 2001 Ford Windstar
  By millerw - October 1 - 9:43 pm

  Worst vehicle I have ever owned. Electronics all repaired or replaced, replaced transmission, wheel bearings, rotors, complete brake system, air conditioning. Ford recalls 5 in the past three years. No one should ever buy one.

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  Do not buy this junk! - 2005 Ford Escape
  By maxout06 - September 24 - 9:13 am

  I bought a 2005 Escape XLT with 78,000 on the odometer. Good price and the thing looked cherry. After driving it for a couple months, the OBD light came on and it started misfiring. After a little research, I found out Ford used sub-standard parts to build this model. The ignition coils burn out the drivers in the ECM at about 100,000 miles. Well past warranty stage. Ford knew of this and sent a memo to dealers on what to look for if the code P0351 was showing. A repair that costs average $1,500. The worst thing is since this issue took place after market, the only ECMs left are used or reman. This is the reason people are buying Asian cars more. Ford, you people are crooks.

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  Total Disapointment!! - 2012 Ford Mustang
  By sibonium - September 12 - 6:11 pm

  I cannot recommend this vehicle....at 5900 miles and less than two months old, the automatic transmission failed. During a tire rotation, technician discovered ATF leaking from the tranny. Ford Dealer removed the transmission, replaced forward seals, and a "gear pump". I cant be more specific because Ford worked to a Technical Service Bulletin, but refuses to let me see it or copy it. Car in the shop for 12 days...not what I imagined when I bought it!

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  Disappointed - 2011 Ford Edge
  By bytx71 - September 9 - 5:11 pm

  So very, very disappointed. Ive only had my 2011 Edge a few weeks, but the gas mileage is terrible. While mostly highway miles, Im barely getting an average of 16 mpg. If this continues, the 19/27 mpg as stated by Ford is a gross misrepresentation. While running errands today, I got 11mpg (50/50 highway miles). I feel mislead and deceived.

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  I guess I am not alone - 2006 Ford Explorer
  By danakay - September 8 - 11:58 am

  I went online today to look at transmission costs for my 2006 Explorer and I found this review. I am sitting here feeling a little screwed over right now. I bought the car with less than 20.000 miles on it because I loved my old Expedition which had over 200,000 miles on it. I had no problems with it other than replacing a transmission around 160,000 to be expected. Now,with my Explorer I have had to buy a new radiator (under 100,000 miles), replace a transfer case (under 100,000 miles), and now my transmission is out(120,000). Sadly, these look like common problems. Sorry to say, this is my third Ford and my last one.

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  Ok except for the transmission - 2005 Ford Explorer
  By whizkidcat - September 3 - 11:50 am

  We bought our Explorer in 2005 new. It ran great for 36,000 miles. It now has 68,000 miles. The best gas mileage we have gotten is 18 hwy/11 city with a constant average of 14.6. NOT very desirable. No repairs, just regular maintenance for 3 years. Shortly after 36,000 miles we had problems with the reverse: going into reverse and going from reverse into drive. It would take about 3 to 5 seconds for the gears to catch and move the car. After a new transmission everything else started to go wrong. Interesting that until we took it to the dealer we had no other problems! The blinkers work intermittently, the rear windows work sometimes or NOT and the leather is cracking sides/edges.