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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  Best Mustang Ive owned so far! - 2015 Ford Mustang
  By laredotech1@hotmail.com - September 30 - 7:17 am

  I got rid of my 2011 Mustang GT. Premium to get the 2015 Mustang GT. Premium with Performance Package and I can honestly say that Im not disappointed. This car handles way better than my old one did, looks sharper and the interior feels like a luxury vehicle until you downshift and hit 3500 rpms and hear the sweat exhaust rumble. Of course, Im not leaving my car stock but the beauty of this one is that it doesnt need much tweaking. Tires are staggered, suspension is lower and sound system is great. About the only things Im tweaking is adding a cold air intake, exhaust and tune. Over all this is a great car as is! I would definitely recommend this car.

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  Beware !!!! lemon big time - 2015 Ford Focus
  By why did i buy this!!!! - September 29 - 12:46 pm

  I dont know how they rate this car a b but what ever this car has been in the shop 10 times and has 5k on it transmission is garbage and ford thinks to reprogram tcm if the fix car kicks and grinds and i see why there is a law suit for this car complete rip off and ford customer service center and case workers trying to sweep it under the rug and basically says sue us we are not buying car back even when the car will cause you to jump forward in an intersection and cause acciden. guess people have to get hurt or die for them to maybe say we need to fix this. ford is a fail in my book. and dealship says this is an issue that they dont know how to fix .

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  Cheap! thinking of lemon law - 2014 Ford Focus
  By Jacob - September 29 - 9:31 am

  I have had my car since February 2015, been in the shop three times. Have had a defective tire, and a/c vent fall apart, and they claimed they had to "reprogram" my transmission. Well i Had a road trip from Florida to Kansas and back. Well going through the mountains in Chattanooga TN, the car started shaking and got stuck in a gear. At most I was only able to go 55 and when I hit my brakes to see if itll get unstuck, it got stuck going 40. I had to literally floor the vehicle to get it to accelerate. This car is a piece of junk. I am so close to filing a lemon law. The company says its the type of transmission. Im sorry but if I get stuck in a gear and cant accelerate, that is an issue that better be fixed. Great gas milage though!

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  Im 33 and this is my 5th Mustang, Love LOVE it - 2015 Ford Mustang
  By Mandi Williams - September 29 - 8:53 am

  Coming from someone who has owned a 1964 1/2, 1995, 2000, 2005 and now 2015 the 2015 is by far my favorite to drive. Its important to note that this Mustang handles much better on slick roads (Im hoping snow too). I live in Ohio and deal with very harsh winters and driving a Mustang can put a damper on your parade when trying to get to work. Since I bought the car just this summer Im not sure how it will do in the snow, but Ive had zero problems in the rain. I dont slide around in it like I did in my other ones. This Mustang reminds me more of a sports car than a muscle car (which I happen to like). Even the base model offers many, many features. (my favs backup camera, bluetooth, push button start, keyless entry, steering mode, etc). The only complaints I have about my car is the lack of storage space in the cabin (where is my sunglasses holder??) and no XM on the base model.

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  Great Vehicle Until the Turbo Died - 2013 Ford Escape
  By James Tarpley - September 29 - 8:40 am

  After the initial recalls in 2013, my 2013 Escape SEL was very reliable. I had it in the shop three times in 3 years (78K miles). Ironically, all three times were because the cluster communicated that Engine Coolant was low and the engine needed to be serviced. The first two times, the local Ford dealer ran a pressure test and it passed with no leaks. The dealer informed me that sometimes the coolant just leaves the system and they cant find the reason for it. The third time, they advised me that it was still holding pressure, but the turbo was leaking oil (causing a fire hazard), so it needed to be replaced. After seeing the $3,000 estimate to replace the turbo and comparing it to a resale value of $12K, I elected to sell the vehicle at auction without performing the repairs. At auction, with the necessary repair disclosed, I was able to get $9,600 for it, so it worked out in my favor. The only other issues I had were Ford Sync related. The radio and blue tooth connection would stop all sound through the vehicle speakers. The Ford Sync people walked me through the process for fixing it the first couple of times. I had to perform a master reset on the electronic system. This is like restoring an Iphone to original condition and erasing all added data. Lastly, as far as mileage, I averaged 26K miles/year. My combined average fuel economy came out to 21.2 MPG. Not bad mileage, but not what I expected for a 4 cylinder motor with an "Eco-boost" performance enhancer. I even adjusted the performance of the motor to be as economical as possible. I really did like my 2013 Ford Escape SEL and was sad to leave it at the dealer and send it to auction. It was a pretty comfortable ride on trips. I took a 5 day trip from NW Arkansas to Washington DC and back, and I was pretty comfortable the entire trip. Unfortunately, the cost of replacing the turbo was roughly 25% of the entire vehicle, and with the motor/transmission and electronics being 3 years old with 78K miles, I could not justify that significant of an expense. If I had picked the 6 cylinder option without the turbo, I would never have let it go.

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  HOCUS FOCUS WHAT A RELIABLE CAR - 2005 Ford Focus
  By HOCUS FOCUS - September 29 - 12:20 am

  It is very reliable. I bought my 2005 used from a car rental and I have had it for 10 years now. I have 134,000 miles on it and I dont see myself giving it up for a long time to come! I am short and the seat rises up to where your head basically touches the roof! My parents bought one a few years ago because they liked driving in mine and getting in and out was easy for them. I get 35 miles to the gallon even at 10 yrs. old! They arent the most quiet cars but they are a good ride and dependable.

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  A much improved year for the Fiesta! - 2014 Ford Fiesta
  By Mitchell - September 28 - 10:23 pm

  I have read so many bad reviews on the 2011 and 2012 fiestas and i think the 2014s are alot improved compared to those. My transmission used to be kind of unresponsive and sluggish but a trip to the dealer and a software upgrade made it more zippy and ride and drive like a dream. I kind of lost hope in the fiesta until i made the trip and now i am really satisfied with the car. What you pay is what you get with this car. You get bluetooth with hands free phone support which is my favorite feature to have in any car. Sound system sounds great, i jam in the car everyday and everytime i drive it. Car is pretty comfortable considering the price range. I would recommend this car as long is its 2014 or above as these are much more reliable, fun, and better looking then the older models!

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  Absolute garbage car - 2011 Ford Fiesta
  By British guy - September 28 - 3:49 pm

  Im not sure why the highlighted review indicates 4+ out of 5 stars. I bought this care used with 11.000 miles, previously owned by an 84 year old lady. It shuddered so badly that it would reverberate your voice when talking. Its shifting sounds like a tool box rolling down concrete stairs. It accelerates slower than the 18 wheeler I drive for a living. Please dont buy this car, it will be more than a regret and a gigantic headache.

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  2005 f150 horrible - 2005 Ford F-150
  By Rich - September 28 - 3:48 pm

  Bought2005 f150 Lariat new in 05. Put 2 engines and 2 transmissions in it by 13k miles then truck caught on fore and burned to ground. Have had many friends with 04 to 08 that have had major engine trouble. Do not buy!!!!

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  LOOK AT THE DASHBOARD BEFORE YOU BUY. - 2014 Ford Edge
  By FRED LOCKARD - September 27 - 2:31 pm

  IF YOU WEAR GLASSES YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SEE ANYTHING ON THE DASHBOARD. i CANT. THE CONTROLS ARE NOT READABLE (FUZY).