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:

• 

  7 year old lemon - 2003 Ford Expedition
  By Bama2009 - May 19 - 3:52 pm

  Has been an overall good vehicle except for the numberous mechanical problems. The only problem in the warranty period was the drive shaft (needs replacing again, but wont. it rumbles when turning from a start). In the past year and a half I have replaced the cluster, intake manifold, catalytic converter (Ford puts 4 instead of 1). Still not working right. This is causing oxygen sensors to go bad several times. Both rear A\C motors replaced for the thumping sound. Gas mileage is awful, but could be a good truck. Did I mention a ton of front brake dust?

• 

  Marginal Quality - 2010 Ford Taurus
  By Davd Hert - May 19 - 2:35 pm

  So far in the first 6000 miles I have had to take the car in 3 times. Once in the first 25 miles for an alignemnt issue and again at 4700 miles for a tire failure and again at 5400 miles for a tire sensor monitor failure. The first repair was taken care of okay. Had to wait 4+ hours for the repair as the had to take the front end of the car apart to get the alignemnt right. The 2nd and 3rd issue(s) Ford has failed to stand behind thier warranty or their product...based on my early on experience with this car I would recomend looking at some of the foreign competition before getting one.

• 

  Focus SES gets poor gas mileage - 2010 Ford Focus
  By Cruiser11 - May 19 - 1:52 pm

  I have over 1,700 miles on my new Ford Focus SES since I bought it in January 2010. I drive almost all city miles (San Francisco), and I am averaging 12.88 mpg which equals about 175 miles per tank. I love the car, but am not happy with the gas mileage. I traded an Infinity G35 sedan for the Focus, and I got better city MPG with the Infinity! Also only certain phones work with the Sync System.

• 

  What were they Thinking? - 2006 Ford Escape
  By Luke - May 19 - 10:33 am

  First off, this car was a mistake. Many problems, and they just reoccurred over and over again. Not worth the Money. It lost half its value since i bought it. let me start with the problems. 1. The radio has gone bad 3 times. 2. The windows make a horrible racket. 3. The Engine Dry starts. (had normal maintenance.)4. The transmissions are junk. After talking to my mechanic, he said that he has replaced a ton of them. they go bad very quickly, and the starting price for a rebuilt one if 3k. so now i have a money pit, sitting in another state, worth half what i owe, and i cannot even fix it. Great Idea Ford. I DO NOT recommend this vehicle unless u pay 5k or less for it.

• 

  USA CAN build a good vehicle - 2010 Ford Escape
  By Rob - May 18 - 3:47 pm

  The Limiteds Camel interior is attractive and the heated leather seats are very comfortable. We added a custom painted pin stripe to the somewhat bland Sangria Red exterior. The vehicle gets 24 mpg in local driving and between 30 and 32 mpg on interstates. Radio fidelity is the best weve heard in any car weve owned and the Synch system is very handy.Though engine roar is evident during acceleration,the ride is wonderfully quiet on the interstates.Surprisingly, this FWD model went through four inches of snow rather well. Some suspension skipping is noticeable on washboard roads. Ample room is available for two bicycles and plenty of luggage. At 4000 miles its running great.

• 

  Great little car - 2009 Ford Focus
  By robxb - May 18 - 2:54 pm

  Ive had this car for about 4 months now and I really enjoy driving it. Its pretty comfortable, though I havent taken any trips yet. The leather heated seats and sunroof are nice, and the dash + heat + radio all have a really nice interface which is easy to read and understand. Ambient lightning is a neat feature but if its not included I wouldnt go and pay extra for it. Youre looking at the road anyway. The handling is responsive, though the steering seems a bit wobbly when you go over bumps on the highway..not sure if its supposed to do this. Had torque steer a couple times at a green light. The sunroof has a little rattle, but Ill get it checked next week.

• 

  Best vehicle I ever owned - 2007 Ford Edge
  By Ray - May 18 - 2:21 pm

  Ive had the vehicle for about a month now. The comfort is fantastic. It rides so smooth. The sliding top window is so large and really great!! I have always been a GM man and never again will I waist my time with a GM product. I now have 2 fords and wish I could afford another Edge. This is simply a great vehicle. I really love the GPS system, a lot better that a Garmin. The sound system is great also. I love everything about the vehicle.

• 

  Best (only) Mustang since my 1969 Mach 1 - 2011 Ford Mustang
  By NFH38 - May 18 - 12:22 pm

  Overall a lot of fun and a great value among high performance cars. Fit and finish to a surprising high standard...this is my first American car in many years and I had almost given up. Powertrain is awesome and electronics suite is better than my Audi. Ergonomics and cabin convenience are sorely lacking. Glove box wont even hold manuals. No place to put mailbox keys etc. Cupholder makes shifting clumsy and needs better design. Yes, we do need a water bottle in the car in an AZ summer.

• 

  First timer - 2004 Ford Expedition
  By Reaper - May 18 - 11:13 am

  I have never been a ford person always a dodge kind of guy. Needed a more family sized suv, durango wasnt cutting it. Love this thing, very roomy, stylish, and powerful. And as far as im concerned the saftey is great. sister had one and rolled it down a 300ft cliff, and it brought my family back to me after the wreak, after that it sold me on them. Granted i have only had it a week but i love this thing. went all the way through it and didnt find anything mechanicly wrong with it exept the rear passenger seat belt dosent work but the place i bought it from said they would replace it for FREE.

• 

  Transmission is poorly designed - 2010 Ford Edge
  By John - May 17 - 8:40 pm

  I now have 11,000 miles on this vehicle after six months and I cant say enough how I dislike this car. The biggest problem is the transmission. This car hesitates at the worst time and its usually when you are changing lanes. Step on the gas and nothing happens for a second or two. And with six gears it is always changing gears and you feel every shift in gear up and down. My manual 1967 Beetle had a smoother transmission then this car. Ford said nothing is wrong with it so I guess it drives like they designed it to...very poorly. Also you cant see anything out the rear when backing up because its not physically possible. This is an underpowered car that looks like an SUV.