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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  Need part time job for gas - 2004 Ford Taurus
  By Craig - March 10 - 7:24 am

  Nice mid-sized vehicle, very comfortable, smooth ride. But forget the gas savings,13-14 in the city and mine only has 15000 miles on it. Replaced my 454 4 barrel 88 Suburban with this, what a mistake - got 12 miles to the gallon with that driving in the city. Forget the resale value, was $6000.00 in the hole. Maybe theyll wise up and come up with more economical engine with new 08!

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  New Focus - 2012 Ford Focus
  By krunr4 - March 9 - 7:37 pm

  Just purchased a 2012 Focus with the Titanium package. Candy Blue. About all I did not get was the sun/moon roof and nav. I figured Id buy a Garmin for much less $$ and be just as happy. Its nice to have a smaller car that fits in the garage with more space, gets better mileage...so far 27.2 with around 450 miles on it, it looks good, and has a great stereo. Transmission is sometimes sluggish when initially taking off from a stop and yesterday, some gas dripped on the pavement from somewhere under the car when I topped it off. Ill have to look to see about that.

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  mountaingoat - 2005 Ford Ranger
  By Preston - March 9 - 7:10 pm

  I purchased this truck as a replacement for one that was totaled in a wreck. It is a daily driver to and from work mainly but in the fall and winter this little truck really shines when we go through the mountains here in VA hunting for deer. If the tires could get traction on a tree I think it would climb it. The 4-wheel drive system has never let me down and I have been in some pretty bad places.

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  brakes - 2005 Ford Freestyle
  By michael chenu - March 8 - 3:34 pm

  At 17,000 miles rear brake pads started to make grooves in rotors with brake wearing uneven. From what Im told the problem is with the brake pads. Ford will not recognize the problem.

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  follow up review - 2007 Ford Focus
  By hootynkel - March 7 - 10:23 am

  Well right after my first review, the gas mileage took a nose dive down to the low 20s. Ford wont address this issue until 10,000 miles. Still fun to drive though. I had a squeak too, dealer said it was a something to do with the parking brake sleeve?

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  Great Truck - 1993 Ford Ranger
  By steve - March 6 - 4:29 pm

  I bought my Ranger new in 1993. I now have over 200K miles. I learned how to drive a manual with it and it still has the original clutch and tranny. I do most of the routine maintenance myself. Most of it is fairly easy except for the spark plugs (the engineers must have had very small hands). The only real problem I have had was the computer would randomly open the fuel pump relay. New computer, problem solved. The engine doesnt leak oil, but Ive been going through some coolant. It doesnt show up in the oil, so it must not be a real problem. The gas mileage isnt as good as when I got it, but its still better than most other trucks (20-25 avg).

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  Zero gas weekly commuting - 2013 Ford C-Max Energi
  By peterwx - March 5 - 9:55 pm

  I charge at home & at work so the battery easily covers my 15 mile commute each way. I use zero gas for my usual weekly work commute which is really nice. The battery shows 9 miles range left when I arrive at work, and 6 miles range left when I arrive at home. More hills. The breaking regen system is very good. I regen a mile or two in estimated range at each of 2 or 3 stop lights caught on my commute. So far in longer weekend trips and road trips I average around 38 to 39 mpg after the battery charge is finished with EV mode and normal hybrid mode kicks in. This will likely improve when the weather warms up. Embedded cellular card. You can see car location, charge status by phone/web

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  Love my Explorer - 1996 Ford Explorer
  By hiyall - March 5 - 5:38 pm

  Bought my Explorer new and have loved it for almost 11 years. It has performed like a champ on LA roads and in mountain and snow conditions. Recently, had to have radiator replaced 3x. It seems the new replacement Ford radiators are no good. They have each still been under warranty but the last one was only one day from being out of warranty. Sadly, I now plan to replace my Explorer because I dont want to chance having to replace the radiator again on my dime. This truck has really hauled everything for me and rides especially well when the back is loaded. If you are thinking of a 96 Explorer I say go for it. Mine still performs well & looks great inside and out.

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  Better than your average econobox - 2000 Ford Focus
  By cwfol - March 5 - 12:46 pm

  My ZTS handles great. It corners like crazy. I drive very fast to and from work everyday, and am happy with its reliability considering this. I know there are a lot of complaints out there about reliability, but I wonder if my luck has anything to do with letting the engine warm up with 1-2 minutes of idling every time I cold start.

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  Value for $ - 2002 Ford Focus
  By MelD - March 4 - 6:06 pm

  Ford could do a better job of the quality of its workmanship. My car had a badly fitted fog lamp which the dealer replaced for no charge. There was also a slight wobble in the right rear wheel since I bought the car. The defect was a miss aligned wheel. However the service manager at the dealer accused me of driving the car over a pot hole and thus the damage. Had to shell out $37 for the repair. The car however is fun to drive and has a lot of zip in it. Good value for the money.