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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  Perfect Mid-Size Sedan--Smooth, Quiet, Attractive - 2014 Ford Fusion
  By bobof15c - May 14 - 11:47 am

  I LOVE my Fusion S w/ 2.5L 6spd auto. I bought this car as an everyday driver to and from work 75 mi round trip. I drive my 06 Mustang GT convertible for fun but for everything else this car is perfect and a great value, including impressing customers! Smooth, Quiet, Attractive and 175hp when I need it. Im getting 38-41 MPG on highway, 30 in suburbs, 36 combined.

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  What is up with Consumer Reports? - 2014 Ford Explorer
  By jg88 - May 14 - 10:47 am

  Recently read the CR annual auto review and they gave the Explorer extremely low marks for gas mileage and the transmission. Having just put over 800 miles on a 2014 XLT/AWD, Im wondering what exactly are they doing at CR these days to test cars. We were in Denver, Boulder and Estes Park with a 75/25 combination of in town, mtn roads and steep inclines/highway and over three tank refills, I measured 22.4, 20.1 and 21.4 mpg for an average of over 21. (The trip computer measured 20.8 over the 800+ miles.) CR reports 18 mpg over their test cycle of combined driving. That is over 3 mpg difference and I can assure you, their test drive is nothing like the roads we were on.

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  The ONLY car on a market for tall family - 2013 Ford Taurus
  By 49north - May 11 - 9:37 am

  Superb car! We were on a mission to find a car where our two boys can comfortably fit on a back seat. The problem is - our oldest son is 65". After trying literally every full size we finally found the one. I see comments about confining front seats. Not true at all. I love front seats set up. I am 62" 220 lbs and have surprisingly lots of room in a driver seat. Car sits high on a road. Very fast (I am not talking about sports cars). It is also long and wide. But doesnt look like a boat. Turnaround radius is surprisingly small. It is also very quiet. Great suspension. You can say the car is heavy, and I love it. Lots of steel to protect people inside.

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  Great car! - 2012 Ford Focus
  By montesdesigns - May 10 - 7:02 pm

  Went from a 95 Honda civic to a ford focus. been looking at them for while. Just a little unsure about the idle sometimes seems a little rough, as long as its normal i am happy! lol

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  This is a Ford? - 2014 Ford Fusion
  By tedk7 - May 6 - 3:03 pm

  To steal a line form Buick, this isnt your grandmothers Ford! Wow, my new Ford Fusion SE with 1.5 L Ecoboost is awesome! My previous car was a 2009 Honda Accord EX-L V6, so naturally I test drove a new Accord, then tested a Fusion. I was amazed, the Fusion out-classed the Accord in every regard. The Accords V6 was a bit quicker, but the Ecoboosts tiny 1.5 liter turbo is close, and the 7 to 10 extra mpg at interstate speeds (70+ mph) more than makes up for the small difference. The Fusion is quieter, rides and handles better and is way better looking than an Accord which has changed little since 2008. Ford Sync is easy to learn despite some reviews to the contrary and the stereo rocks!

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  AWESOME!! - 2014 Ford Taurus
  By cdeavers - May 4 - 12:16 pm

  Traded in my 09 Buick Enclave for this. As everyone knows, nothing rides like a Buick. I can finally see everything at a 4 way stop. This car has everything for music lovers! My USB port is loaded with over 800 songs. Personalized pictures etc. the technology here is amazing!! Nice highway ride, not as nice as the Buick but I doubled my gas mileage!! Seats are comfortable, handles excellent. Red exterior, Sand interior. What a head turner! Navigation is a little weird but I just send directions to my car from Mapquest. You can somewhat even customize your dashboard and even ask for gas prices and it will come up on your screen!

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  Frustrated that certain things are hard to get to, but! - 2003 Ford F-150
  By smoo4asw - May 2 - 8:19 pm

  The but is when you fix all the issues that were piling up it sits there and is about to stand up and tap dance for you-and on regular gas if you can choose a standard, non-supercharged V8 (if you must have the most power, you have to spend more money.) Turns out after doing routine maintenance and tightening the suddenly very loose air intake mechanism together its back happy and as long as that is the case, the idiot light should go off once we reset it-could finally tell that we had a vacuum leak but couldnt tell where it was coming from, and the spark plugs had never been replaced. Its running like a top now, in every way. Were stuck with it now.

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  Great SUV - 2013 Ford Edge
  By daniel456 - May 1 - 5:33 pm

  Ive had my 2013 Ford Edge since June 2013. Ive traveled from Ohio to South Carolina 4 times to see my granddaughter, daughter and son in law. I couldnt be happier with the comfortable ride. The My Touch does take a little bit of time to get use to, but I have not had any problems. I would recommend going to the Ford website and watch the tutorials, There are also nice YouTube videos. I highly recommend this vehicle.

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  Great Truck - 2001 Ford Expedition
  By tom431 - April 29 - 2:51 pm

  The menu did not allow you to select 5.4 l. I purchased with 21k miles and have loved this for over the road trips. I pulled an 8500 lb boat from Wash DC to Key West no problem. At 110k I replaced plugs and three coils not sweat. I did have to have the ball joints and universal replaced at around 100k. She still runs great. Recently got 17 mpg on a trip from Pittsburg Pa to Panama City fl 70+ mph. It now has 153k miles and I have no intention of ever getting rid of it. Have run synthetic oil since purchase and have the transmission serviced on a 40k schedule. Lucas transmission additive makes it shift smooth. Lucas fuel additive keeps the injectors clean.

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  First Escape, not the last - 2005 Ford Escape
  By bnosay - April 25 - 3:42 pm

  Ive owned my 05 XLT AWD for 5 years now and only ever had problems with coil packs going bad. I think its a great little SUV that has just enough room for my family plus the dog and any luggage we need. Seats stain somewhat easily but overall quality I give it a 9 out of 10. There are some design flaws like the rear seat headrests that cause terrible blind spots. but other than that, nothing major. Its small enough to whip into parking spaces and maneuver yet big enough that everyone is seated comfortably up front and room in the back. My favorite - gas mileage. no one believes me but I get 23-24 MPG on a regular basis. Roughly 320 Miles to a tank. cant complain 188,000+ strong