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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  Lots to like about this crossover - 2005 Ford Freestyle
  By maria - January 13 - 10:57 am

  Weve hauled just about everything in our Freestyle and never had any issues with power. Perhaps thats due to our driving styles, but generally weve found it to be more than adequate during highway merges, even with 7 adults in the car and all their stuff. Then again, were not expecting to run the a/c full-tilt, have the car packed full, and have top speed immediately available.

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  P71 Police Cruiser - 2001 Ford Crown Victoria
  By Jacob L. - January 13 - 8:50 am

  This is one reliable and strong vehicle. Bought used w. 117000 miles - only spent ~ $1000 on service/repairs over the last 4.5 years / 40.000 miles. Appears reasonably simple and cheap to fix. Somewhat noisy on highway. Winter traction is not very good, but winter tires help a lot. Lower rear diff. in police vehicle results in max. 23 mpg. on highway. Spacious interior and trunk - though trunk could be more regular and not so deep. Passing anywhere is swift and effortless with strong engine - though you can REALLY hear it because of the minimal sound insulation. If you dont commute this is one solid, safe car thats affordable used and cheap to maintain.

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  Were Loving Our Focus! - 2012 Ford Focus
  By Matthew - January 12 - 10:38 am

  Im not sure why everybody hates these cars so much or why theyre all having problems. We bought ours used with 36,000 miles on it. We werent too excited about getting it because of all the problems we had heard about, but this was the only choice we had and we needed a new car. When we first bought it, it was awesome. It drives so smooth. It has an awesome stereo, great interior quality, overall just an awesome car. Weve had it for a while and its a daily driver between my fiance and I. We havent experienced any problems with it. Nothing with the transmission or anything else, its still driving like the day we bought it. Its amazing on gas too. Its a great car and I would recommend it to anyone. The only problems Ive found in it is that its a little on the small side, especially in the backseat and the lack of storage sucks. Other wise, its the best car we have ever owned. We bought it used from a dealership in Ohio and we have a 5 year - 150,000 mile, bumper to bumper warranty so if something does break, its completely covered, but I dont think anything is going too. You have to remember that this is a Ford Focus and not a sports car. I think some of the people having the problems arent treating their car the way that they should be. I think a lot of people complaining about the transmission also dont realize that its a "Electronic Controlled Automatic" but is actually a" Dual-Clutch Manual Transmission". If youve ever driven a manual, you know how it feels, BUT we havent noticed it feeling like a manual. It feels exactly like an automatic should. I came from a 5-Speed Mitsubishi Eclipse before this Focus so I know what a manual feels like and our Focus doesnt drive anything like that so I dont why everybody seems to be having problems. If youre looking for a good car, quick and nimble, great on gas, and an awesome stereo, check out the Ford Focus.

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  Wagons Ho ! - 1998 Ford Escort
  By Phranq - January 12 - 10:00 am

  I bought a used 98 SE Wagon with ~25K miles. Overall I am very satisfied with the performance and reliability of the wagon so far. The extra cargo area and roof rack have come in handy when hauling stuff and taking a short trip. Great Gas mileage (35+ on freeway with automatic trans.) and the controls are logically placed. Great Used car for the $ and features.

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  My Experiences - 1999 Ford Taurus
  By Johnny Boy - January 12 - 10:00 am

  I purchased my 1999 Taurus SHO used with 46970 miles. A few months after my purchase my transmission failed at about 48,000 miles. My passenger side power mirror quit working. Also one of my rear seatbelts became loose and wouldnt retract back into place. Otherwise my Taurus was a good looker but not reliable. I now have a 2002 Taurus and I am already having problems.

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  Nice Car - 2002 Ford Focus
  By Trafalgar72 - January 12 - 10:00 am

  I picked a Focus over a Civic despite all warnings by friends, and I am glad I stuck with my choice, the only complaint I have is that you can feel the car pitching side to side in steep turns around 20 mph. I like the styleing, but it could be improved. I suggest this car, but I would go for the 130 hp, if I were to to redecide. It handles great, and test drive one if you get a chance. I hear that American cars have bad reliability and that fords have bad transmissions but I , hope and think my Focus will hold up.

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  Ford Escort SE Wagon - 1999 Ford Escort
  By Pete ED - January 12 - 2:00 am

  I am a family man and pretty much like the car. Great value for the buck.

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  Amazing Car at an Amazing Price - 2000 Ford Focus
  By Robert Aitchison - January 12 - 2:00 am

  My Focus is getting close to 2 years old and is still as solid as the day I drove it off the lot. Performace is AMAZING, its an incredibly fun to drive car. Reliability has exceeded expectations.

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  European Car at Economy Prices - 2002 Ford Focus
  By mroland - January 12 - 2:00 am

  Extremely responsive and fun to drive. The cars begs to be thrown into corners and play. It has a fanstastic stereo, and roomy accomodations for 4 people. Its a sport hatch more than an economy car.

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  Not Too Bad...Not Too Good Either - 2002 Ford Mustang
  By marcus sean - January 12 - 2:00 am

  I bought the Mustang GT Vert for one reason: to have fun on those summer days/nights. For performance, it doesnt pull like a V8 @ all. Its missing a little grunt. For a 260HP/3800+Lbs ratio, I really did not expect for this car to fly. Interior design is superb, especially that I got the tan leater interior. I really dont like the fact that Ford had to place the shifter so far. An 18 wheeler trucks shifter is much closer. Exterior design:It takes time before you get used to it. Hate those antennas. For a car under $30K, I would recommend the Mustang GT, NOTHING ELSE!!!