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:

• 

  Best Car Yet - 2007 Ford Freestyle
  By ADM - July 16 - 2:49 pm

  I found almost everything I wanted in a car in the Freestyle. The space, seating is perfect for family of 5 and dog. Heated seats are heavenly in the winter. Dual climate control and rear climate control is great. Gas mileage is pretty good for a larger vehicle. And I really needed the AWD, no more worries about getting home in the snow.

• 

  Thinking about a new Expy? - 2016 Ford Expedition
  By Andrew Cohen - July 16 - 12:50 am

  I replaced my 99 when it had 233k miles. It served us well, but it was time. I recommend you rent each car you are looking at. A day should be enough. Make sure you drive on the highway. I was almost sold on a Durango until I drove it on the highway in a cross wind. The newer Ford technology, independent rear, etc. is all good. Comfort is excellent. Gas mileage is 50% improved. Sometimes there is a little turbo-lag but when it sets in, it boogies pretty fast; much faster than the v8 (yes, believe it or not). Plenty of power. The voice recognition is pretty darn good. Making calls by voice command is pretty easy. The nav responds very fast & its good. There is only 1 fairly major and unexpected complaint; wind noise. My 99 had this 16 beat. Once you pass 45mph, air entering the compartment or if there is a/c or heat on, pressurizes the cabin and pushes the driver and passenger doors out at the top. The end result is wind noise, and its significant because otherwise this vehicle is like a quiet living room on 4 wheels. My 99 had weatherstrip on both the frame and the door. The 16 only has it on the frame. I am sure that is a factor. I made sure to get the XLT because the power floorboards are clearly a mistake that has gone on far beyond being recognized as such. The steering ratio is clearly different than my 99. It takes a little more turning to aim where you want to go, but you get used to it easily. The tilt-tele works well, but the wheel should go lower. It stops mechanically while still on quite an angle. My Chrysler 300 goes lower and that makes driving more comfortable. Dashboard visibility is excellent. The seats are not quite as comfortable as those in my 99, but I think that is because of all the mechanisms inside this one. Powerfold seats and mirrors get my vote. 4x2, 4awd, 4x4hl all shift well, quietly and solidly. Brakes are good but pumping them a bit makes them great. In rush hour stop and go, you need great brakes. Shifting and orchestration of lockout clutch are excellent. Control of gears is intuitive. Limit of up-shift can be set by buttons on shifter. Heat and cool operations work very, very well and I did notice that the reaction time of the system to respond to a change in the temperature setting is the fastest Ive ever seen. Very responsive and cabin temps were very good; no swings beyond the high or low temperature thresholds for comfort. It zeroes-in on the temp you set very nicely. I did notice that water lodged on the roof after a rain and it was a significant amount. This is surprising because my driveway is sloped down, but each time after a rain, when I would back up or come to a stop, down came the river. The 99 didnt do that. So far, build quality is good and solid. Starts easily and idles quietly. Remote start enables the hvac to make if comfortable when I get in. I like that. The turn signal and warning/status chimes are a pleasing tone. Moonroof is solid, no rattles (unlike panoramic sunroofs - rattleboxes; stay away from those) The mechanism works nicely. Back side vent windows work nicely too. Entertainment system is pretty darn good, but lacks an SD card slot, which makes no sense in this day and age (I dont want to load my phone up with music). The wireless system works to contact passing open public wi-fi, but updates require that you permit it to blindly contact Ford for I/O. I can understand that it may need to download updates, etc., but there is a definite privacy issue. What other information goes back to Ford? Driving habits? Locations? Phone lists? Who knows??? I just left updates disabled for now. 110volt ac outlet was not sought after but turns out to be a nice feature which I used to charge a video camera battery on the way to my daughters softball game. The addition of a drivers side grab handle seems like an obstruction at first but soon yields to function. Its great when standing in the doorway to get something on the roof or to clean the roof (and moonroof glass). Expect that many of the surfaces on the new one are squared-off whereas the older ones were rounded-out. There is no cargo net in these and no fasteners if you wanted to add one. My 99 had a nice net which worked great when carrying things that you dont want to roll around. The backup camera is excellent; day and night. The warning system is a bit nervous, but once you get used to it, it will help. Between the two, I can park the battleship within 4" of the curb, go back and forth and never touch a car ahead or behind. All in all, Im happy but the wind noise thing really bugs me. There isnt any reason for that noise to be present in a vehicle like this. If youre coming from a trusted old Expy, you will like this but expect some changes; many, many good... some that are good but take time to adjust to, and a couple that are not so good. Overall, its the kind of vehicle that you look forward to driving.

• 

  Attention grabber - 1994 Ford Probe
  By th - July 15 - 11:06 pm

  Havent had this car too long but my friend/cousin had it a while before that and it never seemed to have any major problems. Great pickup speed. Try to put premium in it for better performance but runs great either way. Just being a 94 Probe, it still grabs the attention of many passers-by. Im not sure about everyone else, but mine sort of makes a rattling noise in the exhaust around 2500 rpm. No leaks, and sounds the same even after replacing the flexpipe.

• 

  Better than I thought - 2008 Ford Fusion
  By Troy Shafer - July 15 - 7:33 pm

  We took a trip to Florida on vacation from KY and the car did better than advetised on fuel mileage. I checked it every time I fueled up and got 34 mpg at the best and adveraged 32.5-33 mpg. It is a Fusion S with some options and auto transmission. Simply put I would definitely buy another Ford product. No wonder all the reveiws are excellent for this car. I would rate it better than Toyota, equal with Honda, and far superior to Chevy according to people who i know have the Malibu

• 

  Great Economy Car! - 2008 Ford Focus
  By Ethans Mom - July 15 - 6:16 pm

  I love my new car! We were looking for a lower-cost, fuel efficient vehicle that still offered leg room, fun extras, and a nice exterior. Great car; handles very well, even in West- Texas winds. Have only owned it for about a month, but have really enjoyed driving it.

• 

  My first white pony! - 2006 Ford Mustang
  By Matt T. - July 15 - 5:11 pm

  Love the car, hands down. We did have to have some repairs done within the first 10,000 miles such as the shifter, fuel pump, etc. The gas tank on occasion will not accept a full tank of gas? This happened to my buddy also and he had his fuel tank replaced, sounded like a design error.

• 

  Love my 500 - 2005 Ford Five Hundred
  By Joe - July 15 - 1:53 pm

  I drive 100 miles a day to and from work and cannot say enough good things about this car. It rides great. The continuously variable transmission is very smooth. There is enough room for 4 adults to sit comfortably. The stereo system is awesome. My co-workers are always commenting on what an impressive car this is. The Limited edition has all the bells and whistles youll ever need. Most of all, the five star safety rating provides ease of mind youre looking for when hauling the kids around.

• 

  Very fun Car - 2003 Ford Mustang
  By Jared - July 15 - 1:12 pm

  I have owned this Mustang GT Black Convertible since 2003. It has never broken down or given me any trouble. First had it in Germany and I could set the cruise control for 110mph and it would ride steady. Added a set of flowmasters and K&N air intake and it sounds amazing. Trunk space is very small. One time something was placed in the back window and I put the top down and the window shattered- so be careful putting anything by the back window. Gas mileage is fair- about 250 miles on a 14gal tank (about 18 MPG). I could ride it a little easier but who really does. Seat head rests are too low if you are 6ft tall and a little uncomfortable if you are tall. Little back seat space. Fun, fun, fun.

• 

  Mustang - 1990 Ford Mustang
  By MUSTANGLX - July 15 - 12:50 pm

  This is a really fun to drive car with pretty good handling but it does lack in the power department. If they would make a turbo kit this thing would be a lot of fun.

• 

  I love it - 2003 Ford Ranger
  By jeff 1 - July 15 - 9:54 am

  I have owned an S10, a Dakota, and a Ranger. The Ranger is by far the best I have owned. Other than oil changes I have just bought 2 sets of wiper blades. This is a great fun truck. It looks great, is great on the highway. I will deffinetly get another one. I love driving on the highway to college with this. Drives real easy. Manual transmission shifts real easy and is geared well