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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  Beats competition, sexy design, room for improvement - 2012 Ford Focus
  By humblepatience - June 30 - 12:36 am

  I have an SE titanium almost fully loaded, parking package and premium package.

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  Could be yellow - 2006 Ford Five Hundred
  By TAMSYE ODELL - June 29 - 2:56 pm

  So far i have had to have my radio replaced new brakes and rotors and a stabilizer bar and grinding sound in the transmission . I sit and wonder what next and it doesnt have 8000 miles yet .Also gas mileage is bad could be a lot better

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  Great Truck with Goofy Security System - 2017 Ford F-150
  By Hank Gartland - June 28 - 9:22 pm

  I have a 2WD V-8 which was not an option in the model drop-down. I have only owned this truck for two months, so I could not comment on a lot of the questions such as repair frequency, etc. My initial impression of this truck is very positive except for one feature that is so idiotic that it is hard to believe. The design of the drivers door handle and key lock makes the 2017 F-150 extremely easy to break into. The lock cylinder is mounted on the door handle, not on the door. When you pull the door handle out to open the door, you can look behind the door handle and see the lock cylinder. To break into the truck, you just need to pull the door handle out, slip a pair of pliers behind the handle over the lock cylinder, and turn it. Doing so enables you to unlock the truck, open the door, and get in within a couple of seconds without tripping any alarms. I had a weapon stolen from my truck at a restaurant. When the police arrived, they went right to the door lock and showed me how it looked like it was off center. The police say they see this all the time with the new F-150s. How could Ford engineers come up with something so stupid? The fix is to replace the drivers handle and lock cylinder with one designed for the passenger door. This fixes this bug, but leaves you exposed to difficulties getting into the truck if your truck battery ever runs down completely. If this happens, you have to either break a window to open the hood or have the truck towed to the dealer. Wow, what a monumental goof!!!! See the Ford F-150 Forum for a discussion of this problem ( https://www.f150forum.com ).

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  NICE MINIVAN - 2006 Ford Freestar
  By P. M. - June 28 - 4:46 pm

  We bought the Freestar 2 weeks ago and took it on a trip to South Texas. Averaged 18 MPG on the trip which is disappointing seeing how its rated at 24. I expected 20-22. Other than that, I give it a well above average rating.

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  03 Ford - 2003 Ford F-150
  By dman - June 27 - 11:15 am

  I like my truck a lot, it has been a faithful steed thus far. We will see in the coming years.

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  Good, but Not Great - 2003 Ford Explorer
  By bruce - June 27 - 9:35 am

  This is my 2nd XLT, drove the 1st one 145K. Overall, Im happy with, but have had more problems with it than the 95. Has a nice ride, great performance with the V8 towing package. Nice sound system. Passable, but barely, for towing 7K boat and trailer. Just a few more horses would be nice. Hated the 17" Goodrich tires that came on it - noisy and out-of-round - should have traded them out, but used them for 20K before giving up. Like many others, LS clutches in the rear end failed at about 40K. Computer problem early took 3 weeks to get the part, but dealer supplied a loaner for the duration. Id buy one again just to stay with the same dealer, who has been great. At times, Id like 4WD.

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  Excellent value, pleasant surprise - 2005 Ford Escape
  By Bridget - June 26 - 11:14 am

  I leased this vehicle about two years ago, very skeptical of Fords build quality (coming off of a Subaru lease and before that a VW lease... both of which were plagued with crazy never ending mechanical and fit/finish problems). However, I was interested in going into a small SUV and this one seemed to be getting good reviews and I was able to get the upgrades I was interested in without paying through the nose. Now, two years later, I have to say my opinion of Ford vehicles has totally changed. This has been the most trouble-free vehicle Ive owned in years, and it still looks nearly new inside. Mechanically, its been flawless. And its also been kind of fun (surprisingly) to drive.

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  Surprises, Surprises... - 2000 Ford Taurus
  By PGH_FORD - June 25 - 8:17 pm

  I bought this Taurus SES new in 2000. It had no major problems for the first three years, other than 3 recalls. After 3 years things got interesting. At 44K, one of the rear coil springs snapped which destroyed a new tire as well as a rear strut. I ended up having to have both rear springs replaced, a new strut mount, 2 new struts, a new tire, and an alignment. The cost was over $1,500. The kicker was, this very problem was considered a safety recall on the front wheels, but not the back. Ford Customer service was not helpful. At 60,000 miles, my transmission began leaking fluid all over the garage floor. This ended up costing me $925 to for new gaskets and a torque converter.

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  USED purchase....NO REGRETS! - 2003 Ford Explorer
  By M.Smith - June 25 - 8:00 am

  I purchased my Explorer in 4/2006. It was used and only had 15,000 miles. I paid roughly $15000 and dont regret this purchase.Compared to my Impala, which I gladly traded in, and considering size difference, the Explorer gets the better mileage. I originally wanted a Chevy Trailblazer but for the price of a used Trailblazer and after speaking with people who owned Trailblazers (I found out numerous complaints), I decided to LOOK at Explorers. I was anti-Ford, and still am except for the line of SUV/trucks. I fell in love and found zero complaints from Explorer owners. Its wonderful for travels, T-ball, and friends with kids, roomy enough for me, my linebacker husband, and our linebacker son!

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  just love it - 2000 Ford Econoline Wagon
  By Chris - June 25 - 4:36 am

  Ours happens to be a 2000 conversion van setup, high-top, and it is the best van we have had. At first when we bought it we had to get used to its massive size, but once you climb inside itÂ’s a total different view. Equipped with a TV and DVD system it makes long road trips a lot more fun and relaxing. The captain chairs are plenty wide and well cushioned for those long hauls. Ours came with leather interior and separate sound systems front and rear. ItÂ’s perfect for almost everything we do with it and it stands out which makes peoples heads turn and we like the comments. I would definitely buy another one in the future.