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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  Very Reliable, Very Forgiving, and Very Good MPG - 2000 Ford Focus
  By fusioncell - January 19 - 6:44 am

  159k miles now. 37Mpg hwy . Replaced coil pack, brakes, and thermostat housing were the only normal maintenance items. The sporty look and functionality of the ZX3 Hatchback still makes me happy. After 10 years of owning the 1st year made Focus, our daughter ran off the road through a ditch and cut down a few small trees with this car. She was unhurt, the Focus was bent but not broken beyond repair. A motor mount, a tie rod, a tire, and some exhaust rebending put her back in good balance. Yes, and some body work on the rear quarter... but that was the only real big expense. Everything was repairable by the weekend warrior skills of good neighbors. Great car !

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  After 25,000 miles - 2013 Ford Focus
  By cbrandi - January 17 - 3:15 pm

  We still love this car. It gives us 40mpg on the highway when wife drives it. I get a little less. Weve had no problems with the car, though we dont like the AM transmission, its rubbery and always wants to be in top gear to save gas. As a result it tends to slow accretion. We also note that the air coming out of the vents in summer is warm unless we have AC on. No other complaints. Solid and reliable, fun to drive and comfortable on trips. The hatch back holds an amazing amount of stuff for such a small car. Weve toyed with getting the ST.

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  First Ford - 2014 Ford Fusion
  By aeboi617 - January 15 - 2:57 pm

  Now, despite the fact that Ive worked for Ford for about 5 months now so I had a lot more time to study the car without being pestered by car salesmen. Now having said that, I had plenty of time to study this car and make a well informed decision. Ive owned the car for about 2 months now, have put about 1800 miles on it and still catch myself looking back at the car when I get out. Its an extremely impressive, stylish, and agile car. This car never ceases to impress. Ive been a Honda car owner all my life but after doing hard research, driving different vehicles for a couple months, and seeing different features, the Fusion rose above the rest.

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  Really impressive automobile - 2014 Ford Fusion
  By scottbri - January 15 - 9:42 am

  We sold our 2008 Honda Accord and went to the Fusion just because we felt like a change, and Fusion had been getting good reviews. We test drove it and were hugely impressed, especially how quiet it was, and how much pep it has. After 5,000 miles, we have identified only tiny negative issues: the ignition key slot is hard to see in the dark its hard to see where the front end "ends" when parking (till you get used to it), and with a full tank, we hear a little "creaking" noise that I think may go away as the car gets further broken in. Probably related to suspension or weight from a full tank.

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  Best car Ive ever had - 2010 Ford Mustang
  By nikisstang01 - January 12 - 9:52 pm

  Ive put 86,000 miles on her as of today. Ive taken her all over the US! I bought her new. I still have warranty that I have not used once. Whoever said it drives like a toyota probably never drove one! My grandma has a camery, trust me this car at over 200hp has great acceleration! It handles like my moms 10 M3. Im impressed by the reliability and performance of this car. Such a good investment.

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  My Explorer is Fantastic - 2013 Ford Explorer
  By rockreddog - January 12 - 10:47 am

  I have the Limited 202a package with 22,500 miles and is performing as advertised. Most of the Neg. comments are AWD models or Base models. You get what you pay for! My sync is excellent and you need to be a little Comp. savvy, if not you will have some issues, but all in all very minor. The Optimo H426 tires if pressurized to tire manufactures specs 46 psi they give a rough ride, but if you tone them down to ford recommendations at 35 psi the ride is much better. As far as room, Im a huge dude and I have plenty of room. The people that are complaining need to by a van and need to get a clue! fold the third row seating down and there is plenty of room for four people plus cargo.

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  Love our Edge! Best in its class! - 2011 Ford Edge
  By wytenow - January 12 - 10:42 am

  We love our Edge. We drove every other vehicle in its class and it was clearly the best. Weve put almost 60k miles on ours with no problems. Cant wait for the new 2015 Edge to come out. Definitely going to buy another.

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  Comfotable, Reliable, Very Strong Engine and Drivtrain - 2002 Ford Taurus
  By rochev - January 11 - 3:33 pm

  I have had two Tauruss. Neither have ever given me a single issue. My 02 SE has 175,000 miles of trouble free driving. People complain about the transmission but they dont change the fluid and filter like youre supposed to. I have done that every 30k miles and havent had an issue on either. My last one died at 180k miles when it was totaled. It is missed every day. This car always starts even well below 0 degrees (F) nothing rattles, interior build has held up since new. Only down side I can think of is these cars have weak struts. Other than that, if you change the transmission fluid like you should, youll have one of the most reliable cars built.

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  Making the Ford switch - 2014 Ford Escape
  By jfoehner - January 11 - 10:13 am

  I traded my 2012 Honda CRV for the 2014 Ford Escape to escape the Hondas horrible cabin road noise problem. In my humble opinion, the Honda was built on the cheap, while the Escapes interior materials are much better and the doors dont sound like tin cans.

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  My Newest Sweetheart - 2013 Ford Explorer
  By christopher977 - January 10 - 10:00 pm

  This is a truly marvelous SUV. Styling is a head turner w/20 inch wheels, well sculpted body and body creases. Corners great with its unitized body and the interior coddles its passengers with plush leather seats, an ABUNDANCE of space in all rows, intuitive tech features and a wonderfully clear, 13 speaker stereo. I love the solidity of driving in our nasty Chicago winters while the terrain management system makes short work of 10 inches of untouched snow and my wife and I are treated to heated seats, satellite radio and warm cocoa. Summers are also a treat under the dual sunroofs. This car was designed heavily based on the Land Rover and I swear somedays I forget that it isnt one!