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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  Superior hot hatch - 2015 Ford Fiesta
  By Dan - August 15 - 10:40 pm

  I wanted something that was more fuel efficient than my lifted 05 Wrangler (which I traded in for the ST) that would be fun to drive, practical, and would not cost me a fortune. After extensive research and test driving 32 different cars over the span of a little over a year, I chose the Fiesta ST. This car really hits the sweet spot of efficiency, performance, and practicality. If I want to drive it hard this car is more than willing to play. If I want to be efficient, this car has no problem taking it easy. I particularly like the 6sp manual transmission feel and the VERY responsive brakes. Although my car is not tuned for greater performance, the aftermarket is booming for this car as well. In mixed driving I get 32.6mpg with 93 octane. Although I have not had the opportunity to take it on a long road trip Im very confident that if I use the cruise control and drive it intelligently, I could easily hit closer to 36mpg. I drove similar competitors from Subaru, VW, & Fiat...the Fiesta ST was the clear hands down winner. Im currently at 7K miles and am stoked anytime I get to drive this car anywhere. Truly outstanding in the hot hatch 4cyl turbo class! Strong suggestion: try out the Recaro seats before committing to buy the vehicle. I tried both Recaro & regular ST seats and opted for the regular seats. While Recaro makes excellent products, the seats in these get tight from side to side if you are normal to above normal width.

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  Yoda the expedition - 2002 Ford Expedition
  By Brooke - August 15 - 10:11 am

  Mine has 268,000 miles, got it at 30,000. Love this truck! Had to replace front heater core, did it myself :), that was at 200,000, engine starts knocking around 250,000, ford says timing chain guide. Still drive it, just bought another expedition :) Awesome vehicles!

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  Tranny and thermostat out at 119,000 miles - 2006 Ford Explorer
  By Jess - August 13 - 11:31 pm

  It is a very roomy car. I love the climate control. I have 4 kids. And i pull a trailer with it nearly everyday. I expected my tranny to die young she gets a lot of stress. But overall it has been an amazing car...i have now proudly owned 4 different ford explorers.

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  Stunning but NOT in a good way - 2013 Ford Focus
  By Model T - August 13 - 9:13 pm

  25,000 miles, Just picked up from dealership for the 4th time after transmission repair. It will go back for fifth time as soon as they can get a new clutch to install. Told by dealership it will take 4 to 8 weeks for part to come in as Ford has 30,000 on back order. I confirmed the backorder story with another local dealership and my coworker who is also waiting on a clutch. Tried to get Ford to buy back and the Dealership offered me $2900.00 less than Edmunds and NADA say is Fair Market Value. By my count the Dealership had sixteen 2013 and 2014s on their used car lot.......the whole ordeal is just stunning to me. I have read that Ford has no fix for the problem. They have the audacity to say this is not a safety problem yet the car stutters so bad when you try to accelerate it jerks you in your seat like a bumper car at a circus. I guess we will have to wait until people start dying ala the ignition switch issue another American car manufacturer ignored. Do not buy this car if you do you will regret it.

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  Transmission in cruise control - 2009 Ford F-150
  By Jerry knox - August 13 - 7:41 pm

  When Im in cruise control the truck dogs down Im not loosing power but Im concerned about it what should I do I never had a ford before my first F150

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  worst car I have ever owned! - 2012 Ford Focus
  By Melissa - August 13 - 4:42 pm

  I have had problems with this car since I bought it in 2012. It first started with electrical problems, then transmission and now it just wont start. The parts to fix car are expensive. Ford charges 150 just to look at it. I will never buy another Ford! It is by far the worst car I have ever owned.

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  Trying Again With a Newer Model - 2010 Ford Explorer
  By WNYFordGuy - August 13 - 3:28 pm

  I bought this model used in Aug 2012 after finding it on the lot before it was advertised for sale. I wanted to trade in my 04 Explorer XLT after a mechanic told me the rear differential would fail soon. The 04 was a money pit and I wasnt going to spend another cent on it, despite putting a rebuilt tranny into it at 67k miles. Id read the 10 Explorers reliability was much better (more like my 97 Explorer), and this vehicle, with only 23.5k on it, seemed like a steal. Ive been very happy with it so far after 3 years, because... When I complained in a customer reply survey that the cheap wheel bearings used on this (needed replacement at 34.4k) and my 04 was outrageous and pushed me to look at non-Ford products, Ford reimbursed my expenses for the repair - even though it wasnt done at a Ford dealer! Ive never formally complained to Ford before, but it paid off here. As another reviewer noted, the Goodyear OEM tires have no lifespan - almost shot after only 34.4k miles. I get around 15 MPG on my winter commuting loop, though this past winter with record cold resulted in 12 MPG in February. Summer round trips average between 17-21 MPG. Favorite Features: Extremely smooth ride. Roomy interior. Love the heated seats and mirrors for cold upstate NY winters. Thank goodness for the backup sensors. Six-CD changer works/sounds great, and I really like the steering-mounted audio system controls. I really like the Sirius satellite radio, too. My wife loves the dual-zone A/C. Suggested Improvements: I dont even bother to use the SYNC package. I think I will no longer buy upper-end trim lines in vehicles because Im sick of paying for options/features I dont want/need. Plugging my iPod into the sound system without SYNC works fine for me. The headrests, and the seating position they forced, took some time to get used to, and the blind spots they create are enormous. I learned that if I adjusted the side-view mirrors much wider than usual, it helped.

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  Reliable and powerful. - 2002 Ford Taurus
  By Kevin R - August 13 - 3:12 pm

  The car runs great at 131,000 miles. The duratec engine is quite powerful.

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  Loved Our 2005 Escape So Much We Bought Another - 2012 Ford Escape
  By WNYFordGuy - August 13 - 3:01 pm

  I previously reviewed our 05 Escape XLS 2.3L 5M on 10/28/09, and provided an updated comment on 8/13/2015. My wife and I loved the 05 so much, we wanted another, but didnt want a newer 13 or 14 model due to it being a brand new design - I wanted to stick with the tried-n-true previous design. So we ended up getting this AWD SUV, upgrading from the base 05 XLS to the top-of-the-line 12 Limited. Actually, Id have preferred an XLT with the 2.5L 4-cyl, but my friend works at a local dealership, and he steered us to this model with the 3.0L V6. It evidently came off a 2-year lease - it only had 11k miles on it. And (I think) since it was February - the middle of an awfully cold WNY winter - we ended up getting it for a very good price. And it was sold as "Certified", so the only repair we needed on it so far (replace right front brake pads due to uneven wear, machine rotors) was covered under the warranty. The SUV has been solid so far, but will likely need a new set of tires for this winter, and it has developed a quirky, intermittent problem with the ventilation system. The A/C & heat works great (Ive read forums where many owners experienced problems), but the fan speed, at times, can not be adjusted or controlled. Best Features: Powerful acceleration, very smooth ride & tranny, blind-spot mirrors, top-notch sound system. Wife loves the moonroof and handling in snow. Worst Features: Not a fan of the faux-chrome shiny plastic covering the Limited aluminum (?) wheels. Showing signs that the rear-wheel well rust issues that plagued earlier Escapes may still be a problem. Gas mileage is only average (22.1 MPG long term) not the 24+ MPG we got consistently with the 2.3L 4 cyl 05 model. It makes me mad you cant get an AWD Escape anymore with a manual transmission.

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  Approaching 100k and Near End of Life - 2003 Ford Escort
  By Paul Gyergyek - August 13 - 1:52 pm

  I bought this car in Dec 2011 (w/ only 72.8k miles on it) for my son in college. Almost 4 years and 25.5k miles later, I learned a valuable lesson in used-car buying: a older, low-mileage car is not always a good deal. It cost a ton to maintain this car - I think Ive replaced everything once, some things twice (front brakes, portions of exhaust system). The upstate NY winters (no car washing = lots of rust damage) & rough roads have aged this car tremendously. However, lots of items that shouldnt have failed, did - CD player (it wont play ANY CDs), speedo, odometer, blower motor resistor. My sons hard driving, especially on some bad country roads, and not taking good care of it was a major contributing factor to its rapid decline. However, honestly, I think the previous owner simply sold this car at the right time. Best Features: The gas mileage is fantastic! 32-36 MPG on most of my trips. I own an 07 Mustang GT, and this car, though it doesnt compare, is still fun to drive. Even though the 03 Foci I owned were better-built and performing cars, I prefer the ZX2 stying. Pretty roomy for me, a 250 lb guy. Stereo system sounds OK, for a lower-end vehicle. My son didnt care for A/C (which is good, cause it broke in 2014), but he loved driving with the moonroof wide open. Worst Features: Auto tranny downshifts very hard & violently into 1st gear when you stomp on the gas - but the car does move fairly quickly. In the northern rust belt, this car abhors water (and the damage it does) more than the Wicked Witch of the West. Definitely needs a drivers arm rest. I highly recommend snow tires for winter driving - its snow/ice traction is poor.