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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  I love my car. - 1995 Ford Contour
  By marie46 - February 6 - 7:43 pm

  Bought my car with 97,000 miles in 2010, my car currently has 119,000 miles and it runs beautifully. My car has never had working AC which has never bothered me I have never spent more then $200 in repairs when I replaced my timing system. This car has a bad rap, but if you take care of your car it will last a very long time. Every time I get an oil change it runs smoother then the time before. Currently my heating motor has gone out twice its a cheap part I just havent bought the new one. $40 fills my tank I get great gas milage. My only complaint is I have no cup holders. Who makes a car with no cup holder? That is just silly.

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  For what i needed, this was actually a great car. - 2001 Ford Focus
  By krwkim26 - February 6 - 4:54 pm

  I paid $3,000 for this car when i was 19. It was used with 136,000 miles on it and with that.. I really didnt have alot of issues with. Had it for 3 years before it finally gave up at 172,000. I know thats not long, but for the milage it had, it didnt pretty well. The only issues i had were minor- drive belt and ignition switch- both easy fixes. Occasionally a hupcap would come off randomly while driving, but that seems to happen with steal wheels.. haha The a/c never failed and it got decent gas milage. Going from point A to point B and being in college on a budget.. this was a good car.

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  Beautiful and Fun to drive. Disappointing mpg and electronics - 2013 Ford Escape
  By mcraigs - February 5 - 9:31 pm

  Beautiful inside and out. Fun to drive and controls well. Functional and practical. I have been disappointed with mpg. I am averaging 21.5 mpg consistently for 6000 miles. This is based on 70 % highway 30% city driving. To put this in perspective I have a 2004 Subaru Forester XT that under the same driving conditions gets 29.5 mpg. My DH has a 2012 Ford Edge that gets 20.5 mpg under the same driving conditions. Based on other reviews I tried premium fuel. The premium fuel increased the mpg to 22.5 mpg. Perhaps I had unrealistic expectations. I have been disappointed in the somewhat buggy electronics - in particular my ford touch, navigation and parking assist. Fixed next release?

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  The Kelvinator - 2013 Ford Focus
  By 49warthog49 - February 5 - 7:52 pm

  Bought this car as basic transportation for commuting. Its an SE hatchback with the 5-speed manual transmission (although I was not able to select this model configuration from the review menu) and the 202A package--alloy wheels, power windows/locks, cruise, and SYNC. The car is extremely well-equipped for the price and drives nicely. Have had moderate success with programming the SYNC system to recognize my phone book, and the menus and sub-menus that need to be navigated for basic radio functions is maddening, but after a few weeks I am getting used to it.

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  Nice car, but.... - 2013 Ford Escape
  By brandonjones81 - February 4 - 1:00 pm

  Like many people on here I find most of the 2013 Escape impressive. It is truly fun to drive and spacious enough for my small family, while handling well in cities and fitting into tight parking spaces. I have seen many posts on this car, and others about the misrepresented EPA mpg numbers and must agree, this vehicle falls far short of those claims and the marketing around the vehicle. Many of these posts end up being squashed by people who comment and claim driver error. I got better average mpg in my previous car, a 2000 Impala with a 3.4L v6. I also had to rent a car, a VW cc with a similar engine. It claimed 32 mpg highway, and that is exactly what i got. This car averages 21.5.

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  Beautiful design, but it better be your second car - 2013 Ford Mustang
  By 1happycamper - February 2 - 9:45 pm

  We purchased the 2013 Ford Mustang GT in August of 2012. It is beautifully built, nicely detailed, has the Sync system which allows hands-free calling and streaming of Pandora, etc. However, the comfort of the car is horrible!! If this is your play car only, it might work. But if you have to drive this car any distance, forget it. You can definitely feel the road, but not in a good way. Every bump hurts after a little while. And forget trying to drive it in the rain...yikes! So Ford, you did a beautiful job in making a nice car, but the comfort factor made us sell the car within 3 months.

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  Gas pump nozzle sticking in tank - 2013 Ford Escape
  By dentonl - February 1 - 1:30 pm

  Twice the gas pump nozzle has stuck in my tank. Ive reported to my dealer. Theyve also had the same issue with the 2013 Ford Escape. Luckily I was able to forcefully get out but the dealer had to have BP oil company dismantle the pumps to get out of the cars tank. The BP dealer reported they know of 14 cases in the St Louis area of this happening. Ive reported this to Ford customer service and waiting on a response. I know this has to have happened to others but they think that they have done something wrong as I did. I have a 2011 Fusion that this is not an issue. The dealer told me to not stick the pump in the car over an inch. This is really an issue to keep the pump on.

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  The best non-turbo hatchback available. - 2012 Ford Focus
  By redcomet - February 1 - 1:57 am

  I purchased a 12 Focus SE Sport hatchback with the manual MTX-75 5-speed transmission and 17-inch option wheels, 203A package in May of 2012, and so far am very satisfied with the car. At the price point ($20k), its an extremely competent little car. The engine has a lot of get up and go (with the TCS off especially), excellent handling, a great gearbox, and a very refined ride. The car regularly returns a combined fuel economy over 30mpg average, and Ive gotten nearly 40mpg on the highway. The stock ContiProCotact Continental 215/50/17 tires are alright, though theyre holding up surprisingly well in a Northeast winter. Overall, a very fun, affordable, chuckable car. Kudos to Ford

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  I want to love it again! - 2006 Ford Fusion
  By mom2de - January 31 - 9:35 pm

  We bought this car 10 months ago after searching for 4 months for a car we liked and could afford. I read the reviews and saw the tranny flags go up!Take extended warranty. About 5-6 months ago I called the dealer to say our car was dry on oil.I wont even get into that dealership on here. Last week my car was bucking and shifting hard! Powertrain/transmission light came on and went off. Got it into dealership! 5 oil leaks! Needs a control arm as well. Thankful we took out the extended warranty because it now sits at shop with expensive repairs. Dealer says thats why it was bucking. Well we will see when I get it back.I am told by people oil leaks wont cause transmission to buck! well see

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  An overall Great car - 2008 Ford Escape
  By j3rry - January 31 - 10:22 am

  I had this 2008 vehicle as a company car. I was fortune enough to have no financial association with this vehicle. I rode it hard, and put it away wet all the time. I found that this vehicle stood up to my abuse extremely well. I did have some problems with it. warranty fixed most of them. they replaced something that leaked (Cant remember what, sorry) and my acceleration pedal failed on me once around 15,000km. This was repaired.