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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  Great car so far - 2013 Ford Escape
  By 75hoo - August 28 - 7:07 am

  Bought in early April and have 5000 miles so far. I love it. It has never been in the shop. I get 29 mpg or better if I drive 70, but that drops to 27 at 75-80. I use regular gas. If I mix highway and town driving, I get 26mpg. Live in FL and drive fairly gently. Have never had a problem with pairing my iPhone 4s. I love the Sirius radio and how you can optimize it for driver listening. Great quiet ride.

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  2013 Ford Fusion SE 2.0 with luxury package - 2013 Ford Fusion
  By fordfan21 - August 25 - 5:24 pm

  Purchased my fusion after having a horrific 8 month long ownership with a 2013 Ford Escape 1.6. The fusion rides excellently even though it sports the optional 18 inch back rims. The car absorbs road vibrations and bumps well instead of the car jittering over road imperfection and crash over bumps like the escape. Although I no longer have myford touch I am more than satisfied with myford. I have put 1,900 miles in just over a month of ownership, which included a 1,000 road trip in which I average 31. 5 MPG going between 70-80mph, which was better than the escape. The stereo system is fantastic for just 6 speakers with good highs and surprisingly good bass. I am glad I gave Ford another shot

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  13 Escape 2.0L Ecoboost - 2013 Ford Escape
  By canon60d - August 23 - 8:22 am

  Bought in May, and have had no issues whatsoever. The engine is a delight, strong and linear acceleration when you need it. Shifts are smooth with the 6 speed transmission, and the sport mode is great in the hills or twisties to eliminate unwanted shifts. Capable of decent gas mileage, but the turbo is way more fun. The really cool thing is the way it handles. Fantastic trip car, i had 4 adults, and a 1 year old with a huge car seat, and clothes for 3 days in the back, loaded to the gills, on twisty roads, and it handled like a dream. Pricey when loaded,but no more so that a Acura, or VW Tiguan, neither of which compares in performance, or feature set. Glad I bought it.

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  Never getting rid of it!!! - 2001 Ford Ranger
  By xelaciraptor - August 22 - 11:43 pm

  I bought this Ranger two and a half years ago with 146000 miles on it. Now it has 162000 miles on it and it still hasnt had any major or even moderate problems its entire life. The acceleration on the vehicle is outstanding with the 4.0L and it feels like I have a V8. The only lacking thing on the vehicle is the lack of room for people in the back and also the comfort of the back seats.

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  Focus Continues to Impress - 2013 Ford Focus
  By staypuftman - August 22 - 10:05 pm

  Ive had this car over a month, put about 2,000 miles on it and have nothing but good things to say. The handling is superb, road noise is low and the gas mileage is incredible for a non-hybrid (about 39-40 MPG @ 70 mph, 34-35 MPG @ 75 mph) - literally 25-30% higher than my similar sized 07 Mazda3. The automatic transmission gets a lot of bad press but its a dual clutch system, which causes adjacent gears to spool up before being engaged. This creates some vibration feedback thats consistent with most manual cars Ive driven. Ill take the efficiency gains this setup provides, plus you can drop the car into S sport mode and the tranny responds with sharper shifts.

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  The Best SUV IVE EVER HAD.....LITERALLY!!!! - 1999 Ford Explorer
  By babawuzhere - August 22 - 1:40 am

  I have a 1999 Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer with a 5.0L engine and it has NEVER let me down in anyway! It had almost 200,xxx miles and its still runs and drives FLAWLESS. I wrecked it a month ago and it still runs flawless! Its unstoppable! Its an amazing suv.

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  Best in Class - 2007 Ford F-150
  By kingranch07 - August 21 - 2:50 am

  I bought the 2007 King Ranch back last year and it roughly had 62,000 on her. As of today I have 82,584 and I love her. I call her Kinga Rancha. I have had truly no absolutely no problems with her. Nothing mechanical at all. I service her regularly. The interior has that saddle leather, which is very comfortable and the memory seat for the driver is nice. I had installed a Flowmaster Super 44 muffler with dual exhaust, a K&N cold air intake and soon very soon a programmer to up the governor to change the speed and fuel economy. I have all my windows tinted at 5% and two 12" subs with 2500 Sundown amp. I added some neon lights inside and underneath the truck. Car Show coming soon.

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  Excellent - 2010 Ford Flex
  By hafizur1995 - August 17 - 11:52 pm

  I owned this car for a year and a half and put over 35,000 miles on it. This is probably the most reliable car Ive ever had. The only things I spent money on were the tires, brakes, wipers, and just your wear and tear things. The ride quality is excellent and its very comfortable inside. Its very high tech and doesnt keep you bored. Its a very reliable car and people should really look into it if they are in the market for an alternative to mini vans. Not to mention it gets great mpg for its size I got 18C-25H. Its very durable and feels really good on the road. I was very happy with this car. However, keep in mind that its a Ford so its price will go down very quickly.

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  Just purchased - 2012 Ford Explorer
  By suzyq58 - August 17 - 9:08 pm

  Love my new used car! The salesmen were wonderful and informational and am very happy with my overall experience. I cant wait to take my car out on the road. The service at Fair Oaks Ford was a great experience. I have been a customer for many years and couldnt have been happier with their service department. I look forward to putting many trips on this car.

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  Great Comfortable car - 2012 Ford Fusion
  By sonshineacres - August 13 - 2:03 pm

  My wife wanted a car with a sunroof. We found this car used with 3000 miles a few months ago. Heated leather seats, Sony sound system, sunroof and appearance package. What a great, comfortable car and fun to drive. We have the 3.0 V6 but it is not AWD and that option is not shown on the list. We love the car and the mileage. we typically get 22 around town, but have been up to 30 to 31 on the highway. not bad for a V6