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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  Reliable Depandable Vehicle over 10 yrs. - 1999 Ford Expedition
  By cobaseball3 - October 23 - 6:00 pm

  Bought new for a family of five. Three boys under the age of 8. Salesperson was a complete tool but, the vehicle and service dept. of Ford Dealership have been professional and knowledgeable for 10 years. Been to many vacations (Disneyland, etc.) ski trips in Mountains and all over the country for baseball tournaments, etc. NEVER ONCE HAD A PROBLEM ON THE ROAD. A beast in the snow, and has been my wifes dependable everyday car for over 10 years (Current Mileage 168,000) and has been one of the best purchases I have ever made, of any product. Own 3 other Fords (F-150s) and I have had the same reliable service. Will Definitely purchase another Ford if same results as our Expedition.

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  Be careful when buying a Focus - 2008 Ford Focus
  By Irriserv - October 23 - 3:34 pm

  Overall the Ford Focus is a nice fun to drive small car with nice looks and great MPG. The build quality seem ok however there are design problems and areas that Ford cut corners to save money that you will pay for. One of the most noticeable areas is they left off the spare tire. So if you get a flat reach into your wallet and expect to pay for a tow. The other areas that we have found is that the defective door latch that will keep you from getting in the car is still a problem since the first focus. Also there is no seal on the break cable so it will sound like an old buggy if you drive on dirt roads. Nice car but I wish I bought a Toyota instead. I would have saved hassle.

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  Escape great with a few arghs - 2016 Ford Escape
  By MisterT - October 23 - 12:00 pm

  Great choice. Drives like a dream. This is the Titanium and has the 2.0 Eco Boost which is not on the list above. Voice commands (Sync) are confusing especially when using navigation. Tried to tell it to nav to Ojai. Got a reply that this was not understood. I had to pull over and manually type in Ojai before the nav would work. Not really a Ford issue but thought I would mention it. Great hands free rear door that is height programmable. Important if you have a low garage door. I am disappointed about the MPG. Not what was advertised but the Escape is still new and might get better. More expensive then I wanted to spend but overall it is a great choice for a smaller SUV. My wife loves it and after all isnt that what life is about?

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  Great little car - 2003 Ford Focus
  By Shannon - October 23 - 11:32 am

  This is my second Focus. I did have another 2003 Focus LX base model. That one had transmission problems and this one does not. I purchased it with 130k and now has 143k. I have enjoyed this car, only minor problems with it. It handles great, stops on a dime, very reliable and very roomy. Decent gas mileage..without A/C 28-29 mpg, with A/C..24-25 mpg, and thats with regular oil changes and adding B-12 to the fuel tank. Very few complaints, trunk doesnt want to latch when shut after being opened with the key fob or trunk button, but works correctly with the key.

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  First truck - 2001 Ford F-150
  By menchar - October 23 - 10:00 am

  I pretty much like everything except the gas mileage. Whoever "designed" the turn signal stalk should be fired - unless the steering wheel is centered +/- a few degrees, the turn signal detent wont hold. Ford lied about cooling package but when faced with lawsuit came up with a deal (I took the $100 cash).

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  Reliable, good snow vehicle - 2002 Ford Explorer
  By CAJTBJ - October 23 - 10:00 am

  We frequently commute over snowy/icy Stevens Pass (WA State) during the Winter to get our mountain cabin. Our 02 Explorer has handled some pretty tough conditions easily (including a pretty rugged, snowy climb up our primitive driveway). We traded in our 97 Explorer for the 02. Though the 97 was fine, the new Explorers are a HUGE improvement. Much more drivable, comfortable, and safe.

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  a true rating - 2005 Ford Mustang
  By kurtis - October 23 - 9:53 am

  I purchased a 2005 mustang on Dec 27,2004. The car has broken down 4 times and the dealership has had it 17 days trying to fix it. Do Not buy one. The kinks are not worked out. The 3rd time it broke down on me I was doing 70 miles down I-95 and the whole car cut out and just stopped running. Do Not buy until 2006. The throttle is the problem and they seem not to be able to fix it. This will be my last American made car.

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  Sporty, roomy, good gas mileage, BUT - 2006 Ford Focus
  By Joe C - October 23 - 5:30 am

  This is my second Focus. I purchased a 2000 Focus SE, and now have 93k miles on it, and it still runs well. So, I took out a lease recently on a 2006 ZX4 SES--and mind you, I try many rental cars, so I like to compare. This Focus has all the creature comforts pretty much. It handles firmly like the Corolla, and is roomier both in cabin and trunk space over the Corolla and Civic. The gas mileage is a little less than my 2000 SE, but still very good. Reliability problems experienced in the first 1k miles: doors dont shut smoothly--I have to slam them shut Also, instrument cluster light and tail lights failed--looked for failed fuse--found none so far. Gas cap light on for unknown reason.

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  Great Company Car - 2005 Ford Explorer
  By GBWinMA - October 23 - 2:46 am

  This is a vehicle supplied to me from my employer. It is a lot of fun to drive and also very comfortable. Both interior and exterior appointment blend nicely. My only complaint is the dealership. The running board is a third party one and no by Ford. It is narrow and has actually been put on backwards by the dealership. They say they will fix it, but that was two weeks ago... and nothing. The second complaint is that the car was supposed to come with factory mats and they werent. Again, Framingham Ford promised to get me factory mats ASAP. Its been over a month and still no mats, despite follow up phone calls. This is my second experience with "dont care" Ford Dealerships!

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  The car is amazing - 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid
  By raazer - October 23 - 1:42 am

  I have had mine for about 2 weeks and have put over 700 miles on it in that time. I am regularly hitting well above 40mpg and on one occasion hit 48.5 mpg over a 90 mile trip. I figure that the more I learn how to drive the car properly Ill be achieving the full EPA estimate of 47mpg on a consistent basis. The MyTouch is quirky at first but its just like any computer. You learn the commands and how it functions and you can master it. In the 2 weeks Ive owned it, I have learned every command and have found it to be quite a reliable tool in the vehicle. The only features I do not have are the park assist and the adaptive cruise control. So far everything else functions as it should.