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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  4.6 motor oil leak, head gasket - 2002 Ford Mustang
  By BlueMax - February 15 - 2:00 am

  After the car had approximately 2500 miles I started smelling burning oil. The dealer investigated the smell during the first oil, said nothing wrong.They discovered an oil leak on the head gasket and said the head gasket was blown. They said this was the cause of the smell. I was in disbelief, how could this happen I am the only driver and the car has always run fine and never run hot. The dealer said this was an isolated problem.Ford replaced the head first when that failed to correct the problem they installed a rebuilt engine. When I complained they extended the warranty to 100K.

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  Outstanding Driving Dynamics - 2001 Ford Focus
  By Matty Jay - February 15 - 2:00 am

  Pros: The vehicle has excellent steering while the suspension provides a good combination of ride and handling. The engine likes to rev, but provides good low end torque. The interior materials are higher quality with many details (5sp "metal" shifter knob, "metal" accents in doors, "metal" dash plate, etc) than I would expect for this price range. My cars build quality is great. Cons: Ford saved money on the areas you dont see like the absence of inner wheel wells in the rear and a splash guard in the engine compartment. I dont like the Dash Panel.

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  One Look and Fell in Love - 2004 Ford Focus
  By Ryan Mikulovsky - February 15 - 1:33 am

  The vehicle handles wonderfully well. It took to the Pacific Coast Highway with agility I would not have expected for a car at its price level. It also impressed me when driving through Flaming Gorge on the way to Las Vegas. I did not experience any loss of power while running the AC. In city traffic it is very responsive. The standard transmission could feel a little more solid -- there is a tiny bit of detectable "give." I havent had any problems with it except that my first oil change had to be postponed due to the new oil filter not having saturated the market yet. A chrome Harley filter could have worked.. but... :-) The filter is amazingly accessible.

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  Cmax SEL Not Cold Weather Car - 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid
  By frugalista1 - February 14 - 8:42 pm

  I have a Cmax SEL, and there is a lot to love about this car. It is cute, fun to drive, and the visibility is excellent for drivers of all heights. Unfortunately, the main reason I purchased this car was the reported 47mpg, but in cold weather (<45 deg), the Cmax doesnt even come close to 47mpg. The gas engine comes on to heat up the cold car engine and the mileage plummets. On a short cold-weather trip (even without the heat on, another mpg reducer) it is common to see a Trip mpg reading of 19mpg or less. In warmer weather (using neither heat or AC) this same trip would yield a Trip mpg reading of 48mpg or more. If its cold where you live, Cmax may not be for you.

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  Good Car for the Price - 1999 Ford Taurus
  By dhermesc - February 14 - 1:57 pm

  We bought a 99 LX used in 2001 with 17,000 miles, paid $9,500. Pretty base model, no power locks, no power seat, steel wheels, base V6. It does have the AX4N transmission, the same one that goes in the Duratech powered cars, should last longer then the car - much better then the AX4S that normally goes in the Vulcan powered cars. Driven the car 66,000 miles with two repairs the wiper washer pump and an exhaust sensor - total about $150. New rotors on the front at 60K, trannie flush at 40K. Paint looks good, interior is in good shape too even with two kids tearing it up. A good rock solid car for the money bought my mom one just like it a month later for even less.

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  this is funny - 1998 Ford Windstar
  By Tony - February 12 - 11:20 pm

  This is funny. I see all these bad reviews for a GREAT vehicle. Dont let these affect your purchase. Ive put 130,000 miles on mine and only thing that went wrong was a rear wiper motor. The transmissions are fine as long as you service them correctly and arent pulling your boat behind it. I bet if i asked all these people with tranny probs if they were towing with it, theyd say yes. Its a MINIVAN. Not a workhorse.

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  A great car - 2005 Ford Taurus
  By Michael - February 12 - 12:33 pm

  This Taurus has been terrific so far. For those looking for a reliable, comfortable vehicle with the backing of Ford, this is it. No problems so far. I will probably keep this car for the duration.

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  good car - 2004 Ford Taurus
  By mpstick - February 12 - 2:00 am

  Ive owned a 2001 and now I just bought the 2004 se model.Its roomy,comfortable ride and just gets the job done.Ive never had to repair anything on the 2001 except for regular mainteance,it had 124000 miles on it.The best feature about the taurus that people tend to forget are the safety features,it has just enough or exceeds in every segment,dont knock it just because its a Ford!

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  Quality of Ford - 2004 Ford F-150
  By Tdrip - February 12 - 2:00 am

  The ride and handling of the truck is awesome, the interior is the best design of any make of truck on the market. The all wheel disc makes a differents in the braking of the truck.Changes to the lariat are great, If this truck has the quality built in that the 97 150 I had before I will remain a loyal Ford owner. Remember the TQM.

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  BAD TRANNY - 2002 Ford Explorer
  By DAVE-O - February 12 - 2:00 am

  Car is great, esp with the v8!. At 38k, the transmission completely failed. I thought it was a phenominal vehicle until this. As soon as the warranty was up, the transmission took a dump, and this car was not driven roughly. $3,000 for ford to get the car running again.