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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  161,000 MILES and still going - 2009 Ford Focus
  By cHaSech - July 26 - 10:14 pm

  I got this maybe two years ago, put a lot of good miles on it. Weve finally reached 161,000 miles and its still AWESOME!!! i get about 27.5 mpg I could be getting better mpg.. "bad driving habits" Mine personally doesnt have a lot of the features. I have cloth seats "normal staining".. Only real complaint is that the non-leather steering wheels is not in the best of condition.. The steering wheel is cheap rubberish crap, slowly coming apart. Everything else about the car is great! Been a huge blessing to be driving. Thanks!

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  My first car - 2005 Ford Focus
  By Taylor - July 25 - 10:20 pm

  This is my first car that I paid for myself. I bought it used for $7,000 at 120,000 miles. It was previously owned by the son of the car dealership owner so its basically still in brand new condition. Ive now had it for 3 years. Ive had to replace the alternator and battery and a part for the fan vents. It sticks and the cheap plastic piece broke so I couldnt use defrost because it was stuck on front vents. The interior is pretty much 100% cheap plastic and everything rattles and makes quite a bit of noise when driving, however, the car has never NOT gotten me where I need to go. On top of that, I love the fact that it has 5 cup holders. I also had the chance to test drive one of the newer Focus models back when I bought this car 3 years ago and noticed that the visibility in the 2005 was actually better in my opinion.

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  Great SUV with a few issues so far. - 2009 Ford Explorer
  By Ed - July 25 - 3:17 pm

  Got the got Explorer brand new, Only issue i had was that rear axles lock up around 69K, had to replaced cost around $5k. Road noise is also bad, getting wind noise from the driver side window.

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  Contantly broken - 2007 Ford Taurus
  By Jade McDowell - July 24 - 3:29 pm

  I bought my 2007 Taurus used in 2011 with 44,000 miles and while the gas milage and spaciousness were great, the reliability has been a nightmare. Over four years (Im at 69,000 miles now) Ive had to replace the battery, the synchronizer, some air conditioning part, two different cowels that were causing rain water to leak into my car two separate times, get the throttle body cleaned out and for the past six months the car has developed the habit of stalling at random times. Three different mechanics havent been able to diagnose the problem, which it turns out is a common one for Tauruses, and so Im looking for a new car several years ahead of schedule.

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  Unforeseen Transmission Problems - 2014 Ford Focus
  By C Alan - July 24 - 2:49 pm

  I didnt like the transmission in my new 2014 Ford Focus the first time I test drove the car. I was told by my Ford dealer that it was a new system that would "adjust to my driving." It was fine for the first 7,500 miles but soon after it started to shutter, rumble, and vibrate at stops and jump while going into second gear. I havent noticed any problems on the highway but in reading the other reviews, Im scared. I just brought car in to the dealership where I bought it and they didnt appear to be upfront about the problems. When I badgered them, they told me the transmission was on an extended warranty and they have heard about the Focuss transmission problems. When I asked about a technical service bulletin regarding the transmission, they were once again quiet. They called me to say they werent "experiencing anything too bad" and they would see if it met "Fords specifications." I dont care if the car meets Fords specifications or not. I am upset. I bought a new car and I expected it to work with a fully functional transmission and the dealership can tell me all day that theres nothing they can do because the car meets Fords specifications. Im not going to stop until I have a car that works like it should. If I could got back in time 11 months and tell myself to buy a Honda Fit, I would.

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  My "Gotta Have It Green" Dream - 2014 Ford Mustang
  By Magicsky@hotmail.com - July 23 - 9:26 pm

  I have always been a Mustang fan, and this 2014 model is as close to perfect for me as I could get. I purchased this convertible with 32,000 miles on it and have since put about 20,000 miles on it. It is very difficult for me to let it stand still in the garage. I love driving this car so much. I have driven a pick up, an economy car, luxury car and German sports car, and the Mustang is the best road handling of the bunch. The acceleration is incredible, the braking is strong, and the fuel economy averages about 23-24 in town. Driving with the top down brings you much closer to nature especially living in a place like Central Florida. It can get super hot outside, but it is difficult or me to not want to put the top down. This car definitely draws the looks of passers by and the admiration of others who have not realized their dream of Mustang ownership. So far, I have not had any mechanical issues to attend to. I purchased a Ford Factory Extended Warranty and so far it has gone unused.

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  Do Not Buy one of these!!!!! - 2011 Ford Fiesta
  By Dave - July 23 - 8:57 pm

  I purchased my Fiesta new in 2011. The auto clutch and transmission have been a NIGHTMARE!!!! It is again at the dealership (day 9 right now) with transmission issues. This is the 4th time in 4 years that it has had the transmission and auto clutch worked on!!!

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  I <3 my ford expl. but too many problems now :( - 2003 Ford Explorer
  By Norma - July 23 - 8:20 pm

  i bought my ford explorer 2003... 9 years ago.... now had 170.000 miles on it!!! never never have any problems until now!!! i rebuilt my transmission on march 2015 and was fine ..i tough that was the end of the problem ..but not.... now in July my car would not accelerate it will turn on beautiful no noise or nothing!! i took it to the mechanic and he told me is not worth fixing my truck!!!!!! i need to change the motor and it will cost a lot of money and probably will break again.. i definitely will recommend Ford explorer!! i almost forgot i did had a accident in 2007 the whole right front was damage but likely the fixed just fine because not problems at all. And in 2012 i almost have another accident in the expressway but thanks to my fast reaction and how good my truck answer to my driving and the brakes responded was absolutely incredible... very reliable car!!!!

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  2015 Ford Fusion SE 2.0 Echoboost FWD - 2015 Ford Fusion
  By Mark W. - July 23 - 5:14 pm

  I must preface this review with the fact this is my second Ford Fusion. My first one was a 2013 with the 1.6 Echoboost. I will not go into why I got rid of that car. I will refer back to the 2013 for differences I noticed. I have had the car for 8 months and 9K miles. First, the 2.0L Echoboost is a way better engine. It has real power over the 1.6L Echoboost. While the 1.6L got 37MPG on my drives from Raleigh to Philly, the 2.0L Echoboost gets 33MPG. Around town I usually got 28MPG with the 1.6L and 24MPG with the 2.0L. When all is said and done, I would take the 2.0L every time. Besides the fact the 2.0L jumps off a stop light like a rabbit, it is significantly quieter than the 1.6L. It is possible Ford improved the engine isolation from the 2013 model but all I know is my 2.0L 2015 engine is quieter than the 1.6L I had my the 2013 model. The reason I picked the Fusion is because it just drives better than everything else I tried, Accord, Camry, Sonata, and Optima. I did not try a Mazda 6 or the Malibu. The handling is superior. The steering is tighter. The interior is quieter. It also looks better. The power adjustable passenger seat is my wifes favorite feature. She is 5 foot nothing and needed a seat cushion when she sat in the passenger seat of my 2013. Without the power height adjustment, short passengers may feel like they are sitting near the asphalt. My car has leather, Nav, sunroof, Sync, backup sensors etc... So it is pretty loaded. It does not have AWD, blind spot detection, or the 110V plug in the back. Of all the options I have that I would not do with out is the back up sensors. We live on a cul de sac where every kid in the neighborhood plays. Even with the backup camera, the sensors have made the difference between a live kid and squashed kid. I could do without the navigation. It is not very fast and map updates are ~$140. My Garmin with lifetime updates was less than one map update for my Fusions Nav and it worked better. The voice commands only seem reliable if you are driving down a very smooth road or if you are stopped. My 2013, which was noisier but seemed to do a better job of recognizing voice commands. An earlier reviewer complained the Bluetooth was the issue. I think the issue is with the mics or the mic placement. My phone synced up fine over Bluetooth and I can stream music from my phone without any issues. I have an old i-pod connected over USB and the head unit works fine controlling it. One thing I dont like are floor mats. They are useless. Go to Autozoneor Wal-Mart and get some real floor mats. I work on my cars. Changing the oil is kind of a pain, because there is a huge aero-shield under the car that you have to remove to get to oil pan. If you dont change your oil yourself, then it may not be an issue for you. Also the 2.0L takes over 5qts of oil. If you go to Jiffy Lube with a coupon, expect to fork over a couple of extra bucks for an extra quart of oil. The 1.6L took ~4qts. Like most newer cars, changing your headlight bulbs is a major project. You have to remove the whole from fascia to replace the bulbs. Lately it seems most new cars have this design issue. I have not needed to do this but I did watch the u-tube video. Once I got the car, I added mud flaps I ordered off the internet for $15. You will need to remove the tires to put them on. I also ordered a carpeted mat for the trunk for $50. I got a black mat but I wish I ordered grey. The trunk is dark and it is easy to miss, until the next day, that pound of ground beef that slipped out of the shopping bag. The leather is OK. Not as soft as what you get in a Lexus but it is easy to clean. My guess it is really leatherette, a combination of ground leather and binding agents. Still better than vinyl. My 2015 has tan leather. It cleans fairly easily. I do it once every couple of weeks with a good leather cleaner. I did prefer the black leather I had on my 2013. I did have my windows tinted, hoping that blocking as much UV radiation as I can with the hope it will help preserve the interior. The NC summer sun can cook a car. In Summary - I really like the car. Would I buy it again. Yes...and I did.

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  Fantastic Car - Until the Front Gets Hit - 2014 Ford Fiesta
  By SpeedyCarLover - July 22 - 7:38 pm

  Moral of the story - It only takes a bit of force in the front end of this car to total it, but it is a fantastic car before that! Just look at the crash test scores for the 2015 compared to the 2014 (didnt require the more in depth tests) on cars.com: "Front, Restraints and dummy kinematics - Poor," "Front, Structure and safety cage - Marginal," "Front, Overall evaluation - Marginal." If that doesnt scare you, then best of luck to you and may you never get in an accident because once you do your car is as good as totaled! Ford should focus on durability because the rest of what they did with this car was great. What I loved about my fiesta: Great handling, Smooth acceleration, Little road noise, Fantastic suspension, Nice entertainment system, Good vehicle feedback (tire sensors etc.), Amazing fuel economy (33-37 year round), and I am very sad to see the car go over such a minor incident! If you love yours be super careful with it!