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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  Sporty and Fun with Confusing Sync - 2013 Ford Focus
  By yooperdatadude - November 11 - 11:49 am

  IÂ’ve a 2013 Ford Focus SE Sedan with five-speed manual transmission. I shopped it against a 2012 Chevy Cruze LS with six-speed manual. Both are excellent. I chose the Focus for its sportier suspension and steering. The EPA predicts 36 mpg highway the Focus delivered 35.2 mpg on my most recent trip. I am exceedingly happy with fuel economy. IÂ’m enjoying the five-speed manual transmission. IÂ’d prefer a sixth gear for freeway driving. (The car would probably get even better mileage with one higher gear). ThatÂ’s a small nit though. The 2013 Focus SE with five-speed manual is a sporty, fun-to-drive car with good fuel economy. Be sure you can live with Ford Sync and the strange dashboard layout.

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  Still Working - 1996 Ford Explorer
  By slinsk - November 9 - 2:15 pm

  Bought my 4.0L, 4dr, 4wd, auto XLT as a new loss leader from the Sunday newspaper auto section in 1996 for $23k. Had to replace a blown head gasket twice. First time was my fault because thermostat was bad and temp gage wasnt working so engine overheated & blew the head gasket. 2nd time was just from age & I was able to save a few thousand by doing the labor myself (~$700 in parts & machine shop work on the valves/heads). Now has 157k on it. Transmission is starting to slip but I understand thats normal wear & tear with this many miles. Other than that, just had the usual, tires, alternator, brakes stuff. The truck has been a workhorse.

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  Loss of Power while Driving - 2010 Ford Fusion
  By maggb - November 8 - 8:08 pm

  Seems to be an ongoing issues for many. My 2010 fusion has 26K miles and at random times will lose power while driving down the highway. I push on gas pedal, and nothing happens. First two times no engine light came on. I coast over to side of highway and put the car in park, it shakes very bad. Then I turn the car off. I restart the car and is fine. This has happened 4 times now, so car is in shop. They think it is Throttle Body. Ford Dealer says, there is no re-call since they dont have that many complaints. This can be a very dangerous outcome waiting to happen. I just want to get the word out to others to be aware of this.

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  2012 f150 xlt supercab - 2012 Ford F-150
  By cowbells - November 7 - 2:57 pm

  had truck around 6 mo. 2,000 miles on it. Dont drive it because it only gets 16 mpg highway at 75 mph. around 11 mpg in town. Bought it because of the great gas millage they advertise for the 3.5 ecoboost thought i would drive it more than my 2010 f150 supercab with the 5.4. but my 5.4 got 21 mpg compared to the 16 i get with this great new motor. Had it back to dealer, nothing wrong with it. This truck is also 2 wheel drive the 5.4 was 4 wheel drive. pull a 9,000 lb. fifth wheel with it. the 3.5 gets 8 pulling the 5.4 got 12, same trailer,same roads its really a really nice truck, but i wish i had my old truck back because of the mpg

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  Good Little Truck - 1999 Ford Ranger
  By minitruckman - November 6 - 3:23 pm

  Had this truck since 2010, bought with 150,000 miles on her. Since then Ive changed the brake rotors, pads, brake booster, master cylinder, 02 sensors, wheel cylinders, and oil. Overall this is an excellent truck, the extended cab is roomy enough for 2 at the most. Seats have held up well for a 12 year old truck with now almost 180,000 miles on it. In baton rouge city traffic, I get between 19.5 -21 mpg all city, and my best tank was 25 on the highway!

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  No USB Modem Support - 2013 Ford Explorer
  By milkcan - November 6 - 2:07 pm

  I just discovered that the Ford Sync in my 2013 doesnt support any USB Broadband Modems. This makes this Sync feature useless, and I cant setup my Ford as a HotSpot inside the vehicle. The only way is to Tether your phone, and pay ATT an additional monthly fee.

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  2013 Ford Escape SEL 2.0L Turbo - 2013 Ford Escape
  By thelaw - November 6 - 5:42 am

  Just bought this car, has under 200 miles on it. Opted for the tow package with the 2.0 liter engine. Smaller than the mid-size SUV that I traded in but I love the handling and extra horsepower of the 2 liter engine. If you have a big family this car may NOT be for you. Skip the pricy options such as Nav, Park Assist, Back Up sensors, BLIS, Cross Traffic, and Power Lift Gate. Dealer included installation of the roof rack in the price. This car has many of the luxury items that my wifes new Volvo S80 has. I guess Ford learned something when they owned Volvo way back when. Highly recommend this car.

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  Good value ... good car - 2011 Ford Fiesta
  By wyophil - November 5 - 12:38 pm

  Ive had mine for about a year and a half. Bought with 6,500 miles on it. Great mpg in town and on the highway, usually ranging 37-44. Mine is an automatic (review menu didnt give me that option here). I am a little skittish about the transmission given what Ive heard and read, but no problems here. I dont drive it too hard no jack-rabbit starts. Comfortable, pretty decent leg room. Back seats wouldnt be good for a long trip. Trunk is very roomy. Handles really well, even after 18K miles. Sync is so-so. Pairing, voice quality all above average, but voice recognition is sub-par. Often misinterprets what its told to do. Fit, finish are good, but console seems plasticky. Overall a 4 of 5.

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  Nice car! - 2006 Ford Focus
  By mndriver4 - November 4 - 9:40 pm

  I really enjoy driving this car, Its nimble and quick, visibility is the best, nicest economy car Iv ever driven. I get 32 to 34 MPG for my average with about 75% hwy. I like the way you sit high, Its been vary reliable 110K miles on it now. Its not a refined luxury car but I find it more fun to drive.

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  1999 Ford Escort Sedan SE - 1999 Ford Escort
  By zescown - October 31 - 2:11 pm

  My car is actually an automatic transmission. I bought it for 1,500 used and it had around 164,000 miles on it with new brakes. Its my first car that I bought and is mine. Its small and has good mobility. Its really good on gas. My dads Chevy Tahoe has a 20 gallon tank and needs to be filled once a week while my car has a 10 gallon tank and needs to be filled once a week but this is an estimate from experience. It depends on how much you drive. Its fun drifting around in the winter time using the E-Brake. It also has a spoiler which I like. I read on the wheels that it can hold a max weight of 1,100 something pounds.