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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  Better comfort and than Toyota and Honda - 2007 Ford Focus
  By Linda Leo - July 13 - 10:43 am

  When my old Tracer wagon died, I couldnt find anything in my price range. In NYC at the time, car dealers were selling foreign cars and luxury cars. My husband finally found a Ford dealer with a few Focuses on the lot. All I had to do was sit in the drivers seat, and fell in love. It felt like my Tracer, with controls easily accessible, excellent comfort for my bad back, and great fuel mileage for the rapdidly increasing fuel costs. Add to that the low cost, and it beat out the Toyotas, Mazda 3 and 6, and Honda Civic hands down. I would have considered it a bargain even without the $2500 rebate and excellent financing I was able to obtain.

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  The best buy for the money. - 2009 Ford Escape
  By Leggir - July 13 - 12:43 am

  This is my first Ford Escape and I love it. It was a toss up between it and the Mitsu Outlander but ultimately won because of maintenance costs. It handles like a car but doesnt dissapoint in off-road uses. Ive taken it in 12" inches of snow out in a field, through at least 18" inches of water on a 4x4 track and its handled admirably. In fact Ive gone farther than some 4x4 pickups. Gas mileage is 29MPG (US) on the highway which is where I do most of my driving. Everyone whos road in it is impressed.

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  04 f-150 - 2005 Ford F-150
  By suncity94 - July 13 - 12:30 am

  the first truck i have owned and i love it

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  Terrible Vehicle - 2000 Ford Focus
  By Terrible Vehicle - July 12 - 11:43 am

  This is just a bad car. I bought brand new in 2000. The first two years I spent more time getting recalls done then driving. Then at about 100k miles the car fell apaprt. New clutch, front springs broke, battery, battery cables, battery itself, ac, heater, alternator, the list goes on. Ive spent over 6k in the past two years trying to keep this car on the road. Please dont buy an early mondel focus. It will just be a money pit.

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  Great Midsize SUV - 1994 Ford Explorer
  By smack650 - July 12 - 11:15 am

  I have been nothing but happy with my 94 XL V6 Explorer. Take care of it and it will take care of you. Great in the snow, on the beach, or in the mud. She has 148,000 miles on her and she runs like a champ. Ive never had any problems although I have heard about transmissions going out after 100,000 miles so I changed all the fluid in the tranny, and the torque converter when I hit that mark. I will probably change it out every 4th or 5th oil change (which I do every 3,000 miles like clockwork) from here on out.

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  Love my 2018 Ford Escape S - 2018 Ford Escape
  By Matt A. - July 12 - 5:58 am

  This review is for the base model. I thought I needed all the “bell’s & whistles” and discovered I don’t. This compact CUV has the same 2.5 liter 4-cylinder engine that my 2016 Ford Fusion SE had. I never had any problems or issues with this engine. Somehow this engine seems more spirited in the 2018 Ford Escape. I’m more than satisfied. The Escape has enough interior room for four—five is fine, but not comfortable, depending on the girth of the rear occupants. Leg room is excellent for any 6-footer or shorter. It’s a bit cramped in the rear seat if the front seats are moved too far back. I’m a techie by heart and find the telematics on this CUV to do everything I need from my ride. Having dealt with the SYNC with MyFord Touch in my previous vehicle, I find the base SYNC 1.1 version much easier to navigate. I can deal with the buttons versus a touchscreen. The only negative point here is the small 4.5 inch screen above the center stack. I can work with that too. Of note is the electronic parking brake that works with a button. Gone is the handbrake lever which allows for more cubbies for small items. The exterior was updated in 2017. The Escape was given a redesigned front with a black grille that I find sporty. Tail lamps were also redesigned. I find the exterior to be attractive and good-looking amongst other compact CUVs. I’ve only had my Escape for two weeks and am impressed with its capabilities. I’ll come back in six months to give an update.

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  Fun Little Car - 2005 Ford Focus
  By Paul - July 11 - 6:23 pm

  This vehicle has been fun to drive for our whole family. I bought it for my son as a starter vehicle but all of us enjoy driving it. The price was $12,000 including tax, title and license. It gets over 30 miles to the gallon and has quite a lot of pep for a 4 cylinder vehicle. For the money, I havent been able to find anything close to it in performance.

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  Local Boy Makes Good - 2006 Ford Mustang
  By BigBeau - July 11 - 5:13 pm

  Took delivery in early January and due to the seasonal weather conditions had to wait 3 weeks to drop the top. I have had limited opportunity to really go through this vehicle but, as is, it runs like a scalded pup. The suspension and handling exceed expectations. All of the amenities that came with this car are substantial. As the aftermarket for the Mustang is so vast, Im looking forward to shopping for any "personal touch" items that I might add to this light blue pony. At age 55, the only thing I might consider right away would be installing a defibrillator -- oh yeah, its that much fun to drive. Tops down, everybody!

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  Dont buy - 1999 Ford Escort
  By HC - July 11 - 1:45 pm

  I was the 3rd owner and bought this car for every day use. The car condition was considered “clean” and previous 2 owners kept excellent valid maintenance records. This is my first car so I stick tightly to check up schedule to reduce any mechanical problems. I got around 28-30 mpg highway and 18-21 mpg in town. There were many problems with this car. The biggest two were tranny and engine. This car sucked too much money form me. At ~94,000 miles the transmission slipped (after 20,000 miles used). Sometimes, it stuck at low gear and won’t shift up when I gassed it up or slipped, shift down and lost speed, very dangerous if it happens when I pass a car. I got it fixed. At ~130,000 miles, the

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  Almost the perfect vehicle - 2007 Ford Freestyle
  By Jeff from California - July 11 - 12:42 pm

  As an engineer I tend to research things to the last detail. I was looking for a family car that had a good combination of safety, fuel economy, roominess, luxury, and price value. After looking at everything made, the Freestyle won. We bought used, a 2007 Limited. The car is amazing Titanium green w/tan leather interior...gorgeous... Lots of room for storage and very comfortable. The fuel economy on the highway is almost 30 miles per gallon...no kidding....the navagation system is wonderful and the back up sensors are very helpful, as is the DVD. After 6 months, no issues. My wife, who hates SUVs, loves the car and wont let me drive it....Its simply amazing.....Well Done Ford.