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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  Love the new Edge - 2015 Ford Edge
  By wmsh - May 7 - 3:46 pm

  After having my new 2015 Edge for about 6 weeks I am overall very pleased. The 4cyl turbo charged engine is more powerful than the 6cyl that my 2008 Edge or 2013 Explorer had. It has great acceleration. The braking is much improved and does not have that mushy feel that many Ford vehicles have. The new exterior design is sportier and more sleek than the previous Edge. I love the new two tone leather interior giving it a higher end feel. I miss the power lift gate that my Explorer had and wish it was a standard feature. The interior cabin is much quieter than my last two vehicles. There are also more display features for fuel economy etc.

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  So far so good. - 2015 Ford Explorer
  By jrbrad89 - May 7 - 1:29 am

  I have had this one for almost two months. The variable transmission lags for a second, but hold that steering wheel! The front wheel torque is decent. I love the power seat. Costs nearly an arm and a leg but.. meh. Nice and zippy but a little wide for a midsize. Interior design is fine. Nothing flashy, rugged, and not an eyesore. I love the look on the outside but I wish I could have gotten the appearance package. Feels solid. And of course I havent had any issues seeing as how it only has 1700 miles on it. I use this for camping and hauling my dirtbike mainly. Gas mileage isnt great in the city, but that 6th gear really helps on the highway. It works for me!

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  Love it - 2001 Ford Escort
  By tinarinkus - May 6 - 1:14 pm

  I have driven my ZX2 for the last 8 years and I have loved every minute of it.

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  Should be recalled, a real lemon - 2011 Ford Fiesta
  By big_jig - May 6 - 7:18 am

  I bought this car 3 months ago used with 39000 miles on it. It has a 6 speed automatic transmission. 2 weeks after I bought it Ford sent me a letter stating the this model was having transmission issues and if it broke they would fix it for free.The transmission went out at 42000 miles and now Ford tells me they have 32000 parts on back order and I wont get it back for at least 12 weeks.This is my first and last Ford I will ever buy. I would like to trade it in but it apparently lost a lot of value in the short time I have owned it due the the transmission issue. What a joke. This car should be recalled and is a true lemon.

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  I love this car - 2006 Ford Freestyle
  By whitetigerlady - May 5 - 10:47 am

  I love this car - I purchased in in 2009 from a dealer with 50,000ish miles on it. There was one issue with the transmission 3 years ago that was repaired by the ford dealership for free because it was a recall issue, other than that, I have replaced the tires twice and the breaks once...just last month...My Gypsy as I call her - the GPS is very outdated LOL - now has 192000 miles and is still going pretty strong. I get my oil changed every 5K miles and use high mileage oil and thats it - I love driving a worry free vehicle. My only issue is they dont make them anymore and I have no idea what to replace her with when her time finally is up - I just hope thats not for another 200K :-)

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  30K in, Jury still out - 2015 Ford Escape
  By uteman - May 3 - 7:04 pm

  Overall, Good, w/ 3 complaints: 1. Took 10K mi & 3X back to dlr to find and correct eng. starting to inexplicably run rough AT speed. Finally only after sending us out for 3wks w/ onboard eng. recorder was fault found. Had to replace main wiring harnass to computer. 2. Design flaw causes ctr-rear "female" belt receptical to get caught under seat & squash-damaged when seats folded forward. 2X back for repair. 3. Salesman emphasized "Reg. fuel," BUT after sale noted Owm. Manual says "87" octane, w/ lower 85 octane causing performance & mileage loss as eng computer auto-detunes to compensate. 4. "Sync" is still a pain in the ___!

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  lemon lemon lemon - 2014 Ford Focus
  By mavoiture2014 - May 3 - 8:34 am

  Transmission is terrible! It hesitates, jerks, jumps, shudders and is unsafe. I bought this car brand new and the issues are becoming increasingly worse. I have had it in for repairs and the service center assured that it only needed "reset". It operated slightly better for two weeks. Then warning lights appeared stating that the transmission was too hot. So there I was with a brand new car and left stranded in a traffic jam. I purchased this car to alleviate stress of car problems and for the safety ratings. I made a terrible choice.

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  Poor choice!!! - 2012 Ford Focus
  By ericarras_81 - May 3 - 1:03 am

  I bought a used focus hatchback and at first thought it was a fun ride, that is until it began to give me problems after 2 months of driving it. First, the keys wouldnt lock my car, then the car would jerk when I would come to a stop or switch gears. Afterwards, I would put the key into the ignition but it wouldnt start and after $750 and a week later, the dealership fixed some wires "causing the problem". I only had it a week and its at the dealership again because the car died at an intersection and even though it was in drive and on it would not kick into gear. They are "ordering the part" to fix it but Im ready to trade in. Buying a ford was a huge mistake!! Never again!!

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  Cute but always something wrong - 2002 Ford Focus
  By Madison Pickens - April 30 - 10:45 am

  I first got this car when I turned 16, I payed 4k for it. I thought it was the cutest car I had ever seen. The first time the oil was changed and tires were rotated my tires were rusted on to my car, they had to keep it over night. As a high school student I didnt have much money, especially after buying a car, it cost 160 dollars to get it fixed. The second time it got an oil change, there was a huge rust hole in the cradle, it could have fit a really fat cat. It was going to cost 1,400 to get fixed but that was ridiculous. So I got a used one for only 400, a lot cheaper. Then my ac went out, my muffler is about to fall off, and the rear passenger side window as stopped working.

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  great little car - 1995 Ford Escort
  By mecal1100 - April 29 - 11:38 pm

  So far I have 201,000 on it and it needs a new clutch. Otherwise, I have had only minor issues. Reliability is fantastic (partly thanks to the Mazda 1.8L engine).