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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  Great car - 2015 Ford Fusion
  By mrnatertater - March 24 - 9:42 pm

  I love this car. I got rid of my 2012 focus. Couldnt stand the transmissions in those cars. My fusion however shifts smooth, rides great and looks amazing inside and out! I have the ruby red with the se appearance package. I got this car to use to mostly drive back and forth to work. Im getting on average 28-30 mpg combined. I highly recommend the fusion. I also have a 2013 explore which is great too. Ford has really stepped up their game in the past 10 years! You will be very happy with the fusion!

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  Love my new car! - 2015 Ford Explorer
  By Connie Griffin Cochran - March 24 - 6:06 pm

  I just traded in a 2010 Ford Expedition EL for a Explorer Sport. I loved my Expedition, but dont really need all the room. I am short and it was starting to really bother my knees and ankles getting in and out of it. So we traded it in and boy am I glad! I am loving the Explorer Sport. It drives like a dream. Very smooth and handles well. The ecoboost is fantastic. Very good gas mileage so far and the interior is very nice. I was worried I wouldnt like a smaller car but it feels big inside and I am very pleased with our purchase.

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  Reliable with minor issues - 2008 Ford Focus
  By willt5 - March 23 - 5:37 pm

  I bought this Focus because it was affordable and was known for being reliable. So far my experience with the car has been good. Ive owned it for about a year and a half and so far have changed the notoriously bad motor mounts and sway bar links. Other repairs that will be needed in the future are the control arms due to the bushings going bad. Car only has 65,000 miles on it and basic parts are starting to wear. Otherwise, it has been fairly cheap to maintain and reliable.

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  Manual transimission S model - 2014 Ford Focus
  By dallastx2 - March 22 - 1:07 pm

  When renting a car for work I always request a Ford Focus. It is a compact vehicle which feels safe to drive. The Focus feels solid on the road. This past year needed a new car, wanted something with better than average fuel economy - purchased a Focus. I picked up the manual transmission version. Not having used a manual transmission in years, its been fun getting back to driving with a stick. The engine performance has been a pleasant surprise. Having a manual transmission gives me the opportunity to drive the vehicle at higher revs. The engine has not disappointed.

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  My dream car! - 2014 Ford Mustang
  By parichino - March 21 - 10:40 pm

  Ive had my eye on Mustangs for years and now finally bought my dream car, and not disappointed. It exceeds every expectation. LOVE THIS CAR! Its got enough umph but also enough gas mileage (averaging 24). Just the right balance. Best thing about this car is that its super good-looking and just downright FUN FUN FUN to drive! You cant go wrong. Its not perfect in every way but still head-over-heals in love with this car! Oh, and did I mention that I love this car?

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  I love this car. - 2015 Ford Escape
  By danoham - March 20 - 1:12 pm

  This car is really fun to drive! It handles great and the 2.0L motor has excellent acceleration. I live in Colorado and the crowd-race to the tunnel is effortless, from both sides. The interior creature comforts are better than I deserve and it is obvious that careful thought went into everything. I closed the deal on 2/28 which turns out to be a very good day to buy, I paid $1014 less than the Edmunds estimate. My shopping advise would be to decide on the exact model, color, and features that you want then go to the Ford website and find dealers with that car in stock then start email conversations with their internet sales managers. You will be able to tell who is hungry.

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  Transmission Unsafe - 2014 Ford Focus
  By baltazarre - March 18 - 2:21 pm

  7 months in - stranded twice by transmission errors. First one said "Transmission Overheating - Stop When Safe". Dealer in CT worked on it for five days but did not enter work into Ford system. This time received "Transmission Failure" message and car went out of gear while driving. Almost rear ended. Brought to original dealer in NJ. They found a code for a Service Bulletin about not being able to put it in reverse, which wasnt the problem, but cant find anything else wrong. Left with unsafe car and no options. Absolute junk

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  Fun to drive... - 2015 Ford Fusion
  By deputydog35 - March 18 - 9:44 am

  I bought this car brand new... Its super fast and fun to drive! However, Im a big guy 60" 285lbs and the driver seat is not real comfortable. The seats I have are heated and cooled! The driver seat does not lower enough to make it comfortable. The passenger seat goes much lower than the drivers seat. Other than that the car is great! I only have 10k miles on the car and get about 20mpg. Which is not very good!

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  Best Car for your money - 2015 Ford Explorer
  By aggiewife - March 17 - 2:44 pm

  I traded in my 2008 Honda Odyssey for the new 2015 Explorer Limited and boy do I love it! As much as I loved the function of the minivan, I was ready for something "cooler". It was really hard finding a midsize SUV that could compete with the space of the minivan and believe me I looked! I was just about sold on the Toyota Highlander, but then I decided to look at the Explorer. Im so glad I did because there is a lot more room in the back and the seats are much more comfortable. With 3 children, I had to have something with 3 rows up all the time. It is extremely fun to drive and the boys on my sons baseball team fight over who gets to ride with us. Im finally a "cool" mom! :)

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  A good purchase - 2012 Ford Escape
  By Phil Pimental - March 16 - 9:21 pm

  I have owned four Escapes over the years, and own a 2009 and a 2012. I have now had the 2012 for a year now and put about 10K miles on it. I have had no issues with it. It will get over 30 MPG on long trips when driven at highway speeds.