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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  Durable, Long-lasting car for a Pizza Delivery Driver - 1998 Ford Taurus
  By oo7chick - February 21 - 8:16 pm

  Bought this car in January 2010 but didnt start driving it until March because the transmission had been rigged up by previous owners. After shop did what they could to fix the transmission, I put about 36,000 miles on it driving for work and school. Had to get new brakes/pads, alternator, fuel and water pumps, battery and all the fixins. Show it some love and it will last for you! We bought it with just under 100,000 miles on it and the ending odometer was 135,500 (right on normal for the age of this car). It was a total loss when someone rear-ended me, but I would recommend this as a car worth the money. We paid $1200 originally and spend about $1500 on repairs needed for this car.

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  Explorer does work but is no Jaguar - 2005 Ford Explorer
  By bonschmidt - February 21 - 7:54 pm

  Recently hit 116k miles. I started driving it around 112k. I drive this SUV as hard as I drive my 2001 Jaguar XJ8. I whip it around corners, accelerate hard, weave it through the twists at high speeds and the Explorer takes it all pretty well... but doesnt give me feedback like the Jag does. It doesnt react, and driving is not enjoyable as much as it is scary. I freak out and feel like Im losing control of it, something Ive never experienced in the XJ8. But the Explorer is resilient. The transmission has handled my coasting-in-neutral practice, high speed travels and incessant shifting well. With my driving style, abominable gas mileage is not just occasional, its expected.

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  Very Good Car - 2008 Ford Focus
  By amdrewhikes - February 19 - 12:12 am

  I purchased this car and have been very pleased with its performance. For a 4 cyl engine it has plenty of power. Excellent value for the money!

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  Cabins in the Woods Need F-150s - 2012 Ford F-150
  By coyotev8 - February 18 - 3:54 pm

  I bought the truck in January and the winter traction is amazing. The driveway to my log cabin turns to a sheet of ice this time of year and this truck can handle it with almost no wheel spin. On the road, the 5.0L V8 is downright snappy compared to the 5.4L Triton V8 I had before. Im averaging 22mpg running back and forth to town which beats the window sticker mileage estimate.

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  Good choice - 2007 Ford Mustang
  By brock69 - February 17 - 3:21 pm

  Bought new in 2006. Manual trans w/V6. Daily driver but has only 48,000 miles. Not had any big repairs to date. Cons: Rear wing cracked on both sides and already fixed in first year. Exhaust sometimes rattles when cold for 30 secs. Seats stain easy. Pros: Get 29mpg/hwy, avg 25 in mixed driving. Great styling in/out. Has Pony package. Still get compliments on looks. Comfy on long trips w/no adults in rear. Handles well in all weather. Actually preffered this to moms 2012 Camry in snow/ice maybe because used to how handles. Would not trust to inexp driver in snow.

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  94 Tbird LX: One of my faves - 1994 Ford Thunderbird
  By boater59 - February 17 - 2:10 pm

  Bought the car from its original elderly owners in 2004 with only 24k original miles for $2k. Actually had the original though spider cracked tires. Drove it for years as my main commute and get around vehicle for myself. 19-20 mpg in town and have seen 29 on the highway during long road trips to visit family. Extremely comfy to ride in for long periods, quiet on the highway with windows up and just an overall best buy I ever made. Major issues encountered has been the ball joints and idle arm bushings. Both the left and right front ball joints have broken on me while in a sharp turn in and exiting a parking lot requiring tows to a shop.

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  2009 Flex Brake problems - 2009 Ford Flex
  By bassguy - February 17 - 12:15 pm

  I was happy with the ride and feel until I hit 20K, and noticed a momentary grinding when I applied the brakes. Sometimes a gaslike smell was noticed after breaking. Quite a bit of black dust seemed to accumulate on the two rear wheels. At 25K a periodic squeal was noticed but the Ford dealer inspected and said the brakes were "good". At 29.5K the brakes made a grinding sound and were visably scored (rear left). My Ford Dealer said that "it wasnt a Ford problem because he didnt have a service bulletin that dealt with this problem!". Rather than have him repair with duplicate Ford parts, I took the car to a Goodrich dealer for new rear rotors and new upgraded pads.

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  Great, but the Competition is Much cheaper - 2012 Ford F-150
  By aguywhowrite - February 15 - 11:44 pm

  Cost $21,500 stripped. Now an additional $1,000 rebate. Quite a lot of car for the money. Ford has done an excellent job with this truck, but I argue that Ford has done a better job of causing the competition to cut prices, at least on the low end trucks. GM about $1,500 cheaper, with bed-liner, cruise control standard. Dodge maybe $1,000 cheaper with Hemi engine. Both have better warranties than Ford. Buying a car is bizarre these days. You have to look for the coupons that work. Are you with USAA? Are you a former GM owner? Im not so I didnt buy GM. I happen to be a GM shareholder. Would that have counted? I forgot to ask.

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  They lied - 2012 Ford Explorer
  By tsarver - February 15 - 11:28 pm

  After reading of the sync and mytouch problems I asked several times before I bought my explorer if the problems were fixed. I was assured that these problems were updated and would not be a problem with my vehicle. Four days after I bought it, a hour from home in a snow storm of course the system freezes. Called sync support and was told I need to stop the car and pull a fuse to reset it, nice. They said there are still problems and a update is months away. I have had the vehicle a week now and it has done this twice now. The dealer lied to make the sale knowing there are still problems. When I had the repair history ran it showed there was sync issues with this vehicle before I bought it.

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  Great Family Hauler - 2010 Ford Flex
  By jpete204 - February 13 - 2:30 pm

  I have a 2010 Flex with ecoboost and have very few complaints about our vehicle thus far. Its pretty good on fuel (when you dont put your foot in it, which is almost never) its an extremely comfortable and versatile car and did I mention it has ecoboost? Im not a huge fan of the marketing speak Ford used to describe this twin turbo direct injection engine, but this motor deserves every positive word said about it. Ive done some light duty towing and the motor feels as though it is never straining. Passing power is where the powerplant shines. My only minor nits to pick would be a couple of trim pieces which have broken and a faulty O2 sensor, which were both under warranty.