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 - 2013 Ford Focus
  By angel8050 - October 6 - 11:59 pm

  Whoever does not give this car at least 4 stars is a [non-permissible content removed]!!!!! We bought this Focus Sedan SE about a month ago, it gives me about 40 miles a gallon on the freeway driving at around 70 mph. I tried the jetta s, did not like it nor has any power, I had a 2011 Toyota Corolla and this focus is smoother than it. I think the new re design focus is a great buy!!! I would say the only bad thing is that sometimes at low speeds, when you first take off I think the transmission gets a little confused, but other than that its perfect. I love the sync, the bluetooth, the voice recognition.

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  The Champion - 2007 Ford Fusion
  By kateymcinnes - October 4 - 11:35 am

  When i first bought this car, like a lot of others i didnt know if i would like it. after driving it home i knew i loved it. even with a breathalyzer installed, it never once let me down. Ive even been in two accidents with trucks (Ford F150 and a Dodge Ram) and a car ( Toyota Corolla ) and this car withheld it all, with next to no damage. The only problem i have with it is when it sits for about a month or longer the battery will die . this has happened twice now to me but i think maybe its just time for a new battery. And another thing to note is that ive had the brakes replaced 6 times this past year . All in all this car is definatly a champion and i would recomend it to everyone.

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  Problems with 94 - 1994 Ford Bronco
  By jphillips93 - October 2 - 6:35 pm

  I have 94 bronco with the 351 under it with the auto tranny 4speed with o/d. i have a problem with it slipping into what seems to be netural when shifting from 4th to od and sometimes before that. Stepping on it at a light the other day i hit about 30mph and it just reved up to about 4grand and would go back into gear till i came to a complete stop any ideas on what it might be. I added a little fluid to it hoping it would help, havent had much time to test it out.

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  No more Hondas - 2012 Ford Focus
  By no_more_hondas - September 30 - 9:26 am

  This 40-year Honda owner had to rent a car and got an 12 Focus 4-dr. Wow! I went to the dealer and saw a hback. I drove it with the man/auto 6-spd and was sold. Ordered mine (SE with Sport pkg. and 203A) and have 7K on it in 3 months. NEVER before have I felt like a car was custom built for me. Seat is like a glove, its fast with smooth acceleration (the initial minor tranny stumble goes away by 1K) and solid as a rock (sorry Chevy). 31 mpg city and 41 hwy for an average since new of 35.4 mpg! Itll blow the doors off most V-6s and the Sync system, while confusing, offers great sound quality. My wife is ditching her 12 Civic for a red 13 Hback to one-up my black 12.

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  best suv ever - 2001 Ford Expedition
  By ashton3002 - September 29 - 3:03 pm

  i have owned this awesome SUV since 2001 i bought it with 20,000 miles on it..i have had it since July of 01 and i absouloutley love it..i use about 1/8 of a tank everyday thats why i dont drive it all the time this is the most reliable and safest SUV on the road..i hit a deer 5 months after i bought it it barley even dented the car.. the only thing i have ever replaced besides regular things are ball joints and tie rods and the battery like 3 or 4 times but i know the reason that is..i have amps and tvs and all that good stuff and thats what was messing with my battery..other than that its been super reliable and its super comfortable!!! its a 5.4L v8 XLT

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  Best Value Car I Have Ever Owned - 2002 Ford Thunderbird
  By rsellson - September 27 - 3:48 pm

  Bought this car because it is my wifes favorite color (yellow). She wanted a convertible and the color was right...that was 5 years ago. The car brings smiles to her, and when she is down-in-the-dumps, we put the top down and go for a ride. Best inverstment Ive ever made. Happy wife...happy life! Now for me. Yellow is not my color but I would drive this car even if it were purple, orange and pink. What a nice driving car. A very good balance of power, handling, efficiency, driver fit, and looks. I have never been in any other car that evokes such a pleasant response from the general public. "Nice car!" I am now considering a second T-Bird for my commute to work. Maybe silver...

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  The Edge - 2013 Ford Edge
  By dlance54 - September 27 - 10:11 am

  Im not sure how long it has been since Edmunds, or for that matter, Consumer Reports, has used the MyFord Touch with navigation because they are incorrect about its reliability. I have been using it, maybe I just follow instructions better, and have absolutely no issues with the system. The car drives and rides like a dream. Im also confused about the slow to respond review of the transmission. I havent noticed that either. Great car!

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  Excellent economical car! - 2011 Ford Focus
  By parshman - September 26 - 9:47 am

  The Focus is great for families like ours with one child, needing great gas mileage and comfort commuting and traveling. The Focus SE has all the bells and whistles and more, at a very competitive price. I still cant see paying over $20k for a compact car, and this one is well under that. We got a 2011 with 23,000 on it, and because it was certified we got 1.9% financing as well. That, in my opinion, was an excllent value. The car is tight, plenty of headroom, a vacuous truck, comfortable back seat and all the creature comforts we have come to expect. I also got cruise control, Sync, etc. The appearance is very good - This is a good choice for comfort, value, and economy.

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  Excellent SUV for family travel - 2002 Ford Explorer
  By skarland - September 23 - 8:47 pm

  This is my first SUV. I bought in 2010 with 96,000 miles. Now it has 125,000 miles. Things I have done: brakes, a set of new tires, regular motorcraft oil change every 3k miles. No major repair. For people complains the transmission problems, its better to customize it with an external ATF filter and extra big ATF cooler. You should check the ATF level regularly and also its temperature (I also add a temp gauge). Because ford put a sealed transmission with this SUV, there is no way for regular person to check the ATF fluid level. With all these done, you wont have a failed transmission. Recently I drove this car from Austin Texas all the way to Buffalo NY, and back to Austin, never failed.

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  Amazing car i am in love with it - 2013 Ford Taurus
  By carreviewer99 - September 22 - 6:33 pm

  This car is very fast, and its a great family car, they are not Fibbing when they say you can drop the kids off and go to the track, this car is the best car i have reviewed by far, and ive review BMWS AND MERCEDES and i consider some of those models below the Taurus just so much Luxury and Sportiness and Awesome gas mileage!