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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  Rounded - 2007 Ford Fusion
  By keithfoster - February 24 - 10:21 am

  This car is fantastic. I bought the car brand new on August of 06 and it now has 140k miles on it. I have had almost no issues with the car. The temperature read on the engine went out and the struts are bad, thats about it. The gas mileage is great, the car is spacious and quick (not terribly fast, but quick enough to get the job done), and it is reliable. If you are looking to buy this car and you arent sure since its an older car and may be high mileage, I hope that this helps you.

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  Good to go - 2004 Ford Escape
  By David M Decker - February 23 - 8:34 pm

  Bought this sweet heart with 120k and have put another 50K on in the last 18 months. 4x4 easy to handle and shift. We live in Alaska and have some pretty icy roads and rough weather. I can leave town and trust my bride will be safe in our trusted little rig. Tracks and climbs like one of the big boys but just sips the fuel. Plenty of power and a delight to drive. No problems thus far, but keep those fluids changed ! Very strange way to change the front turn signals.

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  Gas tank fell off!! - 2002 Ford Focus
  By jeje2 - February 22 - 5:58 pm

  2002, only 56,000 miles, very well maintained & garaged. I drove 150 freeway miles, filled the tank, and while crossing an intersection toward the freeway on ramp, the tank fell down and one side was dragging on the ground. Could have been fatal pretty scary. Luckily some angel mechanics spent 2 hours, jacked up the tank and re-secured it. The front bolt came out, and they said it appeared it was bolted into the wrong hole to begin with one with no threads! And Consumer Reports rates this car - year and model as one of the most unreliable of all.

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  2010 Fusion Sport - 2010 Ford Fusion
  By Maurice Lemmond - February 21 - 9:59 pm

  I really enjoy my Fusion. It has great power, fun to drive and very comfortable. The 3.5 liter engine has all the power anyone would ever need and gets respectable fuel mileage. I get about 16-18 in town and mid to high twenties on the highway.

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  Ford !! congrats you got it right - 2015 Ford Mustang
  By Michael Kenitzer - February 21 - 5:01 pm

  What an awesome car, the 2015 mustang is a work of art. the interior is simply amazing, the body lines are breath taking. I drove the other two pony cars. there is no mistake, the mustang wins hands down. In every way !!

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  Love my Harley F150 - 2003 Ford F-150
  By T Mac - February 21 - 2:06 pm

  I cant say enough about this truck a I absolutely love it. I park the truck in the winter as I live in the Great White North. The only problem I have is in the summer is I cant keep my 17 year old daughter from not driving it ,she loves the truck too. The truck has lots of power pulled 7000LBS trailers with it no problems, passing cars like they were parked.This truck is a real head turner and can see this truck staying in the family for along time.If you can get one do it ,you will not be disappointed.

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  Excellent small SUV - 2014 Ford Escape
  By bobby_boise - February 20 - 3:19 pm

  Im amazed to hear the complaints by others of bad gas mileage and the Sync system. Ill address those first. A 2012 Escape with the V-6 has much less HP and torque and will only get about 19mpg city. Our 2014 2.0 Eco Boost gets around 22 to 23 in the city commute with 240 HP, its got more power than my 1985 Mustang GT. It scoots! Plus the MPG is 15% higher than its V-6 predecessor. What about that isnt awesome. The engine is so good you can find it in the Range Rover Evoque at 40-50k. Any complaints here just cant be non-agenda driven. The SYNC system is very intuitive to us. No problems at all. Im not really sure what is so difficult to understand.

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  Poor Build Quality On the Cosmetic Parts But Fun To Drive! - 2013 Ford Mustang
  By maczs007 - February 19 - 9:39 pm

  I ordered mine from the factory, a 2013 GT Premium with 6-speed manual transmission and extra premium interior. No problems with the engine and trans as that is the main thing Ford got right (except for the occasional missed shifts in 2nd and third). One the other hand and under warranty Ford has replaced the following due to defects: left rear tail light ( visual quality issue), speaker grill (broken at factory), rear end bearings (noisy), front bumper cover (warped), rear view mirror (vibrating) and drivers leather seat cover (premature wear on welting). You would think these things would be caught in the factory is Quality was Job #1?

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  I love smoking V8s in my Sleeper Mustang - 2015 Ford Mustang
  By 1showoff - February 19 - 7:46 pm

  I spent over 100 hours researching the ecoboost Mustang prior to ordering from the factory. I have the Automatic with the performance package. If your on the fence to order the new Mustang, make sure not to get the base ecoboost. I have had numerous people take pictures of the car and always turns heads. I own 4 other Mustangs and this will run circles around my old 5.0 GTs. This is a sleeper. I love the Oxford White and the black rims. I already smoked a Corvette and Charger. Looking forward to flash tuning the car and getting another 60-80 HP out the 4 banger. Also, I was skeptical of the gas mileage. I have a tall .355 gear and I can get 30+ miles per gallon easy. Love this car.

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  2011 Fusion SEL - 2011 Ford Fusion
  By james892 - February 19 - 2:42 pm

  I bought my Fusion back in September of 2011 and would have to say that overall I am happy with my purchase. Although, I have had some unfortunate tire luck, nothing else major has happened to me in terms of problems. When it comes to actually driving the Fusion, it is a good commuter, but not fun to drive. I would recommend the V6/new Turbo 4s, along with AWD. Fuel economy for me has been subpar to say the least, seeing as how it is a 4-cyl. I was hoping for better fuel economy than a combined 22 mpg. No, I dont race around in it. My other complaint, which Ive seen a few times is that the Fusion can sometimes slip on slick, and even dry, road conditions. This can be annoying.