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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  Youll get what you paid for - 2000 Ford Focus
  By Vince - January 9 - 8:18 am

  My wife bought this car new, before we met. I would never have bought a Ford. We had to replace the tires, brakes and rotors and needed a four wheel alignment at 25,000, We replaced the fuel pump at 50,000 and the trunk leaked but warranty covered seal replacement. When I replaced the spark plugs, the wires were bad. Ford used cheap parts. I changed the oil (Syntec) every 3000 mi. The transmission is exotic for a Ford so I made sure to get it serviced every 30K mi. We now have 107,000 and this car is still running very strong. same power as when it had 15000. no major problems, just general wear after replacing cheap factory parts. Do the scheduled maintenance and car should last years.

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  My Super Taurus - 2001 Ford Taurus
  By taurus_1 - January 9 - 2:04 am

  I bought this car when it was 4 years old with 100,000 miles on it. After 3 years & 70,000 additional miles on it, its still going strong

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  Ford Edge - 5 Year Life Span - 2011 Ford Edge
  By Michele Bond - January 9 - 12:15 am

  I have (had) a 2011 Ford Edge Limited and maintained it according to service manual guidelines. I was out running errands on a Saturday and it quit moving. I had to get it towed to the auto repair shop and learned that it needs a new engine!!! Hello. That is a $7-8K repair for a car that is only 5 years old. Ford customer service was of little or no help other than to say that the car needs to be at a Ford dealership. Not happening...the car wont move and I would need to have it towed again. I suggested a 3-way call between me, Ford customer service, and the car repair shop, which was not possible. Did I like the Ford Edge? Yes...loved it up until 3 days ago when it stopped working and needed a new engine. Definitely not reliable and not recommended. And, Ford is little or no help. I dont think that it is acceptable for a car manufactured in this day and age to only run for 5 years and then require an engine replacement.

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  Great Features - 2008 Ford Focus
  By NSR - January 9 - 12:04 am

  I had a 2001 Focus which I bought used. It had about 130,000 miles on it and I was in need of something new, with gas prices what they were I went with the SES Focus power everything is the only way to go. Best choice of a car ever, plenty of room, pepy, good on gas and gets a lot of looks. I added a few hidden emergency lights to it for my business and when I turn them on I get a lot of ooooing and ohhhhing from people. Its a very sharp vehicle for a work vehicle. Also just added a HID coversion kit for my headlights, this is a great improvement to the safety and the look of the car at night

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  Great car and more room than you think.. - 2005 Ford Focus
  By SnoProG - January 8 - 10:13 pm

  I drive a good bit for work and this car fit the bill, litterally. I get 31- 32 mpg all highway and average about 26 mixed, and as low as 20 in city, winter driving where I sometimes park for a coffee and leave the motor running with the heat on. The motor is no slouch and Ive owned SVT Lightnings. I have absolutely no complaints, save two. I bought this car from a senior in Florida to use in Michigan. The problems are the driver door window seal at the bottom fusing to the glass so that I cant roll the window down and have to use a credit card to separate the rubber from the glass. It happens quite a bit. The other is the washer fluid lines freezing up in below zero weather. Ill survive.

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  Love my car, hate to get rid of it - 1993 Ford Escort
  By Whoisyermomma - January 8 - 10:11 pm

  This car was a hot little number when I bought it from a friend. She had it all of 5 months and needed a van. No rust on her then, we live in New England, someone in NH garaged it in the winter. What a wonder! No real problems, great little car. Got in a minor fender bender and the front bumper was $400 to replace (with paint). Didnt have the money to replace grille - didnt need it for inspection!

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  Transmission Trouble - 2006 Ford Ranger
  By BudZ - January 8 - 10:04 pm

  I have had pretty good luck with the truck until it hit 34000 miles. The tailgate handle broke and the transmission began slipping on the auto. Luckily it is under warranty. The dealership had to rebuild the transmission at a cost to them of $2500. I hope this is not a sign of things to come. My warranty runs out at 36000 miles.

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  Still just a nice car 20,000 later - 2008 Ford Focus
  By 50 Something old guy - January 8 - 8:39 pm

  Still a nice little car after 20,000 miles. Still averaging 30mpg mixed driving. Got as high as 37mpg on along road trip. Still no squeks, no rattles and still a hoot to drive. No service except for oil changes and tire rotations. Maybe the lite truck guys did have something to do with this baby Ford. Looks good, goes great. 180,000 miles more and Ill know if its been built Ford tough like my Ford trucks.

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  Mostly bark and little bite - 1990 Ford Mustang
  By streets - January 8 - 7:51 pm

  Weve owned this car for over 15 years and despite the great expense and poor performance, my husband wouldnt get rid of it until a truck totaled it while parked (thank you truck driver). Very loud car. Due to the convertible pillars, vision was lousy. The car could not drive in any little bit of snow, and was even pretty unsafe in the rain. We experienced the overall quality of early 1990s Ford cars, which is to say expensive to maintain with many quality control issues.

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  best car ever - 2005 Ford Five Hundred
  By dgarr22 - January 8 - 7:13 pm

  perfect. Best vehicle I have ever owned. The room, quiestness, and overall build quality are second to none. I challenge anyone to find a better car for the money.