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:

• 

  OK but ... - 2012 Ford Explorer
  By rogerd7 - December 15 - 4:43 pm

  The look is great, the ride is nice but there is a wind noise around the windshield that is very annoying. The vehicle is very quiet escept for this noise. It is especially bad if you are driving into a head wind. Dealer says 2011s had this problem but Ford says they fixed it for 2012 -- they did not. Also I just got a crack in my windshield and no replacements are available yet. Thanks Ford I like driving my expensive, new vehicle around with a big crack in the windshield. I am also wondering if the cracked windshield may relate to the noise coming from the windshield since the vehicle was new.

• 

  Fun little car, I must say. - 2000 Ford Focus
  By darrylv - December 14 - 4:03 am

  I got the car about two years ago, from my aunt who is possibly the worst car owner on the planet. The car was broken down, barely running, dirty, everything was broken. I got my hands on it, and about 1300 dollars later, it was running good. The best part about this car is how fun it is to drive. I can take off faster than half of the cars my friends have. The car feels alive, you can feel it. I just wish it was a little bit better quality. The interior is nice, but cheap. You can tell. The outside is styled well, but its also made with some cheap-looking parts. It also feels like it wont be running so good in a few years. Who knows, it might last me forever.

• 

  Best truck Ive owned - 2004 Ford F-150
  By fobserver - December 12 - 1:05 pm

  Ive had Toyota, Nissan, Chevy and Dodge trucks over the years. This is the first Ford truck Ive owned. Bought it used with 97K miles. Only owned it for 3 months now, but I believe its the best built pickup Ive ever owned. I do have some concerns however. A tear appeared out of no where in the drivers seat, there is a whizzing/scraping sound coming from the right front (possibly brake issues). And the cam phaser knock that is common for these engines. Also the 4x4 will go into 4HI with no problem, but you have to mess with it to get it to go into 4LO, and then you have to mess with it some more to get it to come back out of 4LO. Have not towed with it yet, but Im sure its great at that.

• 

  So So SHO - not reliable - 2011 Ford Taurus
  By ralloyd - December 10 - 10:41 pm

  Beautiful vehicle although too many safety issues. Sensor in the engine was bad and it took Ford 3 months to diagnose and repair the problem. The vehicle shuts off randomly and Ford has no solution for repair. Now the roof leaks. Not a happy Ford customer at this time. My SHO is a lemon!

• 

  Very Good...Almost Great - 2012 Ford Flex
  By aohurst - December 7 - 10:04 pm

  Price $3,000 under invoice. I test drove the 2012 Durango on the same day as the Flex. Noise level - much quieter in the Flex Ride - I had a 2007 Durango, and the 2012 is much improved, but the Flex is still as smooth as a sedan. Handling - Durango R/T handles mountain roads better. Little body roll in the Flex unless pushed hard. Drove it in the snow and grade assist works well. (live in Colorado.) Brakes- horrible. Mushy. GM and BMW much better. Ford needs to improve here. Flex seats are very comfortable and soft-you sit in them. Durango seats are harder and you sit on them. Dodge seats have side bolsters that hold you in place- Flex seats have zero bolstering. Entertainment- Durango

• 

  Good car,i would like more power. - 2004 Ford Focus
  By zts04chuck - December 7 - 6:03 pm

  Good car bought with 44k on it. Its fun to drive but i wish it had more power& the clutch was a bit more aggressive ,if you have your rpms up when you shift into 2nd,you have to drop them down before it will reengage. First thing i had to do is replace the lock cylinder. The car has91k on it & i have replaced the front struts right side was different than left,right side was bad. Left wheel bearing was replaced as well with the front breaks . I do use the car to tow my trailer w/ATV or mower on it about 1500 lbs,& it does well,i get about 30 mpg average.

• 

  im bullish on taurus - 2005 Ford Taurus
  By automobility - December 4 - 10:47 pm

  bought my 05 wagon new, replacing a 95 volvo 960. the volvo was my dream car become rude awakening, so i wanted an affordable, reliable car. i got one. i keep the mobile one fresh, am careful with the transmission, complete stops before shifting, etc. when i change the trans fluid, the old looks as clean as the new. 84,000 problem free miles so far. smooth ride, quiet cabin, ice cold air, wonderful stereo, cheap to insure, and invisible to cops. she is garage kept, and i always park her at the far edge of a lot, so she looks new. last oil change, my mechanic offered to buy the car. ill drive her til she drops, then im buying a ford flex

• 

  Good value for the money - 2007 Ford Freestyle
  By volman1 - December 4 - 6:26 am

  I bought our Freestyle to replace a minivan. This car is one of the best layouts for a car on the road. We have approximately 120K on the car. The transmission is fine. I did have the throttle body replaced under warranty but I have discovered that you can easily clean the throttle body with a cleaner made for Fords.

• 

  gear whine in 5th gear - 2012 Ford Fiesta
  By ironroad99 - December 2 - 9:04 am

  Like everything about this car except transmission gear whine in 5th gear (manual transmission), like traveling on the highway so not good. Dealer says they will rebuild the transmission but Im thinking there is too big of downside to that. Waited a long time to get a new car and a Ford so really dissapointing, will probably drive a year and trade.

• 

  Very Disappointed - 2011 Ford Explorer
  By nancyo40 - December 1 - 12:33 pm

  I purchased my 2011 Ford Explorer this past summer and I love the look of it but as far as issues thats all I seem to have with it. Since day 1 Ive had wind noise in my windshield and it may been on one side one day and on the other the next. Ive had it in to 2 different Ford dealers which total 5 times plus I went into another dealer and they had no idea whats causing it as well. Ive had everything possible changed including the entire windshield and its still making noise but not constantly. Now its back in the Ford shop for the windshield noise, my transmission also is not shifting correctly, a noise in my speedometer, and my MFT Navigation screen went blank the other day.