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 - 1999 Ford Mustang
  By rashad - September 17 - 2:00 am

  Great car if you can afford the insurance and dont have children. Not a lot of room to haul anything, so dont plan any trips with more than two lightly packing adults.

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  Not a bad van - 1996 Ford Windstar
  By ed - September 17 - 2:00 am

  My Windstar has been very dependable up to 50k miles. It has the 200hp engine so its got some get up and go. The ride is comfortable and handles well. The oil pan had a leak that had to be fixed twice under warranty. The CD player wont eject half the time. I almost bought a Explorer sport, the van was so much nicer.

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  Turbo went out, causing smell of fire & smoke - 2016 Ford Explorer
  By Nicole - September 16 - 12:42 pm

  I leased my 2016 Platinum in Oct 2015. March driving home on my commute, on a hwy I received an error that my off road traction had been turned off, didnt know that it was on, and looking at dial it wasnt on. Just moments after that error came up I began to smell something burning. I thought it was from outside in the air so wasnt too bothered. As I went another couple miles, now on city streets the smell got stronger and by the time I got home a few more streets away I was very worried. I got out and my car was smoking but not on fire. I had it towed to the dealership for service. For the first couple days they couldnt figure it out and had a Ford Engineer come out and investigate. They determined that the turbo had gone out, not sure if that was the real problem or just their way around something more severe. Problem fixed. Just a couple weeks ago my cross traffic and blind spot fault came up, and this was during Thanksgiving, so waited until after the holidays to call for service. During that time went in for work and came out at 5:30pm to find my vehicles side mirrors folded in, so got in my car and they wouldnt open up, I tried to open up my windows to manually push the driver side mirror out, and the window wouldnt open for both driver and passenger. It is so dark during this season, but still drove home. I do not recommend driving at all with no side mirrors for any amount of distance. This 40 miles home in the dark on a freeway was beyond stressful. As I exit the freeway, another fault comes up - tire pressure fault. I take it in the next morning without an appt. I had to rent a car for 2 days since they wouldnt cover it. They reset the codes and all is fine. I pick up and 3 hours later all the same errors and window and mirrors go back to acting up. I drop it off at service Saturday morning and no one is there. I talk to the Sales Manager and let him know what is going on and tell him I will not pay for a rental, and that Ford will be picking up the bill. He did not hesitate as I have 3 kids in the car. It is now Tuesday, and I havent heard from service manager regarding my car being there. Not sure what is going on, but this really worries me that it is so easy for them to just reset the codes and not actually fix the problem. Overall I love everything about this vehicle, and hope that this does not continue after I purchase it.....extended warranty is in my future.

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  Itme to put down Ol betsy - 1994 Ford Taurus
  By Mpdsville1 - September 16 - 2:00 am

  I picked this one up with 50k on it in 96. My taurus now has 235,000 miles one it, which may be a record. The AXOD tranny in this vehicle dropped dead at 190k, due to a design issue. The issue is plastic parts in it. Clearly a stupid move on fords part. The tranny is now ready for another rebuild, and ill not spring for another one, so ol betsys off to the glue factory. That being said, this car has served me so well its suprising. at 230k miles on the engine, it doesnt burn oil and runs great winter and summer. If it werent for the tranny experience, Id buy another one..

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  Probe LX - 1991 Ford Probe
  By Sant - September 16 - 2:00 am

  The V6 LX 1991 was a good find. The depreciation of the value made it more worthwhile to look at. I dont think you can get a car at this price and the kind of performance it still offers. 18/20 MPG in city driving is quite economical. I had only some heating problem due to some radiator damage. Cant blame Ford for anything. Keep in mind though, the Automatic might not last beyond 130K. Factor in that cost and you are set for a 200 K V6 car that still looks great.

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  Excellent car overall, but repairs are frequent - 2007 Ford Five Hundred
  By International Emergency Vehicle Repsonses - September 15 - 8:41 am

  I like my Ford Five- Hundred SEL 3.0L V6. Overall, excellent car. The main problem im having right now is ride comfort, transmission being to lurky, and repairs. It is not as reliable as my 2007 Toyota Highlander Sport 3.3L V6 3R, but the dealer support is a lot better. I take my car to quick- lane, and they are super nice people, love the vending machines in the waiting room and I like the fact that they are honest- they focus more on quality repairs than making a profit, which is very impressive. It has had a lot of drivetrain problems: Many engine leaks and problems, some transmission problems and the occasional brake problems, but too be fair, I should take better care of it, getting the oil changed more, etc. I like the interior, nice cloth seats and the legroom is amazing. I love how the center console is level with the seats, because everytime I drive it, my dog sits on the armrest/ center console and he loves it there, you know he feels safe and hes next to me, so we both love it. Handling in snow is great, considering it is Front Wheel Drive, way way better snow handling than my Toyota Highlander. Transmission lurches everytime I change gears, which is annoying and the car is too low to the ground, so much so that when driving over a speed bump, one can hear the "pleasant" sound of the undercarriage scraping the bump, and backing out of driveways, you hear the famous scrape sound that my car is notorious for. I could take better care of it though, and Im a Ford fan till the end. Its not my preferred style of vehicle, Id like an SUV or pickup, but its a great car overall. I bought it new in 2008 for $7500 after it was my work car

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  Solid Vehicle - 1995 Ford Taurus
  By cb20234 - September 15 - 2:00 am

  Just a very solid, roomy, no-frills car. Bought the car with approx. 70,000 mi. on it, drove it until 150,000 mi. when it was totalled. Did not have to make any major ($100+) mechanical repairs. When the transmission goes, it is brutally expensive, but I have had two Tauruses the first made it to 160,000 mi, the second was fine at 150,000 mi. At that point, you dont fix it, just junk it. All in all, solid, reliable and comfortable.

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  Does not miss a bump!!! - 2004 Ford Expedition
  By Unhappy Suv Family - September 13 - 10:00 am

  On smooth raods the vehicle is great,But let there be a small bump,an uneven or the slightly bumpy freeway>> Good Lord!! The vehicle shakes and jerks your body to the point you are slowing down looking to avoid the small ruts,holes or any thing else causin this monster to jump up and down. The ride is very harsh!!! Too bad I test drove this on some pretty smooth streets or I wouldnt have bought it!! Now Im look for replacement suspension!!Can any one HELP? Dont ask the dealer... ?? THEY CLAIN THEREs NOTHING WRONG!! YEAH RIGHT!! Does not ride like my 1992 Nissan Pathfinder "IT WAS SMOOTHER!" WHAT HAPPENED FORD??

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  Poor - 2005 Ford Focus
  By Jeff Moses - September 13 - 10:00 am

  Just bought it mom and dad got it for me they bought it saterday night at 9 pm i drove it for 2 hours the next morring i washed it and drove it down the street and the clutch went out on my they will not alow us to get a nother on it only had 144 miles and we had it less then 12 hours and had to get it tow and they are fixxing it for free but this is the only one this happen to and the first one they are fixing should i be worred email hellfire3929@msn.com

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  Practical SUV - 2004 Ford Explorer
  By tatemark - September 13 - 10:00 am

  This is our second Explorer and we have been pleased with both. The improvements in the design, comfort and ride of the 2004 model are nothing short of amazing when compared with my trusty old workhorse 98. If you are looking for a reasonably priced mid- size SUV, look no further. Am looking forward to the development of the hybrid version--have enjoyed driving the Prius hybrid as a rental car and would love to have that kind of fuel economy in an SUV. As it stands now, we use the Explorer for carpool and hauling around town because of the mpgs. Other than that issue (which I admit is a big one) we love the car.