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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  Avoid at All Cost!! - 1999 Ford Windstar
  By slbenz - January 8 - 10:00 am

  Purchased new in 4/99 and in the three years I have owned it, the van have been in the dealership four times for power doors that would not close all the way shut. The drivers door handle internals broke and at 29.5K miles, the transmission failed and had to be rebuilt. Gas mileage is poor, it was advertised to be 19 city 23 highway but in reality is closer to 15 city 20 highway and that is not with a full load. Handling and drivability is on par with the best. Also, there is too much wind and road noise that enters the cabin. Wont buy a Ford again.

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  Dont believe the hype! - 2016 Ford Fusion
  By Jimbo - January 7 - 7:46 am

  The car is incredibly noisy inside the cabin for such an expensive vehicle. Performance from the 2.0 Ecoboost is great for a 4 cylinder. Fuel mileage is rated at 34 mpg, but the best I have yet to see better than 30 on a long highway run. My V8 Mustang did better than that. It does get about 27 mpg combined. The transmission is very unpredictable. This is the one thing that really makes the car feel like a 4 cylinder. Dont pay for the tech package! I was really hoping the Sync system would have improved beyond its reputation by now, but it is about 50% useless - especially navigation. I am seriously thinking about replacing the factory system with an iPad but I would lose the only manual control of the heated steering wheel. The remote start works well with a great range. Its really nice to get in the car with pre-warmed seats and steering wheel.

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  Worst Ever - 2007 Ford F-150
  By Peter - January 7 - 1:04 am

  This is my 4th F150 Lariat since 2000 and probably the worst (Lariat Chrome edition). Ive had it for 2 years now and its been in and out of the shop on many occasions for engine bogginess (5.4L), transmission problems (transmission has now been rebuilt), brake problems (2 brake jobs already), backup sensor problems (replaced 2 so far). My lease expires in less than a year. Thank God! Ive had enough. I dont think I will be leasing another Ford truck again.

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  Pfffft - 1999 Ford Ranger
  By Ramndomguy32 - January 6 - 7:59 pm

  Lots and lots of never ending electrical problems from year 1. Constantly needed tune ups about every other oil change.

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  Needs Improvement - 2002 Ford Explorer
  By Morgan - January 6 - 12:07 pm

  AC makes rattleing noise, in the garage twice for check engine light. Gas mileage stinks. As soon as 36 mo. warranty was up, the rear grease seal on the rear drive began to leak. Cruise control works sometimes. Ford means fix or repair daily.

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  No more Fords for me - 2003 Ford Explorer
  By S - January 5 - 2:34 pm

  For a 5 year old vehicle I have had too many problems to count- my most recent the AC- I have had 2 different leak check and they cant find a leak- they dont have any idea of what the problem is and when my warranty expires I will have to pay out of my pocket several thousand dollars before I can have it fixed- great SUV- will never purchase Ford again

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  There are better minivans - 2003 Ford Windstar
  By JimBeam - January 5 - 7:17 am

  I inherited this vehicle from my father-in-law, who purchased this as a former "dealer car" in 2003. Its a good people mover, but was dated when new and is even worse now. We have had no major issues, but lots of minor ones. We have had all sorts of problems with electrical sensors going bad, each of which cost several hundred dollars to fix. We had the mysterious flickering interior lights problem (its a bad door sensor, if you are wondering) a tire pressure light that comes on for no reason, and a very expensive check engine light. I think Ford cut every corner they could think of when building this van and it shows.

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  No thanks, Ford U.S.A. - 2004 Ford Focus
  By jonny - January 3 - 2:46 pm

  Ford had managed to take an absolutely proper car and ruin it with their typical gotta-save-money-ta-build-em- trucks economics. Mine being plagued with the usual problems such as constant leaking coolant out of the thermostat, plastic clutch master cylinder that ruined the interior 3 times over, sticky butterfly valves on their revolutionary dual cam design, right...and on it goes.

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  Good Truck ,Not reliable - 2004 Ford Expedition
  By Brandon - January 1 - 12:08 pm

  This is my second Expedition, my other was an 03. While I do greatly apppreciate the interior design and roominess, the seats are not very supportive at all. My transmission went out at 60k miles, and I just put a new alternator in it. Now I am being told that the rear climate system needs a new motor. It thumps whenever you turn it on. It is just problem after problem with these Fords and I heavily reccomend you not buy one. I am going to trade in my Expedition for an 04 Chevrolet Tahoe LT. My Expedition is beautiful solid black with the chrome exhaust, but is certainly not beauiful for my pocket book! Go with the more reliable, cheaper to fix, better re-sale value GM Suvs. You will thank me

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  Beautiful-if you dont stand too close! - 2004 Ford Explorer
  By disappointed - December 30 - 11:17 am

  This SUV has some real problems cosmetically. The paint begins to peel after a few years, the panel on the liftgate cracks for no reason other than a bad design flaw, and the black trim on the doors fades and cracks after a few years. The worse thing about all of this is that after selling someone this SUV for $30,000, Ford will not stand behind one of their most expensive products and help the consumer out, especially when the design flaws and defective paint jobs are Fords own mistakes. As far as reliability, I have had no problems yet, but the transmission is pretty clunky, and will probably not last as long as it should. We had a 2000 model that needed a new tranny at 44,000 miles.