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:

• 

  Great first car if in good condition - 2000 Ford Escort
  By cjbe2 - October 1 - 6:20 pm

  I have owned this car for just under a year and am happy with it. It has 140000 miles, but still runs strong. Not the prettiest car inside or out, but for a family on a budget with a teenager that just started driving, this is a great car

• 

  REALLY!!!! - 2012 Ford Focus
  By shebamidnightr - September 29 - 9:54 am

  I bought my focus brand new and for the first two years it ran like a dream the gas was good the car is cute then one day my car just randomly starts cutting off while in motion I took it to ford and they didnt and wouldnt fix it Ive been to the dealership at least 4 times in the last month just to end of being told that its the fuel pulposion system and that its 2000.00 to fix and by the way it isnt covered under warranty!

• 

  Still young with under 400 miles on the vehicle - 2014 Ford Escape
  By james_p - September 28 - 10:55 am

  With me medically retiring from the military and getting a service dog, it was time to retire our Suzuki SX4 for something bigger, and with us moving to Maine it had to have AWD. We had looked at Subarus but the Ford dealer was able to give us a substantial discount to make this less than a Subaru, so we bit. Wonderful little SUV, love the way that the AWD starts out in AWD and shifts to FWD as you are cruising. Fuel econ has been great, and the kids are comfortable in the rear, with the dog in the back it fits us perfectly. Going to have to do a few trips to get her to 1k miles before we move to tow a trailer, but that should not be an issue with how nice she drives. Will do an update.

• 

  Very Smooth & Sporty - 2014 Ford Focus
  By bogs2000 - September 28 - 3:07 am

  Im so happy that I decided to buy this car. It is very smooth, nimble, agile, and sporty. The titanium hatchback model could compare to most of expensive luxury sub compact European cars. You feel very stable when driving this car specially on tight turns. With only 2.0 engine, it feels very strong and the car can accelerate much quicker compare to other sub compact cars with the same engine size.

• 

  Such a shame - 2012 Ford Fusion
  By tbowen - September 27 - 9:20 am

  I had a 2009 Ford Fusion I adored. Started having some issues at 105,000 so I traded for the 2012 Fusion. Man did they ruin a wonderful car with the changes. I hate the weak underpowered 4 cylinder in it. Gas mileage is about 28 mpg overall. Seats are hard and uncomfortable. The worst part is the transmission problems they cant seem to fix in the newer Fusions. It slips, shifts hard and jerks you, shudders trying to go up a hill etc. Had it in the shop and told after a computer update that it will fix itself! What a joke. AVOID this car!

• 

  Best vehicle Ive ever owned - 1999 Ford Expedition
  By shawm - September 26 - 9:08 pm

  I bought my baby new and it has 230,000 miles on it. No major problems, only routine maintenance (tires, batteries, brakes, oil changes, tune ups) over 15 years. I had to replace the heater/A/C diverter door at 227,000 miles at a cost of $237.00 at a body shop and now the park lights wont turn off after replacing the battery. Those are minor issues. Its in the shop now and regardless of cost, it will be repaired and Ill continue to drive it. It still looks great inside and out. I love it! I recently purchased a new car due to the high mileage and I hope my new Nissan (not a SUV) is as dependable. Would have purchased another Expedition, but I dont like the new body style.

• 

  FORD Focus Electric Super Batteries - 2013 Ford Focus
  By eaa - September 26 - 7:40 pm

  I have had a FORD Focus Electric for 2 years now. In the Phoenix heat most batteries loss capacity from the extreme heat. The FFE seems to have beat that with their Tesla like liquid cooled battery pack. I have not lost even 1 % by checking with my SCAN GAUGE from Linear Logic in the OBD2 port .

• 

  Do not Purchase - 2014 Ford Focus
  By colo4o - September 26 - 10:18 am

  The car has transmission problems and Ford will not stand behind them. Search the web and see the problems. As en engineer i am saying make another choice!!

• 

  What A Hassle - 2013 Ford Focus
  By husker1960 - September 24 - 4:58 pm

  Bought a brand new 2013 Ford Focus Titanium with all the options including navigation and the handling package which comes with 20,000 mile summer tires that are ridiculously expensive to replace. We had severe transmission noise from day one. The transmission was grinding really loud along with some clunking noises, people walking or riding a bicycle would stare at a brand new car wondering what was wrong with it. In 4000 miles the car was in the shop four times for transmission issues over a six month period. The local Ford dealer finally agreed to replace the transmission control computer, it took three weeks to get the part in from China, it didnt fix the problem.

• 

  Practical till 130k - 2007 Ford Freestyle
  By carsnobby - September 24 - 2:33 pm

  Ive been very happy with my Freestyle for the last 100k miles and 4 years...but once we hit 130,000 miles the car has developed several squeaks, rattles and several expensive repairs. In the last 3 months we have put $2600 into it. - $830 for a inner tie rod that cracked - $1825 for ball joints & control arms This car eats tires (have put on 3 sets of high mileage tires since 20k miles). Also has had 2 complete break jobs. Beyond the tire usage, it was a relatively cheap car to maintain, until the last 3 months. The car is getting to expensive to maintain and I am doubting its future reliability.