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:

• 

  Happy - 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid
  By Trekker9044 - July 28 - 11:40 am

  I have had this vehicle a few weeks and so far I am very happy with what I got for the money spent. The items that are noted as cons in the Edmunds review do hold true, but are not that big of deal in looking at the vehicle overall. I think the Escape handles well for an SUV and I enjoy driving it. The interior is nice and the cab is fairly quiet except when the engine is excellerating. I have only filled the tank on this vehicle 3 times so far. The first time I got 26mpg and the last two times I got 30mpg. This is a combo of freeway and city driving. I even drove it up the steep hills of San Francisco with three adults in it and still got 30mpg with good power.

• 

  Great vechile - 1996 Ford Explorer
  By JB_ok - July 28 - 10:00 am

  Very reliable, currently has 82000 miles. Only problem is blend door had to be replaced at 70K.

• 

  great ride - 2001 Ford Ranger
  By jeffrey.j.walters - July 28 - 10:00 am

  good truck, good power from 4.0

• 

  Great car...overall - 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid
  By carguy1002 - July 26 - 2:06 am

  I bought this car and took it on a 500 mile road trip the next day. I have the SE with 202A package. As most reviews say, dont expect 47mpg. I am getting 41mpg, and that is really trying (expect 37 driving normally, city or highway). I think this is good for a 3,700 pound car with a tall profile. The interior is really well built with great visibility. There is plenty of leg room in the back (though the bench is a little low). Only plan for 4 people though, the car is narrow. Good luggage space, you can easily get 2 VERY large suitcases back there (3 normal ones). The SYNC sucks. The screen looks nice and you get Sirius radio, and its affordable at $570, so I would buy it again.

• 

  Want to downsize to one vehicle? - 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By tracker464 - July 25 - 10:00 am

  The ST is about two-thirds car and one- third truck, which, along with its great looks, is why I bought it. We could sell a car and a truck and cut down on time-consuming checkups and maintenance/repair costs, tags, car washes, etc. It doesnt ride quite as smoothly as a luxury car, but its not as rough as a regular pickup either. It is so versatile, and you can see that the car/truck combo is really catching on by the dramatically increasing number of them on the road. If, like me, you just dont need something as big as an F150 (or similar) crew cab, I think the ST offers the most room and comfort of any smaller size crew cab out there.

• 

  Good so far - 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid
  By pappy56 - July 23 - 8:24 pm

  Only owned the car a couple of days but I love it. For a 3600 lb. vehicle with a 4 cyl. the acceleration is amazing. Handling is real good too. Traded in a 2010 Sport Fusion for it and it doesnt feel like I lost a lot. Gas milage so far for me is 37mpg so that will take some improvement. Seats are comfortable. The Blind Spot mirrors are somewhat of a throwback but they work. The power liftgate comes as advertised. Swipe your foot under the bumper to open or close. The panoramic sunroof does not open but its huge. The sunshade is slightly transparent so I can see this being a problem when the hot weather rolls in. It will take a long time to master MyFord Touch.

• 

  JP - 2000 Ford Focus
  By J.P.P - July 21 - 2:00 am

  Motor runs good but not even. The onboard computer makes the purformance go up and down.

• 

  My Focus Nightmare - 2001 Ford Focus
  By ARF - July 21 - 2:00 am

  This car has been a piece of junk since day 1. Transmission problems, shifter problems, power window problems. An on going problem with the trunk not staying closed. Been back to the incompetant liars at Bill Marine Ford about 15 times in 1 and a half years. Cant wait to get a Honda!

• 

  , - 2002 Ford Focus
  By ewwerweqr - July 21 - 2:00 am

  My car has been in the shop over 12 times in the past 6 months for the ignition switch problem, leaky trunk and squeaky breaks. Ford cant fix the ignition problem. Ive now contacted the Attorney General.

• 

  2017 4WD 2.0 L Titanium Very Impressive - 2 - 2017 Ford Escape
  By Chuck - July 20 - 8:52 am

  I test drove the 2017 4WD 2.0 L Titanium version but the Edmunds pull down menu has not been updated to include that as a review option. Excellent car. The only serious negative is that there is a lot road feedback on the steering wheel. The 2.0 L is an excellent choice with the 4WD as it never felt like it was lagging, very powerful. The interior is very nice and reasonably quiet in terms of road noise. A couple of things to me should be standard at this price point: the side mirrors should power fold, the rear seats should have pulls from the trunk that would let them fold down like the Subarus, heated steering wheel and vented/cooled seats like Hyundai/Kia offer (I have this on my Kia Optima now and with leather seats in the summer its a must).