Every car brand has made its fair share of mistakes over the years, and the ability to learn from them is what has kept the most successful ones afloat for so long. Ford is definitely one of those companies. The iconic brand ranks among the best American car manufacturers.
Ford is an established player that has been making uniquely designed cars from the past century like Taurus and Mustang, but even great and brilliant companies blunder. Ford has also made errors while designing a few of its infamous models and has learned the necessary lesson for good like many of its competitors. So, with that sapience, let's look at the models that put the company in the limelight for all the wrong reasons, and you can bet your bottom dollar, Ford still regrets these models today.
8 Aerostar
The Ford Aerostar is a van that was produced by Ford from 1986 to 1997.
It competed against the Chevrolet Astro/GMC Safari and the first two generations of Chrysler minivans as Ford's first minivan. It was introduced just before the Ford Taurus and was named after its slope-nosed "one-box" design.
Ideally, Ford should drop “star” from Aerostar as there is nothing starry about it, in terms of quality. Over the years, complaints from consumers have piled up concerning brake issues, head gasket failures, ignition switch fires, peeling paint, and stalling.
7 Aspire
Although the SUV boom dominated the 1990s, car manufacturers also needed smaller vehicles to meet the regulations. The Aspire was a mash-up car created by the collaboration of Ford, Kia, and Mazda. It is truly unfortunate, that even the combined power of the trusted trinity was not sufficient to make this car a success.
Though the Aspire was one of the cheapest cars, still its small size and lack of features seemed to turn off customers. Another major limitation was its underwhelming 63 horsepower output. No wonder, it could never race ahead of the curve.
6 Cortina
The Ford Cortina was introduced a few weeks before the London Motor Show in October 1962. It was launched with an 1198-cc three-bearing engine, which for all means and purposes was an enlarged version of the original Ford Anglia's 997-cc engine.
Though the Cortina is considered a classic, it has its share of issues. A common problem with a Ford Cortina is the clutch and the synchromesh between the second and third gears. Also, their bodies were prone to door, wing, and sill corrosion and rusting around the headlights.
5 Edsel
From 1958 to 1960, Ford marketed the Edsel automobiles. The Edsel brand was created to provide Ford the fourth brand to win market share from Chrysler and General Motors. They were named after Edsel Ford, the son of company founder Henry Ford. Edsel debuted a seven-model product line for its first model year, including four sedans and three station wagons.
The Edsel only built for two years was overhyped, pricey, ugly, and badly manufactured and timed. The botched program ultimately cost Ford a whopping $250 million. The so-called "car of the future" is now a cautionary case study in business classrooms.
4 Festiva
"Festiva" is obtained from the Spanish word "festive." Festiva, a subcompact car, marketed by Ford was sold in the Americas, Australia, and Japan. At Ford's behest, its first generation was designed by Mazda (in Japan). In February 1986, built as a three-door hatchback, it was launched in Japan with 1.1 and 1.3-liter engines.
One of Ford's most forgettable models, the Festiva was a Kia-based compact car sold by Ford at the end of the 1980s. The Festiva had a solid start foundation as a cost-effective compact car. However, its quality, which was mediocre at best, pushed purchasers away.
3 Fiesta
The Fiesta is a seven-generation supermini sold by Ford since 1976. The Fiesta was designed by Trevor Erskine's "Bobcat" team and approved by Henry Ford II in September 1972. When Fiesta arrived at the scene, it was Ford's smallest vehicle to date.
People did not throng to the Fiesta, even though the sale price was quite affordable. The interior was as simple as it could be, and the rear-seat space was at best inadequate. The performance of its 54 horsepower engine was neither able to excite or pull purchasers to the showrooms.
2 Pinto
The Pinto, a subcompact car, was marketed by Ford Motor Company in North America between 1971 and 1980. It was the first subcompact vehicle built by Ford in North America. Ford launched it on September 11, 1970, with the slogan "The Little Carefree Car." At the time of its launch, it was the smallest American Ford car since 1907.
The issues of Pinto were out in the open nearly from its inauguration. Its suspension and stock drum brakes were criticized by Road & Track, with the latter being dubbed a "severe flaw." Car & Driver cited considerable losses in mileage and acceleration. It was also named among one of Forbes' fourteen Worst Automobiles of All Time in 2004. Moreover, it also managed to get listed in Time magazine's list of the Fifty Worst Cars of All Time. Furthermore, it also secured a place among the most significant recalls by NBC News, Time, and Popular Mechanics.
1 Tempo
The Tempo was a compact car made by Ford from 1984 to 1994. Its design and production began in the late 1970s as Ford worked to develop a more aerodynamic design, ergonomic, and efficient philosophy. It was first introduced on May 26, 1983.
According to NYDailyNews.com, Tempo's second generation was the one with the most issues. There were huge recall issues for inadvertent acceleration and ignition concerns that might cause fires. Moreover, overall it was a dull model. This car might not have been on this list if the second generation wasn't there.