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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  NEVER BUY THIS CAR!!! - 2007 Ford Five Hundred
  By cjculster - May 30 - 6:11 pm

  Bought mine used with only 100,000 on it and before 3 months had passed, the transmission computer was fried and I was getting an average of 15.5 mpg. Also the tires wear out really fast, the ones that came with the car had about 10,000 miles on them and one blew out in the first 5,000 miles I drove it, this may have been a lemon tire though so I dont know if its actually the car or not. The brakes clog up and dont work on gravel and/or snow.

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  500 A Good Choice - 2006 Ford Five Hundred
  By richtn1 - May 30 - 2:23 am

  I have enjoyed my Ford 500. It gets great gas mileage and has a very smooth but controlled ride. The only things I would change are the passenger seat and the tranny. The tranny needs a sport mode so the driver can select the gear manually during spirited driving. The passengers seat needs to be 8 way adjustable like the drivers seat. I cant imagine anyone hauling lumber in this nice interior.

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  ZX4 Focus 2005 Automatic - 2005 Ford Focus
  By Ken - May 29 - 7:26 pm

  No complaints, except placing a K & N Air Filter is an odyssey. Very difficult due to location.

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  LX SPORT - 2003 Ford Crown Victoria
  By Pete1935 - May 29 - 10:00 am

  This is not your grandpas Crown Vic! I have a black on black, VERY nice look! At first I wanted the Merauder but for $ 7,000 more Mercury can keep it. All thats lacking is about 60hp which with a couple of cheap add ons, youre right there. I intend to keep this car for a long time. The only thing it lacks is a sun roof and manual trans. Believe it or not!

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  Safest Full Size Sport Utility - 2003 Ford Expedition
  By Jsoko1 - May 29 - 10:00 am

  Previously had a 2000 Ford Expedition Eddie Bauer, until I was hit by an uninsured driver. I was forced off the road and crashed into a concrete overpass at an estimated 67 MPH. The highway patrol officer said that if I had been driving a Camry or Accord, the accident would have been fatal. I truly believe that the truck saved my life. If youre looking for a SAFE vehicle, look no further. With the SafetyCanopy side curtain airbag system and the Personal Safety System, you cant go wrong!

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  Lemon Alert! - 2003 Ford Expedition
  By Highly Dissatisfied! - May 29 - 10:00 am

  We conducted extensive research and fell in love with this vehicle -- then we brought it home. The dealer installed DVD system fell out of the ceiling after two repair attempts. The next week the interior flooded due to a defective AC drain hose, and this weekend it wouldnt start - totally dead. We went to pick it up tonight, and now the power seats are not working. The cigarette lighter stopped powering our cell phone, and the preset buttons are not functioning. And,the windshield antenna wont pick up any radio stations unless youre in the middle of a metro area. Weve had this SUV six weeks, but the dealer has had it more often than we have.

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  2003 Mineral Gray Cobra SVT - 2003 Ford Mustang
  By lfc9150 - May 29 - 10:00 am

  Ford finally put the "muscle" back in the muscle car. The acceleration is awesome, when the supercharger lights up you better hold on. When crusin you get the benefit of the progressive springs and think you are in luxury car. Drop down a gear or two and punch it and instantly you are in a race car. Dosent get any better. Thanks Ford, pride in ownership just went up to a "10".

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  Im very happy with it - 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid
  By josh chau - May 26 - 11:23 am

  I previously owned an 00 cirrus (18 mpg) and with the FFH (501A) Im getting exactly 38-41 mpg with moderately conservative driving in the hilly Boston areas over 1700 miles of driving. I got a 6.6% discount on MSRP. There is a small delay when immediate torque is requested (when compared to a small displacement V6), but acceleration is adequate. I think the FF 09 body style was sexier but 10 is not ugly. My experience on the HWY is more than 36MPG (more like 36-42 mpg) Im very happy and expect to keep driving this car for the next 10 years.

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  Accident waiting to happen - 2002 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By stewywerf - May 26 - 10:00 am

  I have had multiple problems with my Sport Trac. The fuel pump went out on me at 3,000 miles and it almost caused a large accident. Since the dealership replaced the fuel pump it has stalled on my 5 other times but the dealership wont take the time to diagnose the problem. I asked them if a technician could drive the vehicle for a week so they could properly diagnose it. They also had to replace my steering pump, replace an interior light, adjust my hood so it would latch properly and add a missing label.

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  Best Truck Ever - 2004 Ford F-150
  By diesel mechanic - May 26 - 10:00 am

  From my reviews and the personial evalutation on the 2004 F-150, I have seen gereat things with this model as in the sleek body look to the performance underneath the hood with 5.4. Liter engine.