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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  Rest In Peace, Sandy. Well miss you. - 2006 Ford Expedition
  By Sawdust - July 27 - 9:50 pm

  We purchased ours new and owned it for 10 years. Ive never loved a vehicle more. It rode smoothly, handled like it was on rails, rain, snow or shine. It had a lot of room to haul stuff on trips to the beach loaded with entire family. Had plenty of room for my 67" son. Front seats were very comfortable, middle and rear seats were adequate. I drove it in 2 ft of snow without any issues whatsoever. In fact, this truck was a snowmobile! The long wheelbase makes it incredibly stable, and the AWD feature was just fine for anything I got into. I truly LOVED this truck. Sadly we lost her last weekend. My son was in an accident where he hit a telephone pole and rolled it. He walked away with only bumps and bruises! The fact that its a large, solidly built truck saved his life. Mechanically, we had zero problems until just over 100K miles. It was time to change the plugs, and like others - we had 3 break off in the head. That cost $$$ to fix. Several of the catalytic converters went bad causing the check engine light to come on. Another expensive fix. We had to replace the coils after 100K miles too. We had the bubbling that others have mentioned in the paint along the leading edge of the hood and the tailgate. Frustrating because we kept it clean and waxed. The grey trim along the bottom of the truck faded but theres a liquid you can apply that makes it look brand new. The truck was gorgeous the whole time we owned it. I was so proud of it. The 5.4 engine had a ton of power and pulled our 21 boat with ease. I absolutely LOVED my Expedition and we are in the market for another one. Needless to say, I highly recommend it.

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  Great Automobile - 2006 Ford Five Hundred
  By jimbo - July 27 - 4:53 pm

  First car I bought other than a Taurus for over 20 years and am very pleased. Great riding, extremely comfortable and spacious with room in the back.

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  what a suprise - 2004 Ford Focus
  By spoz - July 27 - 2:00 am

  Bought car for daughter, also have a Honda Accord. Suprised how quiet and peppy this car is. Much more power than a Civic that I was considering, and a lot less price!

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  Love my Excursion - 2003 Ford Excursion
  By andi lee - July 27 - 2:00 am

  This is the second Excursion we have owned. Our first model had the 7.3 diesel engine and was a 2000 model. We loved it too but was a bit noisey. After the new 6.0 diesel was available we opted for this newer model. This is a travelers dream. We average about 18mpg overall (includes intown miles). It is very comfortable and can get our entire family and "stuff" in the vehicle. It also pulls the hound out of a cattle trailer. Love my Excursion!

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  My Dream Truck - 2008 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By Woodchopper - July 26 - 5:46 pm

  I have had many vehicles, of all sorts. I have been looking at the Sport Trac since its debut in 2001, but wanted more than the 4.0 litre engine. Now with the V8 4.6 my dream truck is a reality, and the wait was worth it, more robust frame & suspension (IRS), better looks, plus overall refinements. I am over 61", comfort is great. I like the door handles (placement, appearance) and have no issue with the door pulls, seats, or anything else. The rubber floor covering is much easier to clean than carpet would be. I trailer two large ATVs at "highway speeds", passing & handling is spot on. I am very pleased with my Sport Trac, and have recommended it to others, friends and family included.

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  Satisfied F-150 Owner - 2004 Ford F-150
  By Paydirt - July 26 - 5:03 pm

  I bought this truck in early October, and have driven it appx 5000 miles, and to date, am very pleased with my purchase. I had a 2001 XLT SCab (4.6L), and it was a fine truck; however, this one is a big step-up in ride comfort; the 5.4L - 3V provides more noticable power in spite of the extra weight (SCrew vs. SCab & 2004 added design weight). I owned 2 Z- 28s from 91 to 01, and am used to engine power, and this truck has all the power I want. Im not racing from red light to red light anyway. Since 2500 miles my gas mileage ranges from 16.6 to 17.0 mi/gal. - not bad in my book.

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  Fun and reliable - 2003 Ford Focus
  By TTR9000 - July 26 - 10:00 am

  Fun and reliable is this car in two words. It is a fun car with a lot of pep. A lot of room and is very reliable dont let other peoples reviews deter you in getting this car because they say that it is unrealible. They are only saying this because that when the first focus came out their was a lot of recalls, but that was only like the first year and all of that is over with. I am glad their was recalls atleast they tell you about and fix the problem.

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  Powered by Ford - 2006 Ford Mustang
  By chris d - July 26 - 5:56 am

  I traded in my 03 GT for this one. Man let me tell you something, good call! Its black, fast, manual tranny, 18 inch rims stock. The cockpit is truly a thing of beauty. The old late 60s look is a real head turner. I get looks and comments all the time, from the young and old. This car blows my 03 GT out of the water. The power throws you back into the seat!

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  Fantastic - 2005 Ford GT
  By Brandon Hills - July 26 - 2:00 am

  it rides so smoothly whats not to ask

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  Great Expectations - 2004 Ford Focus
  By Davie L - July 26 - 2:00 am

  are met by this little SVT Focus. I havent had it long, but cant resist reviewing it with a rave. I have been looking at it and others for months. I was going to wait for the new mustang, but just had to have this little silver 3-door svt. The last one in my area and a good deal did the trick. The SVT embodies just the type car I have always loved: small, high revving, great handling little rockets [vw scirocco, fiat 124 spyder, 131 brava, 128 4 dr., new beetle - well the last 2 werent rockets]. It has not disappointed. Its fun to drive. The styling is just fine. Car and Driver magazine is right about the 10 best this one sure belongs.