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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  Love your car - 2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By Luisa Friedrich - July 2 - 8:36 pm

  The Explorer Sport Track has to be one of the coolest vehicles made. Durable, comfortable; even with a small bed with the tail gate down and the cage opened I can manage to get two dirt bikes in the back, so the small bed is good if you dont want a full size truck. I love the way it drives nice and quiet for a truck. It has plenty of power to haul a load, but yet cool enough to take friends and family on a trip. It is black with two tone grey leather interior and it also has painted bumpers and let me tell you when you clean this thing up it looks amazing! I plan to keep this truck a long time, it has been my favorite!

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  2006 Fusion - 2006 Ford Fusion
  By Cathy - July 2 - 11:40 am

  I am very happy with my 2006 Ford Fusion. It handles very well and I love the roominess of it. I also get a lot of comments from people about it. I get stopped in parking lots and asked how I like my car. They say they see the commercials for it, but that its the first one that theyve actually seen. My car is black and when its just washed, I have to admit its really sharp.

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  97 T-bird is a Great Choice - 1997 Ford Thunderbird
  By 97TBIRD - July 2 - 2:00 am

  The 97 Thunderbird is one of the greatest cars ever to hit the streets. I bought mine at a nearby dealership just last week at 154,000 miles. There was absoulutly nothing wrong with it. It is still strong and the V8 gives lots of power and even better performance. I wish that Ford would continue to make them. Retro can stay in the past!! I highly reccomend the Ford Thunderbird to anyone who wants a decent, reliable, and fun-to-drive car.

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  Terrific Taurus - 1999 Ford Taurus
  By KellyT - July 2 - 2:00 am

  I got this as my first car, and am completely in love with it. It has 75K on it, and the only fixing I had to do was when I got into a fender bender( it held up great)

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  Great Used Car w/ Plenty of Extras - 2001 Ford Taurus
  By RobthehubofMisty - July 2 - 2:00 am

  I love my SEL. It is more luxurious than I thought it would be. I happened to luck up on this car at a used car dealer and I have been very pleased with its reliability. I considered spending more for an import, but Im glad I trusted this Ford. It is one of the more solid cars Ive ever owned. Fuel economy is decent, as I have the larger engine. Ride is very comfortable and extremely quite and smooth. For the money, the Taurus has to be one of the best deals out there in terms of reliability, fuel economy, comfort and performance. I give the Taurus SEL 2 thumbs up. Nice.

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  2000 Windstar - 2000 Ford Windstar
  By oneil53 - July 1 - 10:00 am

  The Windstar has been an exceptional value, with excellent gas mileage, road handling and comfort for long trips. I have driven it to Georgia with 5 people comfortably.

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  2002 Sport Trac - 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By briemarine - July 1 - 10:00 am

  All my life, I have owed Chevys; but, not anymore. I love my Sport Trac. It has power, durability and it is fun to drive. Sure beats the cumbersome Chevy Silverado 2500 Lemon I had.

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  Better than expected - 2000 Ford Expedition
  By laurelmt - July 1 - 10:00 am

  Bought 2 at the same time. The Expidition was a choice of going bigger rather than smaller. Bought it new off the dealer lot, and had no problems with the truck. It has had a great towing history with no problems handling a trailer at the top of the load capacity. Never experienced any of the unstability that some people have claimed..However we drive is understanding it is a high 4WD TRUCK! We did however change all the fluids to synthetics and increased our fuel economy by over 2 miles to the gallon. With the 5.4 ltr that comes up to 16/21 average ratings.

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  This is a very reliable car! - 2001 Ford Focus
  By focusguy - July 1 - 10:00 am

  As my title says, this has been a very reliable car! I bought it new, with 5 miles on it, and it has performed wonderfully. It is a very comfortable car for both myself, at 270 pounds, and my wife, at 130 pounds, so it fits just about anyone! A very nice interior design. The exterior is also very pleasing. And the power... for the standard SP1 engine, I am quite impressed, you wont have any problems with this one.

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  CobraSVT - 2001 Ford Mustang
  By TTaco - July 1 - 2:00 am

  I love this car. It is a blast to drive! I dont care where I need to go as long as Im driving the Cobra I have fun doing it. I added a few modifications to increase the power and improve on the suspension and have it just how I wanted it. I would highly recommend this car.