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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  Average to Good - 1997 Ford Explorer
  By Matt Price - May 8 - 9:39 am

  Generally a good vehicle. I would improve the speakers (start failing after 6 yrs), the dash lights go out, and the console material cracks. The car is good for utility use and handles bad weather nicely. Feels like the mileage could be better given the engine size. Program for fuel injection may not be optimized. I get better mileage running the AC than without.

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  Going great so far - 2005 Ford Explorer
  By Okay for Us - May 8 - 9:17 am

  Bought new, no troubles with engine at all. Rear hatch lifters had to be replaced and was done under warranty. My gas mileage runs around 16 mpg mostly in city. Wish it were better!

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  Pretty good, needs work - 2007 Ford Ranger
  By VulcanVxx - May 8 - 12:47 am

  This was my father and Is first pickup truck and overall we are pretty satisfied. Its a decent size, good off-road cap, good quality, reliable, good-looking, and fun to drive. The only thing i have a problem with is the gas mileage. During the winter i averaged about 13.7 City and 18.5 highway and during the summer about 15.7 city and 20.3 highway. This could be better.

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  A not so Economy Car - 2002 Ford Focus
  By Pele - May 7 - 10:43 pm

  This is a poorly build car, plain and simple. I have had to replace the ignition switch twice and just finished rebuilding the tranny and theirs only 54000 miles on the car. I could accept that maybe we were unlucky and got a dud, but my brother in law has one and has had similar problems.

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  Never Again - 2003 Ford Explorer
  By Chris - May 7 - 8:19 pm

  I purchased my vehicle new and have been religious about maintenance since day one. I can honestly say this has been one of the worst car experiences of my life. Ive had numerous problems beginning with just 15K miles including power window motor failure - leaking tranfer case(30K) - ball joints (40K) - paint defects (50K) - strut joints (70K) - transmission failure (100K) and alot of other things. All this added up to incredible unforseen expenditures - the tranny being $800 alone. I have never towed with this vehicle, not drove it harshly. I stayed with this car way too long Lessons learned the hard way.

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  Great car until you have to put gas in - 2006 Ford Mustang
  By scott - May 7 - 3:31 pm

  We bought the car new 2/06. By August had trouble fueling it. Ford said some cars are hard to put gas in. They did nothing about. Will not do anything about it even under warranty. For me, it cured me of ever owning a Ford again. Much less a mustang

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  Love the Lil Red Car - 2000 Ford Focus
  By InFocus - May 7 - 2:13 pm

  I bought my used Focus SE sight unseen from the local dealership to save wear on my F-150. I now have 230k miles on it and still love driving it. Only major problem was a ignition switch. I keep it tuned and have normal maintenance done. It has paid for itself many times over. I heard about all the issues shortly after buying it and was prepared for the worse. Thanks Ford for building a great little car.

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  Nice - 2005 Ford Explorer
  By D McIntyre - May 7 - 1:33 pm

  A very nice ride. Comfort is great. Ease to use. Like it alot.

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  Great car, underrated - 1999 Ford Contour
  By JimmySmitty - May 7 - 8:37 am

  The Contour is whats known as the Mondeo in the rest of the world. It was designed to be in the same area as cars such as the BMW 325i and Infinity G25. Its a great car and has more power than it seems. The SVT version is a very fast and powerful car and many people underestimate the Contour overall. Its a fun car and has never given me any major problems to date. I have owned a 1996 GL with the I4 ZeTec and currently have a 1999 SE with the 2.5 V6 Duratec. Both are awesome.

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  Great early christmas present - 2009 Ford Escape
  By Lisa - May 7 - 4:40 am

  I love everything about this vehicle except the material they used for the seat covers looks very cheap. (so I will be getting some seat covers). Other than that is is wonderful.