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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  Focus Rally Car! - 2005 Ford Focus
  By focuszombie - June 28 - 8:07 pm

  The Focus seems to take a beating in the reviews, but mine has been pretty much what I expected. I bought it used (lease return) and it was cheap transpo. Maintenance? Ive replaced brake pads once (Im at 42K miles), tires once, and done oil changes. Thats it. Not bad. Resale value? Holding its own with current gas prices. I downsized from a Ranger 4x4 the Focus is like driving a sports car to me. Mountain roads are more fun and the road trip to Trona where my Focus left a Toyota PreRunner 2 miles in the dust on desert dirt roads, now that was a blast! Ford, whyd you kill the hatchback? Hatchbacks rule for small car utility and capacity. Bring it back! Yeah, I like mine!

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  Only OK - 2000 Ford Taurus
  By OK - June 26 - 12:58 pm

  I have a 2000 Taurus with 140,000 miles on it. Besides basic maintenace, there are things that Ive had to get fixed. A lot of the sensors went bad an they had to be replaced. That cost about $200. The fans for the airconditioner went bad and had to be replaced. That was a about $600. Finally at 139,000 the transmission had to be rebuilt. That was $1600. This car is OK. I recommend not keeping it after 100,000 miles.

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  Wish i would have bought a Chevy - 1995 Ford Contour
  By Dave - June 22 - 7:58 am

  I loved this car when I first bought it and I didnt have any problems with it other than the seemed like hundreds of recalls on it. After a year at 98,000 miles i had to put a new engine in it, Ive had problems with the brakes which seem to always have a problem, i dont know what they were thinking with those cup holders, and the head rest, which were all broke within the first month, then at 160,000 miles I had to put another new engine in it, and now I need to put rear brake lines on it and you have drop the gas tank and take rear suspension parts out of the way just to get to them. If it wasnt for the price of gas or a new car I would have junked it a long time ago.

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  Ok, Its a Van - 1998 Ford Windstar
  By Muddman - June 20 - 9:53 am

  Bought this Windstar back in 2000 and have driven about 167000 miles with it. Only once did we have a tranny replaced, but I dont remember the mileage. Also had an incident when it refused to shift coming back from a ski trip in WV. Nursed it back, to find that it was a faulty computer chip. Have taken numerous trips to MI (about 1000 mile each way) and has always been solid. The only real issue with my van is that, in the summer it "bings" at you when the driver side door is open and continues to "bing" until you reach 15 mph. The whole time the interior lights will stay on, and the door ajar light stays on. Have had this problem twice. Aparently its a harness in the steering colum.

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  I dont like the interior fabric - 2006 Ford Freestyle
  By Stacey - June 18 - 9:17 pm

  From the moment I sat in my Ford Freestyle I knew it was the right van for me! As time has gone on I only have one complaint "the interior fabric on the seats are terrible!" Having 2 children it seems impossible to keep the car seats clean! When it rains and I open my door to get in and some rain drops hit my seat, oh well there is another stain! The smallest amount of water leaves a big water spot! In the last 2 years I have spent over $400 getting the seats cleaned. Other than the fabric, I love my Freestyle!

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  Fair quality truck - 2000 Ford Expedition
  By mikeg - June 17 - 11:23 pm

  this truck had 3 problems so far. The differential had a recall, and the dealer didnt have the tool to repair it a year after they sold it to me. Next the wiper motor had a recall for fires. Next, the rear wiper locks up intermintantly. This vehical definitly drives like a truck, feeling unstable over 60mph. Not supprised though. The truck is comfortable and lots of room inside. Major drawback is after 18 months of payments (at .9apr, I still owe $30k, but the trade in and resale value is only $20k. Major depreciation! Unless youre keeping it long term, not a good deal. Better off leasing if you can negotiate a good deal.

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  Money pit - 1998 Ford Contour
  By John - June 16 - 4:18 pm

  We purchased this car with 98,000 miles on the odometer from a reliable individual wed dealt with before. Heres a short list of whats gone wrong with the car: 1st year: The fuse block had a meltdown and had to be replaced ($500). 3rd year: At appx. 120,000 miles the transmission failed ($1,000). 4th year: Battery coupling ($100) Theres other numerous repairs that have added up to over $5,000.These are not normal wear and tear items, just poor design. The worst thing is that we paid $4800 for the car and after all the repairs we couldve actually bought a good car.

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  Worth Nothing after 60,000 Miles - 2004 Ford Explorer
  By drmac - June 16 - 2:15 pm

  I bought my Explorer XLT brand new. I had "electronic" issues within the first six months. I had to have the instrument panel replaced twice. Afterwards, I was relatively pleased with the vehicle prior to 50,000 miles or so, but as soon as the Explorer was out of the warranty, everything went wrong. In the past 12 months, Ive had to replace all the seals on the transmission, replace the bushings, front hubs, alternator, keyless entry keypad, backup sensors, and the emergency brake. I have my Explorer serviced on the recommended schedule and still have had to have the vehicle towed three times, leaving me stranded.

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  It could be better for the money! - 2004 Ford Escape
  By I Got Suckered! - June 16 - 11:23 am

  This was my first brand new car I bought for myself. The excitement of it all jaded my common sense. This is a very loud ride! Even with new tires, a new alignment job, new brakes, and new rotors. $400 later at 30k its still loud and I have to blast my radio to hear it over the hummm. The interior is very cheap. My son sits on the seat and within the first month of owning it, the carpet where the seat and cushion meets was frayed and looked 4 yrs older. The sun/moon roof did not open & close properly from about 1 month in. The gas mileage is horrendous even with new airfilters and driving in overdrive! To top it off, I pay way more than I feel its worth.

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  Functional but not very reliable - 2001 Ford Expedition
  By Ken - June 15 - 4:22 am

  Im a big guy 64", so the roominess is highly valued for me. Its also great for families and to lug things around. But I now have 125k miles on it and the front and rear differentials just went - $3 grand for that and I just dumped another $1,500 into it a few months ago. A lot of minor things have also gone wrong -- back windshield wiper broke, cruise control broke, cup holder broke, etc. And I am not hard on this car. I baby it. I get 15mpg, so thats a tough one too, but I knew that when I bought it. I just didnt know gas was going to be $5 a gallon!