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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  Solid - 1996 Ford Explorer
  By Hubbell - April 24 - 4:19 am

  Purchased new in 1996 it is my wifes primary vehicle it has been driven across the US twice hauling trailers from 3-5K both times.

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  Freestyle Fiasco - 2005 Ford Freestyle
  By Nancy Triner - April 24 - 1:06 am

  Dumb me! Didnt take a 24 hour test drive. New engineers needed at Ford. Horrible road noise, very loud turn signals and windshield wipers, blind spots, vibration in pedals when braking, rear seats rattle, very sensitive steering. What a mistake!

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  FX2 - 2007 Ford F-150
  By Problem Solver 706 - April 23 - 7:43 pm

  I bought my truck when they were giving an incentive to push out the old and in with the new. I love my truck better than the 2006 Silverado I owned prior. The style and elegance are outstanding followed by a great ride. I put it on the road from GA to VA Beach and it road great.

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  So Far So Good - 2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By coach - April 23 - 3:30 pm

  The truck is a great family vehicle. Comfortable for the commute and great for light home owner hauling. 4WD works well and pulls great. The only complaints are the poor location for the seat warmers and the squeaky drivers seat. The seat warmer needs to be moved to the dash area where you will not bump it while getting in. The drivers seat squeaks and was told by Ford, "Dont know why." Other than that it is a great car. I can not complain about the fuel, because I know it is a truck. Looking forward to the 8 cylinder.

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  Not bad for a Ford - 2015 Ford Fusion
  By Clayton - April 23 - 12:40 pm

  My Nissan Altima was totaled and Enterprise gave me a 2015 Ford Fusion for 2 weeks while the insurance company and I worked out the details. Overall, the car was pretty solid and I was fairly satisfied with it overall. Pros: Personally, I loved the climate control, backup camera, automatic headlights, and the bluetooth feature. Cons: There were definitely glitches with the "MyFord" technology, handling was pretty average, and my biggest complaint was that I believe there are some serious blind spots on this car, particularly on the driver side. Its difficult to explain, but switching lanes was not easy in this car because some unnecessary cosmetic plastic on the inside of the car. Lastly, the ceiling seemed a bit low and the two seats in the front were unnecessarily big. Feel like you probably will get more room in comparable Japanese full size sedans. Overall: I enjoyed the car, but I still think any comparable Japanese car is better (Altima, Maxima, Camry, Accord, etc). I think Ford is probably the best American auto maker, but I purchased a 2014 Altima and its definitely nicer. Regardless, the car was very smooth driving and you could definitely do a lot worse.

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  Never ending money pit - 2000 Ford Windstar
  By wbazinau - April 23 - 12:10 pm

  Bought this van in 2005 with 100,000. Miles. I had it checked at local Ford dealer before purchase and they said it was perfect? since, then new transmission, brakes, lots of rust, shocks, struts, check engine light wont stay off, interior lights go on when they want and wipers only work when they want.

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  More fun than my Mustang - 1997 Ford Probe
  By kingbell4 - April 23 - 11:22 am

  Bought in 06 with 77k on it. Now has 112k miles. Only problem was a sensor that went out. Fun to drive! Great in rain/snow. Flashy little car. Definitely not made to haul people in - back seats arent very roomy, but its a sports sedan. I just cant believe its performance. Can definitely hold its own, and I get about 29 miles per gallon doing 80mph every day! It rocks! Wish they still made these!

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  Researcher - 2008 Ford Taurus
  By worthitall - April 23 - 10:36 am

  After lots of research and looking we settled on the 08 Taurus Limited. Roomy, comfortable, good looks, features. still disappointed in gas mileage. Only getting 23 to 24 on highway, but just now hitting the 1K mileage mark. Hope it improves.

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  My New Edge - 2008 Ford Edge
  By TamzLynn - April 23 - 10:27 am

  I absolutely loved driving my big Ford Expedition, but because of gas prices and $100 fill-ups, my husband & I decided to buy something smaller. I was very worried about feeling comfortable in a "smaller" vehicle b/c Im 510" and having enough leg & head room was a big problem in most of the vehicles that I test-drove. The Edge is a great CUV. It has a lot of pep and it handles really well. In the Edge feel like I have more leg room in the backseat that I did in my Expedition. We took it on our first road trip and we were able to fit luggage for 4 people and still had room to spare. I cant say enough good things about the SYNC system...LOVE IT

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  Poor gas mileage - 2006 Ford Fusion
  By MUSKIEFISHER - April 23 - 10:00 am

  Fun to drive, looks great, had lots of good comments on it. Was very road noisy on cement pavement. Tires really hum. Changed to Nito tires and much better. Gas mileage is terrible. 20MPG avg with most miles at speeds of 45 -55. Best I ever got was 24.6 on a trip all highway mileage. I do not pound the pedal so it is not driver abuse.