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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  Despite what others say - 2000 Ford Windstar
  By Mike15 - December 2 - 2:00 am

  I have had my Windstar for nearly 3 years now and the only thing I had to do was replace the tires and brake pads. That was due to normal wear. I have had a very pleasurable experience with my Windstar. I plan to keep it and of course maintain it for many years. I do expect things to wear out over time like maybe the transmission after 130,000 miles like another fellow "complained" about, but it happens to every vehicle.

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  Worth Every Penny - 2003 Ford Explorer
  By Excited In San Diego - December 2 - 2:00 am

  I have now put on 1500 miles on my Explorer since mid February and have LOVED every mile. I just returned from a weekend in Joshua Tree and Naza- Borrego. The Explorer performed flawlessly on the 4X4 trails in Joshua Tree. The 4X4 Auto mode worked awesome, didnt ever need to put it in fulltime 4X4. The ride was supurb on the washboard trails and the suspension ate up all the bumps. The engine performs well in all aspects. (If I had anything to tow I would upgrade to the V8.) Ford did a great job with this redesign and I am quite pleased with everything to date.

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  Worst Truck Ever Built - 2003 Ford F-150
  By Adam2909093 - December 2 - 2:00 am

  This Truck was the biggest mistake in my life. I paid too much, and got a very poorly made, truck, that rattled down the road, and broke down, more then it ran. Dont buy this truck, What ever you do. Skip it, you be glad you did. Far as problems are concerned, there are too many to list. About the only thing that was good was the A/C and the sound system was good. besides that. Nothing else was good.

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  Ford Focus - 2002 Ford Focus
  By lauren mattatall - December 2 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle is fun to drive and excellent as far as gas mileage is concerned. The Ford Focus that I bought last year has been great for me, an on- the-go student.I love road trips and this car has proven itself. It can go anywhere reliably and for very little money. I have had only one problem, with the CD player, but it gets used A LOT! Ford fixed it with no problem.

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  F-150 - 2005 Ford F-150
  By TONE251 - December 1 - 5:40 pm

  AN AWESOME AND FUN TRUCK TO DRIVE. POWER AND TORQUE ARE GREAT FOR TOWING!

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  Great car, so-so mileage on AWD - 2007 Ford Freestyle
  By Brendan - December 1 - 5:08 pm

  Bought it used with 13400 miles on it. Have run two fuel tanks through it now in two weeks. Great handling for a big car. Much better than the 06 Taurus it replaced. Comfort, handling and space utilization is outstanding. 2nd and 3rd row seats dont have any legroom issues. Taller people (511"+) cant use the 3rd row headrests as they hit the headliner first if they lean back. No issues with upright seating position. Worst issue is that with an 80/20 city/highway mix Im getting about 16.5 mpg. Worse than Id expected. Dont think AWD is worth the mileage hit. Engine does get a bit noisy above 2500 rpm. A friend bought an 07 explorer same weekend. He likes mine better.

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  Reliable/versatile/exceeds expectations - 2001 Ford Escape
  By Ray in Northern VA - December 1 - 3:18 pm

  I bought this a month after buying a BMW 330i, thinking IÂ’d drive the Ford in the winter and on the beach near my parentsÂ’ home in MD. A year later, my wife dumper her unreliable VW and absconded with my Escape. She loves it. The reliability difference between the BMW and Ford is stark. The Ford, with 115k miles has required only one repair. We recently replaced the stabilizer bar links (2 at $12/each + $40 for labor). All other maintenance has been routine or wear- related (oil changes, fluid flushes, brakes, etc). We love the reliability. It handles extremely well in snow, and light off- road conditions. Most maintenance is relatively inexpensive.

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  Good little car - 2007 Ford Escape
  By bobb209 - November 30 - 9:07 pm

  Ive had my Escape for a year now and it has been an excellent vehicle. Its just the right size for a suburbanite like me. I can load 20 bags of mulch in the back with the back seats folded down or a 20 inch tv in the box, but the car is still easy to drive and park. I am a low mileage driver, but still I have not had one problem with the Escape. The ride is not as smooth as a sedan, but on the one trip I took from Milwaukee to Minneapolis the ride was good. Ive read elsewhere that the aceleration of Escape with automatic transmission was supposed to be sluggish, but I find it to be vey quick and have had to ease up on the accelerator compared to other cars Ive had.

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  First New Ford - 2007 Ford Expedition
  By jyoz - November 30 - 8:36 am

  This is my 1st new Ford. Like the car, but there have been some electrical gremlins (a/c fan, dvd, rear door, cd player). I have to say the mileage is ridiculous, I avg 12.2 mpg. If the engine had more pep I could deal with this, but it is a real dog. My 04 Yukon got about 15 mpg and had much more pep, and my driving has not changed. Yikes! Other than that, is a great car, plenty of room, comfortable, smooth ride, quiet. The power fold 3rd row rear seats is what pushed me to Ford. (awesome feature, so wake up GM) Would definitely buy another.

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  comfortable and silent cabin - 2016 Ford Explorer
  By Paul - November 30 - 7:18 am

  Excellent handling and comfort. Better shift quality than other available competition.