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:

• 

  Dont buy an Explorer - 2003 Ford Explorer
  By Brian Millar - November 19 - 11:40 pm

  I took very good care of our 2003 Ford Explorer (even took it to the dealer for the 30K checkup). At 59,500 miles and just under 5years, the transmission went out. The dealer wouldnt cover the replacement since Ford only offered 3yr/36K power train warranty at that time. The transmission specialist I took it to, indicated that he sees transmission problems all the time with Ford Explorers

• 

  Americas Pony Real Good Fun - 2007 Ford Mustang
  By carockwell - November 19 - 6:47 pm

  Being a Euro car snob I was more than surprised with how much I liked my wifes midlife crisis car. The new Mustangs have everything I always liked about American cars and none of the problems. The convertible is quiet, dry, easy to use, and little buffeting compared to other convertibles. The car handles extremely well, it is very controllable/predictable on the track and well balanced. The power is amazing, but what would I know I used to drive a Fiat. By far the biggest surprise with this car is how comfortable the car is on long trips. I can drive 800 miles and feel great when I get out. So far, I get 18.7 mpg overall which is okay considering the power and automatic transmission.

• 

  Still Running Great - 1999 Ford Explorer
  By Maureen - November 19 - 2:36 pm

  Ive had my Explorer Sport for several years & and now at 133k & several WI winters later its still running well. The alternator is the only significant part thats failed. Keep up with the regular maintenance & you shouldnt have problems. Perfect for driving around town & for hauling things. Ill probably be replacing this one with another 02 or 03 since those were the last years for the 2DR.

• 

  Awesome ride - 2005 Ford Freestyle
  By shane - November 19 - 12:11 pm

  Me and my wife have gone through quite a few vehicles over the past year and none compare to our Freestyle. It is so fun to drive, very dependable, lots of storage space, hardly any complaints, but I do have two. I would like a little more room in the passenger seat up front, and our biggest problem is what to call the darn thing, when we are leaving we dont know what to tell the kids to go get into, the car, the suv, the van , talk about confussing. But other than that we love it its the best driving and best made car, suv, van oh what ever we have ever had

• 

  Better at everything but.... without cache - 2017 Ford Edge
  By Steve - November 19 - 11:38 am

  I also purchased an 8 year bumper to bumper warrantee

• 

  Brand new purchase - 2016 Ford F-150
  By Terri Carlson - November 19 - 7:52 am

• 

  Swiss Army of Cars - 2005 Ford Freestyle
  By Peter - November 18 - 6:53 pm

  After owning this car for a little over 2 weeks, I havent been this impressed with the versatility of any car before. You get good looks, great use of space, good gas mileage, great safety features and above all a pleasure to drive. If you have a family with kids, this is the family car you should look at seriously. The only thing it cant do is haul things like a pickup could, but really, how often do you do that in a family vehicle. Only negative so far is a loose DVD player that rattles but will be corrected by the dealer. I really enjoy this car.

• 

  2005 Mustang Coupe Premium - 2005 Ford Mustang
  By jen - November 18 - 10:30 am

  I enjoy driving this vehicle. It has great lines on the exterior of the car. I enjoy the looks that I receive when I pull up alongside another car. Have I mentioned the numerous compliments that I have received? Its great when merging onto the expressway.

• 

  I love my 2016 Ford Focus Electric! - 2017 Ford Focus
  By Dave - November 18 - 7:01 am

  I leased my 2016 Ford Focus Electric from a dealer in Portland, OR in October, 2016 and I truly love it. If you are looking for an electric vehicle I highly recommend it. I drove the Nissan Leaf, VW Golf-e, and Fiat 500e and the Focus Electric was the winner. It has the same body style as the gas-powered Focus and looks very sharp. It comes standard with fancy alloy wheels and the front grill and headlights make it look very sharp. There are only 2 model packages, and the difference is just the seating. The cloth seats made from recycled material are not great. I opted for the leather. The interior is well designed and has ALL the modern amenities like touchscreen, backup cam, blue tooth, steering wheel controls, etc. The LED lights that glow at night are a nice touch. You can pick the color and intensity! The stereo is a Sony and is decent but not great. The fact that the car is so silent all the time makes the stereo easier to hear and sound better. Driving this car is a true pleasure! The acceleration at any speed (with just one gear) is amazing. Its hard to restrain from going fast in this thing. It handles well and is very responsive. One big drawback is the turning radius. I often have to do a three-point turn when on a street whereas other cars could just make a tight u-turn. This may be my only complaint, other than the low mileage range. My 2016 model was rated around 85-90 miles per charge. In ideal conditions this does occur, however the heater and A/C will put a dent in the mileage. The heater more so than AC. In the winter I was getting more like 50 miles on a charge. But, I found that like a cell phone if you just plug it in regularly you never dip down too much. It comes with a charger that plugs into a regular 120v outlet. I run a 50 ft extension cable to where I park it. You can even put a little lock on the charger if parked outside. I love driving past gas stations and never having to stop. There are no oil changes! If you wish you had a Tesla this is the best next thing. With incentives from Ford and the state, I had $14,000 taken off the sticker price. That made the price $17,100 and my lease was based on that. Ford knocked it out of the park on this one!

• 

  Best Mustang - 2006 Ford Mustang
  By cobra rick - November 17 - 7:46 pm

  My wife and I own two 2006 GTs, this coupe and a premium cont. She drives ,the convert has only 6k miles ,they are both great cars and were fine stock ,I own my own mustang shop and modify the cars all of the time ,neither one of our cars is stock ,they are the best all around Mustangs ever built ,we have had no problems ,the shaker 500 is great ,and the back seat isnÂ’t that bad once you get in ,best bang for the buck out there. I have owned around ten Mustangs, including a task built 428 car the aftermarket is huge for this car, Ford did right by getting the aftermarket involved from the start