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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  caution in rain! - 2000 Ford Mustang
  By vj - July 27 - 2:00 am

  I love this car. It gets a lot of looks. Guys love a girl in a Mustang. I love the styling. I HATE THE RIDE IN THE RAIN! Ive hydroplaned many a time. On a wet day, you cant pull out in traffic (even with the get-up-and-go of this car) because you cant get any traction in the rain. If fact, on the way out of my neighborhood, I slid around the corner because the subdivision sprinklers were on! Now thats sad! A Mustang-owner friend of mine did a complete 360 on the highway in the rain. Needless to say, both of us are considering trade-ins. It gets old.

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  Great SUV - 2002 Ford Escape
  By Ji m - July 27 - 2:00 am

  The Escape has a very powerful engine and it handles very well. Even for a compact SUV, it has a decent sized cargo space even with the back seats upright.

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  wifes new suv - 2003 Ford Escape
  By vmc - July 27 - 2:00 am

  Great over all SUV, this is my wifes and she has nothing but good things to say about it. The only things that she and I do not like are that the leather seats are too firm and it has no outside temp or compass feature.

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  Let It Snow! - 2003 Ford Escape
  By Luv It - July 27 - 2:00 am

  After driving a rented Escape for a week in Colorado I was hooked! It was comfortable (which for me is very important, I am short and this is the first vehicle that I can drive and not feel like the steering wheel and dash are in my chest),peppy, and quiet. My driveway is 200 feet long, uphill to get out in the morning and with even an inch of snow I was never able to get out with my minivan. Now, even with 8" the Escape doesnt even struggle, it just plows right through to the top! All though I did tons of research prior to buying, I went with the Escape and Im so glad I did!

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  Love my Ranger..... - 2003 Ford Ranger
  By bterril - July 27 - 2:00 am

  I just bought my 2nd Ranger just recently and I have to say that I love it more then the first. I love the way that my Ranger handles. It is a very smooth ride compared to previous. Since I have bought it I have been driving anywhere I can. The interior is a big improvement from my last Ranger. I love the fact that there is no carpet in the Tremor Ranger. Very easy to clean up. The only real complaint I have with it is that the Tremor comes with the 3.0L flex fuel V6. There is some power but not like the 4.0 . For those of you that are into music and have to have a thumping stereo, I would defenitly recommend this truck for you.

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  Not What You Expect - 2002 Ford Focus
  By monkey0305 - July 27 - 2:00 am

  My experience with this car has not been a pleasant one. Three weeks after I purchased my Focus, it broke down. I came to find out that the stick shift had come loose while I was driving it. If you are planning on purchasing this car for a family, especially with small children, I would advise against it. The interior has very little room for taller people. If you have a child that is in a rear facing car seat, be aware that the passenger or driver will have limited space. Another thing I have found wrong with this car is its many blind spots. I have had numerous close calls with other cars due to the lack of veiwing space out the windows.

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  This is a Ford?? - 2006 Ford Fusion
  By scape2 - July 26 - 10:52 pm

  After 17,000 miles no problems, 24.7MPG average. No squeaks, rattles. Rides and handles like its on rails. Quiet. Solid build, great fit/finish/quality

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  Its a head turner - 2016 Ford Mustang
  By onkar velankiwar - July 26 - 9:06 pm

  Proud to own it... i see every head turning to hav alook at the race red pony... revs great... makes other cars look like moving in slow mo... great mileage.... just a little stiff in terms of shock absorbers but its a sports car not a family comfort car....

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  Great Car With a Few Caveats - 2012 Ford Focus
  By T - July 26 - 4:35 pm

  Love this car, albeit with a few minor nitpicks. Its fast for a base model, drives great with the 5 speed (I did not want the DCT!), handles fairly well and visibility is very good. Power delivery is linear, throttle response has only a very slight lag from the drive by wire system (1/10th of a second or so) and it really comes alive above 4k RPM. The electric power assist isnt as good for road feedback as hydraulic, but is better than other electrics I tested by far. The interior is somewhat on the small side, especially in the back but is just large enough for me and the seats are high quality for basic cloth. The only real nitpicks are the lack of S level features and a few noisy interior parts-no cruise, manual rear windows and no computer functionality except a trip meter. The engine is a bit coarse also and really needs super to run right. I can live with this considering I rarely use cruise and almost never have rear passengers, but do miss having a realtime MPG calculator. The sound system is adequate, but somewhat mediocre in terms of fidelity. Coming from an older VW GTI, this car has almost the same HP, handling, steering feel and responsiveness while getting much better gas mileage. Ive had no maintenance issues except having to replace a dirty air filter and a missing brake fluid cap that someone had sealed with plastic wrap and a rubber band (??).

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  Six years and still going strong - 2000 Ford Excursion
  By North Dallas 40 - July 26 - 1:54 pm

  I purchased my 2000 Excursion Limited Diesel back in 2001 with one eye open, not sure what to expect. My wife had just totaled our 2001 Suburban and I was looking for a diesel. Six years later, I have not had a single reliablity issue with the truck. Other than routine maintenance (brakes, hoses, fluids, etc...), the truck has given us 131,000 trouble free miles. I get 17mpg around town, and 23 on the highway. I am 64"/330lbs and I am very comfortable in the truck. I plan on keeping this vehicle for many more years, or until it gives up the ghost.