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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  Test Drive Them All - 2005 Ford Ranger
  By Mediocre - July 7 - 8:46 pm

  I bought my Ford in 2005 when they had the employees discount promotion. When I test drove the truck things were OK. The ride was better when I bought the truck than it is now. Every once in a while there is a creaking noise from the right side when you go over something crooked. The 4.0L engine is enough to do anything I need but the interior misses with quality. The dash plastics on the drivers side dont come together right, and there are varoius rattles, squeaks, and creeks that everyone tells me are "normal operating noises"-yeah right! The 150s ride better but are too much money. Why not put that quality into the Ranger series of trucks Ford? I mean quiet is nice in a truck too.

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  Nice car, can be a nightmare though... - 1994 Ford Escort
  By HOTCAR - July 7 - 5:08 pm

  My 1.9 liter Escort is extremely peppy, but heres some advice for people who are going to buy one. Dont gun it at green lights and stop signs. The head gasket is 95% common to blow in these cars. I learned the hard way burning people at green lights, although itÂ’s tempting. Gas mileage is iffy, cheap to fill, but the mileage is poor. It goes quick. Auto seatbelts broke too. I take care of it as much as I can, but it rusts. I love the car but what can I do?

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  I took the Fusion Challenge - 2006 Ford Fusion
  By VACOAST - July 7 - 1:20 pm

  I had my heart set on a new Camry until I saw the Fusion challenge commercial. I test drove the Camry, the Accord and even the G35. I chose the Fusion over all of them. The Camry and Accord lose outright and the G didnt blow my socks off for the price. Weve taken it on a trip and love it. The handling, pick-up, six speed transmission, and comfort are all huge pluses. The downfalls are: No Navigation. No AUX input to stereo. No shifter for the transmission. I have allowed everyone in my family to drive it and they all have loved driving it. I took the challenge and am now a believer that the Fusion beats the Camry and Accord hands down. Finally, I traded my Toyota in on this Fusion.

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  Best car on the road---the 05 Stang - 2005 Ford Mustang
  By Back in the saddle - July 7 - 1:10 pm

  From the moment I slide into my Stang through the easy access door into the comfortable interior, the smile begins! & the smiles continue all around me as I drive down the road! Its a de-ja-vu into the past for me. The Stangs were invented when I first began driving. Ford has given us all a wonderful re- birth of the original Stangs. The roar of the engine when you turn the key. The original air vents, speedometer & tach. Normally a stick driver & tired of shifting in city driving, I didnt think Id like a Stang with an automatic. I LOVE it! & I still downshift when needed. The Stang holds the road like it was meant for curves & the best brakes ever.

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  Transmission Woes - 2014 Ford Fusion
  By SyracuseSteve - July 7 - 3:32 am

  I test drove quite a few cars before I bought my 1 owner 2014 Fusion Titanium with 25,000 miles on it (still under Fords 3/36000 warranty) for a killer price. The car was very comfortable, peppy for a 4 cylinder and has a nice ride. The car performed well on my test drive and when I picked it up to take it home and about 20 miles from the dealer I bought it from it began behaving erratically, losing power and then shifting back into gear before the little wrench lite came on telling me to get to a dealership quickly. (The used car dealer I bought it from has been far more supportive than Ford and even offered to return my money and sell me something else while they deal with Ford, but I really liked the car and foolishly opted to deal with Ford myself) I arrived after the service department had closed so I asked about a loaner to get me home. I was told service has the loaners and theyre closed. They helped me find the number to a car rental place, but the only one open was about 15 miles away and didnt deliver. After resigning myself to the fact I was probably just going to sleep in the car in the lot until morning and telling the supervisor the same they freed up someone to drop me off at the rental car place. I wish I had thought to just take a taxi home, but I was pretty stressed and frustrated and wasnt thinking as clearly as normal. The next day the dealership called and said 5th gear is out, but its covered under the warranty. Great! Then came "It may take up to 30 days to get parts". I specifically asked and was told this car is not one of the ones affected by the transmission recall. They asked me if I wanted it fixed or if I wanted to take my car with no 5th gear. Hmmm, think Ill wait for it to be drive-able again rather than risk getting stuck on the side of the road. I authorized them to start the repair and asked again about covering a rental or loaner and they said they would have to pull the transmission first and break it down to figure out what they needed then Ford would decide whether or not I get a loaner or rental approved. They said it would take two days for the removal and breakdown. When I followed up they asked for two more days. When I followed up again they couldnt even tell me if they had pulled the transmission yet and asked me to keep my rental for 3 more days, probably on my dime, while they worked on it. So after having the car a week they apparently have done an initial diagnostic and nothing more. Wishing I would have just taken my check back at this point and bought something else as I have dwindling faith they will manage to get it fixed correctly any time this month.

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  My F-150 - 2007 Ford F-150
  By robert sanders - July 6 - 5:35 pm

  Bought the vehicle on 22 May 07 with 81 miles on the odometer. Left for Wash D.C. on the 26th to attend the event at Rolling Thunder" memorial. Disappointed with the fuel economy and the black soot at the exhaust pipe. Vehicle drives well but is underpowered on some of the taller hills on Interstate 40. Thinking the pickup is too heavy for a V6 engine.

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  Great Vehicle - 2008 Ford Taurus
  By Bob - July 6 - 1:27 pm

  Ford has hit a homerun with this redesigned and renamed vehicle. Owned a 2005 Expedition prior to the 2008 Taurus and do not have one regret.

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  Good, simple truck - 1999 Ford Ranger
  By martinjmpr - July 6 - 10:36 am

  Bought it new in 1999, sold it in 2003 with 94,000 miles (almost 25k/year.) I deliberately got the simplest vehicle I could, 2wd, 3.0l V-6 and 5-speed, with the XLT package for the cloth seats, AC, and 15" wheels. I drove this vehicle all over Wyoming and Colorado for 4 years and it never had a serious problem. Only minor problems were with the stock seat, rear leaf springs, and a "check engine" light that came on at about 64k. Very rugged, and surprisingly comfortable for long distance trips. Build quality was impressive - this was my first American manufactured vehicle in 15 years. No unusual rattles, no difficulty with the engine or tranny. Gas mileage was 19- 20 city, 24-26 hwy.

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  Head And Shoulders Above Previous Model - 2005 Ford Mustang
  By Ginungagap42 - July 5 - 12:20 pm

  I owned a 1999 Mustang GT convertible. It was the most fun car I have ever owned. Until now. The 2005 is ten times better in virtually every aspect I can think of: style, performance, comfort, ride. While Ive only got 1100 miles on this car, I absolutely love it! Differences between the 1999 and 2005 are as follows: Power - I am having to learn how to drive slowly, so as not to get ticketed. Build - there was a decent amount of torsion in the 1999 convertibles body. The 2005 is solid. It feels like driving a hardtop. Head-turning ability: off the scale! Handling - like a dream. The rear axle is solidly planted pretty much all the time.

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  Grand has a new toy - 2006 Ford Mustang
  By Jeanie - July 5 - 12:30 am

  Wow! I was going to get an 05 but waited and am I glad. This is the most fun Ive had since I was in college. It is great to drive and gets looks from everyone, especially when they see the driver is not exactly a youngster. I love everything about this car. I have perfect strangers tell me how cool it is.