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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  Love my Edge - 2011 Ford Edge
  By jb - October 28 - 2:00 am

  I came out of a 2008 edge limited. I loved the car so much I couldnt wait to get the 2011. I really love all the technology and design of my new edge but it does have a lot of bugs in the system. Sync tends to have trouble understanding you. In 2008 edge it worked like a charm. there seems to be a delay and the system is sometimes sluggish. I am hoping that a future software upgrade can fix these issues. climate temp does not seem to be accurate at 75 its still putting out cold air and sometimes at 65 you get hot air. No regrets on my purchase still love the car big fan

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  Love my new Ford! - 2010 Ford F-150
  By Larry - October 28 - 2:00 am

  I test drove the Nissan Titan, Toyota Tundra and Chevrolet Silverado before deciding on the Ford F-150 Supercrew FX2 Sport with the 5.4L V8. Its super comfortable and rides like a luxury car. In fact, I traded in my Infiniti M45 Sport for this truck! The sound system is great and includes bluetooth streaming audio and Sirius satellite radio. The Ford Sync system is totally awesome as well! I dont understand how the Edmunds.com editors can rate the Dodge and Toyota over the Ford when its clear who makes the best truck, period! Long Live Ford!

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  Blaze yellow stang - 2011 Ford Mustang
  By Tony - October 27 - 2:00 am

  2011 blaze yellow with the performance package. This color really makes the looks of the car. Its different in every light. Lots of metal flake. The new v6 is very smooth and fast fast! No need for the v8. The manual trans. is fun and easy to shift. Spend the money for the performance package. You get a lot for stuff for The bucks.

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  05 T-bird - 2005 Ford Thunderbird
  By gfrompitt - October 26 - 2:00 am

  Love this car. Loved it when it came out but was hoping for a standard transmission. Of course that is impossible now days. Car is not really a sports car, more of a sporty couple. It handles great but is no racer. Id like it to be a little more stiff in the turns but for most people, theyd rather have the comfort ride. Havent had to put a nickel into it since Ive owned it. great car.

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  Traded in an 05 Focus and an 03 Taurus - 2011 Ford Fusion
  By wmciii - October 26 - 2:00 am

  Ford is much improved. Nicer features carried on from the earlier models and versions - with continued improvements. Handsome and roomy interior. Rides well. A really good mid-size car. Flex-Fuel is a plus.

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  Very nice car - 2008 Ford Taurus
  By Richard - October 25 - 2:00 am

  Roomy, comfortable, plenty of power with good fuel economy, and nicely styled. Im a happy owner. By todays standards it doesnt have all the bells and whistles (GPS, Sync, etc.) but still a very nice car with a very reasonable price.

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  Nice Ride @ 5200 miles - 2010 Ford F-150
  By Toy Truck 1 - October 25 - 2:00 am

  Needed a truck as the SUV wasnt up to the task of safely towing our 3300 lb. Hi-Lo. Drove GMC/Chevy, Dodge and Ford. Things that stood out in the Ford were great build quality, ride and interior design. Very quiet at speed and great brakes. 6 speed auto and the small 4.6 3 valve V-8 are economical too. That excluded the Dodge as gas mileage suffers with a 5 speed. Resale with Dodge is also poor. Have had Dodges in the past and liked them, but they need to come up a bit to compete. The GM brands were noisier on the highway and interior materials/plastics were just not befitting a $37k vehicle. That left the Ford as the clear choice. Im very happy with it.

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  Awesome - 2001 Ford Escape
  By BC Prosser - October 24 - 2:00 am

  Owned this escape since 2001 when it had 0 miles. It now has 235,000 and is still going. Never had any problems, original engine, transmission, clutch, and everything. New front struts/tie rods and brakes at 190k. Replaced the in-dash stereo, but left the speakers, they sound as good as the Bose speakers in our 2007 yukon denali. Vehicle drives great in all conditions, and still looks like new when its clean. The Escape has never let me down, and i hope to rely on it for years to come.

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  The Best All Around Vehicle! - 2011 Ford Edge
  By Mike - October 24 - 2:00 am

  Wow am I impressed with ford. I have owned just about every manufacture except for a Ford and man am I glad I tried one. I always thought European cars were the way to go because of quality, price, looks, performance, etc., but that is no longer the case. I researched this car along with ALL of its competitors and liked what I read. I test drove my aunts 2011 Ford Limited and decided I had to have one. I went with the Sport, and got Tuxedo Black and wow does this thing look awesome. There is no other crossover that draws this much attention under $50,000 out there. When parked next to a BMW or Audi crossover, the ford makes the other two just seem cheap.

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  Great Car - 2011 Ford Fusion
  By Jim - October 24 - 2:00 am

  This is a great car! Researched all the mid size cars and chose the Fusion. Glad I did. Always have been a GM man but this car just is better than the Malibu.