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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  Get an import - 2006 Ford Mustang
  By never_again - August 7 - 6:03 am

  I bought this brand spanking new 06 Mustang GT Premium this past March. Initially, I was impressed with the power and acceleration of the 4.6L V8; however, there was much to be desired from the transmission as shifting became tedious and clunky, with a stiff clutch, in this 5-speed manual. Shifting was anything but smooth as you had to literally force the shifter into each gear with overwhelming effort. This became a nightmare in traffic and city driving. Do yourself a favor, if you want a true quick and nimble sports car with butter-smooth shifting, get yourself an import.

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  my piece of junk - 1996 Ford Windstar
  By kill me now - August 4 - 2:00 am

  This van is a piece of junk,gasket problems,brakes,3 sets no less,speedometer busted,tires trashed way to much,transmission is a concern now.Run dont walk from this van. The really sad thing is that we still owe money on this piece of crap.

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  review of 92 ranger - 1992 Ford Ranger
  By shane stratton - August 3 - 2:00 am

  transmission has went out three times i recomend not buying one

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  Do not buy this car - 1995 Ford Taurus
  By theaussiepea - August 1 - 2:00 am

  Ford Automatic transimissions in these cars will go bad sometime after 80,000 miles. I was fortunate to get almost 160,000 out of mine. Do not buy a used Taurus if you intend it to last much more than 100,000 miles.

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  FORD...NEVER AGAIN!!! - 2003 Ford Expedition
  By MAD DAN - July 29 - 2:00 am

  This is the 2nd Expedition I buy. This first one I bought...Transmission went out in 1 day! (Dealer Replaced) This new one has spent more hours in the dealership than in my garage. I have had the starter go out, the seat heaters dont work, the 4x4 turns on by itself (module replaced 2 times), Needs new brakes at 25,000 Miles, RPMs go up and down when coming to a stop, and guess what...it is in the shop right now for transmission problems. I am looking at a Lexus right now. I would not suggest this vehicle even for my worst enemy. Buyers beware. For the same price, you can buy a more reliable import luxury SUV!

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  Head Gasket and Trans. nightmares - 1996 Ford Windstar
  By nevr by a ford again - July 26 - 2:00 am

  Head Gasket went out at 55,000 miles. Transmission died at 90,000. Speedometer died at 110,000, All 4 ABS sensors went out by 45,000, Rear AC works on occasion. Loud and rough shifts before and after trans was replaced. Alternator, fuel pump, and battery all were prematurely replaced. I BEG ANYONE WHO WOULD EVER CONSIDER BUYING A FORD PRODUCT TO JUST REVIEW THE COMMENTS OF WINDSTAR OWNERS.

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  Pay Now or Pay Later - 2003 Ford Focus
  By Steve - July 25 - 9:06 pm

  Just after 20000 miles, the Rotors and Pads ($325.00) needs to be done. Brake pads are very thin. It is true, you get what you pay for. Focus is lower in cost, but also lower in quality. It is has been told to us that replacing rotors and pads would need to be done yearly on top of the 30000 mile service which tops at 360.00! Give me a brake Ford! Im searching for Foreign made cars -- better quality!

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  Surprisingly poor quality car - 2000 Ford Focus
  By focus - July 24 - 2:00 am

  I bought a 2000 Focus Wagon SE in January 2001. Since then weve only done about 14k in it but it has been to the dealership about a dozen times. Things break and fall off, and weve had nasty vibration from the wheels, most noticeably during braking, ever since they rotated the tires, despite re-rerotating and re-balancing somewhere else at my own cost. Now I just got another recall notice. Very disappointed, wont be buying a ford again. Only reason I havent got rid of it is the resale value is way less than what I owe.

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  Rattling Piece of Junk - 2002 Ford Mustang
  By nstr24 - July 24 - 2:00 am

  I ordered/bought the 02 Premium GT in Jan of 2002. The car rattled from every seam in the vehicle, the cd changer had multiple problems, and Fords Service Dept is basically useless. I sold the car with 10,000 miles on it and took a huge loss. Dont buy one!!

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  My FORD- "fix or repair daily" - 1996 Ford Mustang
  By msnurse - July 21 - 2:00 am

  Overall, I thought I had made a great purchase until I passed 30k--when the warranty was no longer valid. At 32k the transmission blew apart --thanks to a defective converter (By the way, I dont drive like a maniac--and really take good care of my cars). Needless to say, I was out almost $2k. I have just been informed that my engine needs to be rebuilt at only 100k miles. After speaking with other Ford owners, this is a common problem. Very frustrating. I have been VERY disappointed with the repair costs and problems. This car is going to the junk yard this week. Can promise you that my next car will be anything but a Ford.