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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  Its been good to me - 2000 Ford Focus
  By blue_td - January 29 - 2:00 am

  I have owned my Focus ZX3 for almost two years now, and have no complaints. While the numerous recalls have been a bit annoying, the car has not given me any problems. Its fun to drive, good on gas, very roomy (for a small car), and reliable.

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  King Ranch - 2005 Ford Expedition
  By Mike - January 29 - 1:53 am

  Nice truck overall.

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  Owner of Ford Escape 2006 - 2006 Ford Escape
  By norm - January 29 - 12:02 am

  I owned a 2005 put 7000 miles on it and decided to buy a new 2006 with less features on it. The ride is great since it is a 4X4. The all around gas mileage is 22 milesto the gallon, which isnt too bad.There are no rattles inside. The power the 4 cylinder puts out is enough to go anywhere. Took in the muddy field with no problem. All around the car is excellent.

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  nice ride - 2002 Ford Mustang
  By black - January 28 - 11:08 pm

  Not only looks great but a fun ride. Could use more power in the v-6 but still a nice bit of get up and go.

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  It has been a great little car - 1994 Ford Escort
  By Scott R - January 28 - 7:17 pm

  200,400 miles and 11 years! I changed oil every 3,000 miles, waxed twice per year and use Chevron Supreme. Dash lights have not worked for about 5 years, but it still runs and rides great. 3 sets of tires, 2 brake jobs and 2 timing belts. With that, I could not of done better with any other car manufacturer. It will be a sad day when I trade it in ... I mean 11 years!

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  Focus on fun - 2005 Ford Focus
  By martine4 - January 28 - 3:47 pm

  The Ford Focus ST experience has been a good one. The car is small, a virtue in my situation, handles very well, is very comfortable, and has all sorts of creature comforts one wouldnt expect at the price. I dont see many ads for this car ... Ford doesnt need to advertise it heavily because word of mouth from satisfied owners do the trick. I have had the car for ~9 months and have ~5900 miles on the car. It has never missed a beat! All features cruise control, 6-disk CD player, skid control (in Iowa we occasionally need this sort of thing), 4-wheel disk brakes. Everything works. Heating, cooling ... no problems. Its reliable and I enjoy driving it.

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  My Troublesome Taurus - 2002 Ford Taurus
  By Davarna Rainbolt - January 28 - 3:26 am

  I bought this SES with a DOHC engine used in 03. It currently has 104,000 miles on it as I drive a lot. Ive had problems like other reviews. Replaced two oxygen sensors at 70,000 miles. Torque converter on the transmission went bad and then a sensor went bad causing a problem that appeared to be the transmission again at 100,000 miles. One window has never worked -- wont pay $200 to fix it. Has new tires and alignment -- still seems to vibrate, lots of wind noise. Looks very sporty and has a powerful engine when running right but I have little faith in this car since it has been undependable compared to other cars Ive owned. Depreciated so fast Im stuck with it for awhile -- hope the troubles are over!

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  No other SUV can tow as much - 2005 Ford Excursion
  By Vinceman - January 28 - 1:56 am

  No other SUV on the market can tow more than 10,000 lbs. I needed the power of a diesel. I had an 03 Silverado Crew Cab Long Bed 4 x 4 with 8.1 liter gasoline motor with the 5 speed Allison Transmission. Empty netted 10 mpg around town. The Excursion gets 16 mpg.

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  Wow - 2002 Ford Mustang
  By J - January 27 - 6:41 pm

  Perfect blend of quality and value. The interior is far more roomy than my old 97, though the back is still very small. Seems to handle flawlessly, with the exception of hitting a bump or a groove on a bridge while turning. Traction control is amazing, got me out of my parking lot uphill on glare ice where my old car would be running in place. Stops on a dime and you just get the feeling that it is an extremely safe car once you start driving it. Might not be the most gas-efficient but you will not find another car with this kind of performance that will get you 20/28 mpg.

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  Ford Taurus X review - 2009 Ford Taurus X
  By ahoelk - January 27 - 2:06 pm

  This is a good vehicle with great functionality, we had 6 adults in it for a weekend trip, plus luggage. The third row folds flat if needed. Ford had packaged this vehicle well with most toys in the limited. I have all features including nav, sync, rear heated heats. My only complaint would be that "softer" materials should have been used - overall the fit and finish is much improved over previous Ford vehicles (this is my fourth). It is sad to hear that Ford has discontinued the production - wagons are just not popular in this market place - in Europe most cars are wagons. The engine/transmission performs well, but a manual shift mode would have been great.