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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  Spacious, inexpensive, and smooth - 1997 Ford Taurus
  By HT - July 21 - 6:55 am

  This is a great used wagon for the money if you can find one that has been used gently, i.e., was maintained on conservative intervals. Theres easily enough room for 5 people, and the cargo space is truly enormous. The base Vulcan engine (145 hp) lacks power but is quiet and smooth. The upside of the cars tremendous weight is its stability and, while no one wants to go head to head with an SUV, this biggie wagon feels solid. Ive been quite happy.

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  Comfortable Muscle - 2010 Ford Mustang
  By THOMAS MELLEMA - July 20 - 9:03 pm

  The 2010 Mustang GT Premium is every bit a high quality muscle car that I expected it to be. What it didnt expect is it has also been our favorite car to take trips across the country. This car rides very comfortably and after hours on the road my back and legs are still fresh and not sore at all. The exhaust sound is a muffled roar on the inside which I like because its not too loud, but at the same time its rather loud if you standing near it while it drives by. I like this too because others instantly know its a muscle car but I dont have to shout to talk to passengers. This car runs very smooth and has never given us any issues in 54,000 miles. The 5-speed manual is lots of fun and the only thing thats not perfect on this car as sometimes the shifter will get a little sticky between 2nd and 3rd gear. Other than that excellent car all around. By the way I get 24.5 MPG on long highway trips.

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  Reliable inexpensive Ford Explorer XLT 4wd SUV - 2000 Ford Explorer
  By OBXNC - July 20 - 5:00 pm

  I bought this Explorer in 2008 with 88,000 miles on the 4.0 motor. I bought it from a friend so I know the service was regularly done. I had a full 90,000 mile service to include replacing the coolant, transfer boxes and transmission oil/filter, brake pads, etc. Cost over $1,200 but it was obviously well worth it. I now have 188,000 miles and other than oil changes/tire rotations I have replaced the battery and a fuel pump. Thats it. The motor burns no oil, the AC works great, the 4WD and all the electronics still work great. The gas consumption leaves something to be desired but as this is my surf fishing and Lab riding vehicle I plan on keeping it a good while. I originally bought it because of the good price on it and to hold me over until I could afford a newer 4 Runner, of which Ive had two. It has been such a good value Im going to see just how far it will go. Im personally very pleased with this vehicle.

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  F-150 FX4 Reg. Cab 6.5 SB - 2004 Ford F-150
  By Moses - July 20 - 4:40 pm

  This truck is very reliable, and very powerful for its size. With the 5.4 Liter V8, towing and off-road capabilities are almost limitless. However, I have encountered shifting problems with the automatic transmission very early on. The interior isnt very comfortable for long trips. The interior build is questionable as well; lots of plastic parts that can break very easily. I am very hard on my vehicles, and change almost every 5 years, and this truck has held up better within the first year of ownership than any other Ford vehicle Ive driven. Overall, it is a reliable vehicle and very fun to drive.

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  Love It and I Have a Heavy Foot - 1994 Ford Escort
  By Toy Soldier - July 19 - 6:00 pm

  I bought it used with 10K miles on it for my ex in 95, but needless to say I have it now. It runs well. I have placed it in the shop twice for acceptable repairs - starter and clutch. The suspension is a little soft so handling sudden swerves might cause some zig-zagging for control afterwards (learned that the hard way) :). All in all it is a reliable car with a strong core and years of engineering behind it. My A/C sprung a leak (in 2000) behind the dash ($800 to replace the entire system). Outside of that it is a great starter car.

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  Nice Car with some problems - 2000 Ford Focus
  By L.A. Driver - July 19 - 2:16 pm

  Im a first-time buyer and I purchased this car used. Within the 1st month, water kept fogging up the headlights (dealer wanted to charge me $300). Ive had to replace the brakes twice in 2 years, and the brake pedal squeaks (loudly), had two recalls, and it rattles, and it produces too much brake dust. The interior side panel broke already and the latch on the passenger seat broke so you cant adjust seating anymore. While some of these problems can be rather annoying, I still love the car. I broke the family tradition of buying only Japanese cars when I got this one.

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  Bad quality. - 2017 Ford Escape
  By Roma Ukhinov - July 19 - 1:35 pm

  One star for overall rating because of bad quality. The transmission control module was out of order after 1 week of owning of brand new car. I had to leave my new car in the service department for more than one week.

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  Great vehicle - 2002 Ford Expedition
  By Michael - July 19 - 1:20 pm

  I love this vehicle, it is the nicest riding truck I have been in yet. It handles well, and feels very stable. The 4.6 runs very smooth, and could use a little more low end torque for towing, but I will address that myself. What amazes me however is the number of people on here complaining about gas mileage. What did you expect? This is a 5000 lb. vehicle, and I see people gunning them off the line like a sports car. Thats what kills your mileage. If you drive it carefully, you can get 15-16 around town, and 20 or better on the highway. You cant forget what your driving either you want better mileage or you want more power, you usually cant have both.

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  a good big car - 2005 Ford Expedition
  By Barry - July 19 - 11:29 am

  We own two Expeditions, a 99 and an 05 and there are big differences. We like the handing as far as turning radius on the 99 but like the highway feel on the 05.

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  MY EDGE - 2001 Ford Ranger
  By asnakebite - July 19 - 2:01 am

  This vehicle has been trouble free mechanically. The plastic bed rails were replace twice during warranty because they cracked. The second replacement set has remained good. This vehicle has stiff suspension, but it provides corning that is better than any pickup I have ever had, and I have had five. The 4 liter V6 is big power for this size truck, and gets 20 mpg with mixed freeway/city streets driving.