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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  A comfortable piece of mechanical trash - 1993 Ford Taurus
  By eisenach - May 27 - 2:00 am

  The title says it all. Nice car when new, soon began to fail mechanically, all in all has been a costly nightmare. At Ford, quality is job what?

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  If your Escape Stalls after 36000 - 2004 Ford Escape
  By MJKZD - May 26 - 2:00 am

  Stalled Once. Good thing it was under warranty. Im friends with the service/finance manager where i purchase my Escape.. Ford has an open TSB about this problem.. They tell me this problem happens with 02,03, Windstars and Tribute.. If your Vehical stalls after 36000, even with fords best extended service plan, YOU will pay for repairs. Ford and Easy Care, if thats whos providing you the warranty, considers the replacement 6 items on your engine a upgrade not a failure, so therefore ford and your warranty company will not cover this. Ford is not taking responsiblity for bad workmanship. Other then that, its a nice SUV.

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  Decent, but cheap. - 1993 Ford Probe
  By Lb4Bd33 - May 24 - 2:00 am

  This car was my first...for the most part its been a decent car. But the paint is way too soft, the quality of the interior sux, and the exhaust has always got something up its a** because it falls apart everywhere. If its reliability were talking about, then this car would be ranked pretty damn high in my books. Ive replaced the distributer 2x now and the problem seems to have finally faded. Ever since this issue and a faulty fuel pump, the car has been dependable. But I do agree with about every other probe owner about the outrageous prices to fix anything.

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  Fun / But - 1998 Ford Expedition
  By dlhickman - May 24 - 2:00 am

  This is a fun vehicle to drive, but watch out for the mechanical. The direct ignition system is prone to failure w/these coils running 100+ -- replacement of the eight could set you back 1200-1500

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  My Review - 2001 Ford Escort
  By Geech - May 23 - 2:00 am

  A very good first car for younger drivers. Enough power for safe handling but not too much to get out of control. Runs very good, very reliable and very good fuel economy.

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  Air Conditioner Stinks - 2003 Ford Expedition
  By 32ndwave - May 22 - 2:00 am

  My 3rd Ford truck, 2nd Expedition. Ive taken to dealer for A/C stink 4x in 8 mos w/o resolve. Stinks everytime I drive. Its terrible!!! Brake dust real bad, too. And, no power recline on drivers seat. Not worth the $40K paid. Improvements over last model, but there are other better alternatives, maybe not as big, but better.

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  not pleased - 2005 Ford Taurus
  By tparks865 - May 21 - 2:00 am

  this car has needed repaired more times in the past 3 weeks than any car i have owned in the past 2 years. it has a major hesitation to it when you accelerate. it also has vibration to it when you turn slightly left or right. i am very unsatisfied with the performance of this car.

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  Not recommended - 2000 Ford Focus
  By nomoreford - May 19 - 10:00 am

  Wife loved the look and the comfort compared to other smaller sedans. Good sound system. However, it has been recalled 7 or 8 times now and we have found the gas mileage to be subpar. We had a problem with car vibration above 70 mph - turned out dealership put on an unbalanced tire during recall service. Had it replaced at local tire shop. Still is loud on highway.

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  Well it got to me to and form work - 1995 Ford Escort
  By FunkySaceCowboy - May 16 - 2:00 am

  Always started, nothing in the drivetrain ever broke in the 15 months I owned it. Cargo space and flexibility sold me on the hatchback design for future cars. Great milage. Bad points: Noisey, bad sound system, very uncomfortable for longer (30 minutes) trips. Lots of interior features were broken: auto-seatbelts, hi-beam switch, rear defrost button (fell into dash), thermostat etc... Ford seemed to put a lot of effort into building a reliable, low maintenance drivetrain in the Escort this year but really cheaped out on the interior bits and driver comfort features. It never ceased to remind me that I was driving an economy car.

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  Love It, But Very Unreliable - 2002 Ford Explorer
  By CN - May 12 - 7:50 pm

  I want to say that I do really like this car when its working. Tranny went out at 30k and now again at 55k. When I asked the service superisor if it was my fault, I was told it is due to junky parts and that I could not have done anything to stop this from happening. Not a good sign. Other problems include back hatch rattling open constantly, water pump replaced, wiper motors gave out, paint between doors bubbling. Doesnt like to start when weather is between 30 and 35 F. Sometimes dies in reverse when first started. It is comfy, loads of room for those tall people, and decent gas mileage for a big SUV.