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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  King of the Road - 2004 Ford Expedition
  By Famforrest - November 30 - 12:10 pm

  It drives and performs like a car. Great visibility. Nimble in parking situations. Fun to drive.

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  once you pay! have a good day! bye bye..... - 2016 Ford F-150
  By brian - November 30 - 10:38 am

  first time in my 46 years bought a brand new vehicle. I was getting to tired of lying on my back in my driveway on my day off working on one of my old trucks. I wanted reliability. Ive also owned "many" ford trucks in the past. I was a longtime self employed landscaper. anyway I bought this as a personel daily driver vehicle and drove off the lot and truck was great, a few hundred miles or so and the transmission starts banging. I go to the dealer and they tell me its a "self learning transmission" and should adjust to your driving style to enhance shifting and longevity. 5000 miles later and three trips to the dealer and they say "thats how its suppose to operate" and cant do anything...great, now I got a $40,000 truck that shifts worse than my 1979 ford fairmount that i owned....also had problem with two loose pins in two different wire connectors resulting in two additional dealership visits....the truck is 9 months old....im not happy and theres nothing I can do about it but write this review.............great!

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  2005 Stang Review - 2007 Ford Mustang
  By SFC Stang - November 30 - 8:03 am

  My wife and I have enjoyed this Mustang for the past month since we traded in our 2004 Mustang. Has surprising power, and response that is enjoyable. Lots of heads turn, most responses we get is for the color. Windviel Blue, seems to have everyones attention. My wife likes going from our Xtreme Blazer to the Mustang, easy transition from one to another, but starting out in second in the Chevy, cant be done in the Mustang. Well at least not for her.

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  Freestyle: Drive yourself FREE! - 2006 Ford Freestyle
  By Donna - November 30 - 5:13 am

  This is among one of the best SUVs I have ever driven, It is so smooth on the roads and handles with perfection. It is great on the beaches; it cuts through the sand like butter. I go to the beaches in NC and I had so many compliments on the vehicle. I highly recommend this SUV above them all and I have had a few in my past.

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  rust bucket - 2010 Ford Ranger
  By william calhoun - November 30 - 3:34 am

  they rust ot in 6 years

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  Not so impressed.... - 2003 Ford Mustang
  By MDecker4 - November 30 - 2:10 am

  Well, after owning 3 Stangs prior to this one I had high expectations. Its best described as a love-hate relationship. I love the car, the power and the road respect you get from simply owning a Cobra but I HATE to drive it. The seat is a little too bolstered (I am only a 6, 190lb guy), the clutch is so stiff it gives my leg an occasional cramp and the shifter is clunky and difficult to reach. Its a shame, so much effort went into performance which was way overdue...but didnt put any effort into the ergonomics. Is it too much to ask for power and comfort? Oh, and the paint sucks. Already had in in the paint booth 3 times fixing factory crap.I guess so. Hope they do better in 2007

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  Small SUV - 2005 Ford Escape
  By Matts Review - November 30 - 1:13 am

  After driving the Ford Escape for the last month in snow and Michigan winter I realized that Ford could make a few upgrades for 2006. The 4WD system on the Escape is very limited and needs some serious improvements in my book. I bought the Escape because I need a 4WD vehicle that handles well in the snow. This vehicle is about a 5 out of 10. It basically handles like a FWD car and lacks the sure footing of a true SUV. Ive called the dealership twice now to make sure that I in fact bought the 4WD model which they tell me I did. Besides the above complaints, I do like the Escape and think it is a fairly good SUV which is built with quality in mind. Handling and performance are ok.

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  Just a great car - 1995 Ford Contour
  By DASpike - November 30 - 12:39 am

  Bought my Contour new in late 1994 and am just about to turn 170,000 miles. Have the 4-cylinder, manual transmission. Ive been looking at new cars for about 3 years, but frankly havent found a need to replace this Contour.The car has been incredibly reliable. Save the expected maintenance (oil changes, brakes, tires, timing belt, etc), Ive probably had to put a total of $1000 into it over the last 10 years (and most of that was replacing a couple of engine mounting bolts). Routinely get about 33 mpg highway, and with the manual transmission the 4-cylinder has some pep to it. The car is rock solid and is fun to drive.

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  Wish Id Traded It Sooner - 1995 Ford Windstar
  By The Hooks - November 30 - 12:37 am

  We just spent $2,000 on a rebuilt transmission hoping to keep the car until the 12 month repair warranty ran out. Unfortunately two months in the head gasket blew and now were out of luck. We bought it with 38K miles and thank God we paid for the extended warranty. Still spent a lot over the years on brakes, electrical, etc. Ford did cover the head gaskets three years ago but now their extended warranty has expired. Cant figure out how Ford expects buyers to return in the face of such poor reliability and their unwillingness to stand behind the product.

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  Quietest and most refined ride in class. - 2008 Ford Focus
  By rower30 - November 29 - 8:16 pm

  Handling, gas mileage, ease of oil changes (oil filter and drain are directly under the engine so oil goes right in the drain pan). The 100,000 service intervals (chain cam drive, not expensive to replace belts) are nice. A very quiet stable ride, excellent engine noises (revs well and sounds good doing it) and generally pleasing looks inside and out won us over the others cars we reviewed. The five-speed transmission gets good marks and surprisingly, the auto version feels spritly, too. With the highest torque (136 ft-LB) at the lowest RPM (4250RPM) and almost the highest HP (140) at the lowest RPM (6000RPM) this engine matches to an auto better than the rest, too.