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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  Ford Still Rules - 2004 Ford Taurus
  By Daniel Snelbaker - May 16 - 2:00 am

  My Taurus drives like a dream and looks great I love it and feel it is better than camry or accord and thats for sure

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  cant complain - 1998 Ford Ranger
  By cypress94 - May 16 - 2:00 am

  What can I say...Definately got my moneys worth out of this truck...extremely reliable.

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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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  Great Little Car - 2005 Ford Focus
  By SigmaMason - May 15 - 10:00 am

  Nice car with a strong engine, suede/leather heated seats are really comfortable, 2.3L engine is really nice, good gas milage. Even though I am 38, I dont feel like this is a real cheap econo car, very liveable, quick acceleration, low maintenance, handling is pretty good, so far...so good...

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  F x 4 is a great truck - 2004 Ford F-150
  By dave69 - May 15 - 10:00 am

  Great truck, a little less power than the Dodge but really fun.

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  GREAT CAR - 2005 Ford Escape
  By EDL - May 15 - 10:00 am

  THIS IS MY SECOND NEW CAR AND I LOVE IT. IT HANDLES GREAT. I RESEARCHED ALL THE OTHER CARS IN ITS CLASS AND THIS OFFERED THE BEST DEAL. ALSO IT HAS MUCH MORE INTERIOR SPACE THAN THE OTHERS WHICH I FOUND HELPFUL. PLENTY OF SPACE IN BACK FOR MY DOG.

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  FORD - 2004 Ford Excursion
  By CABUBBA - May 15 - 2:00 am

  I LOVE MY EXCRUSION, SUPER VEHICLE IN EVERY WAY.

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  cant go wrong with this car - 1994 Ford Probe
  By rebel8145 - May 15 - 2:00 am

  I bought my Probe with 145,000 miles on it and it still runs great. Ive had a few minor frustrating problems like the idle, but the reason they were so expensive is because it took the mechanics a loong time to figure out what was wrong. And it always could be counted on to drive. It must be a complicated car. Overall, its awesome, I get compliments on it all the time, thats not bad for a $1500 car, and if it died right now Id but another one. The value of probes is so low that you really cant go wrong if you want a great looking reliable sporty looking car. I never regretted buying this car.

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  95 explorer - 1995 Ford Explorer
  By n3oty - May 15 - 2:00 am

  Lots of fit and trim problems at the beginning but fixed under warrantee. Havent done much in the last 50k miles except change the oil.

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  This T-Bird Flies - 1995 Ford Thunderbird
  By TbirdLover - May 15 - 2:00 am

  Best car I ever owned. It is reliable and confortable. Great on gas for a V-8