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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  Dont Buy a Ford - 1997 Ford F-150
  By shags - May 10 - 2:00 am

  Shortly aftr purchasing this vehicle (it was used) I discovered it had a problem with maintaining adequate oil pressure. The truck had only 39000 miles on the clock! A local Ford dealer as well as an independant mechanic told me the engine was shot and they would gladly replace it for 3500 - 3800 dollars. Ford Motor Co. refused to make a good faith adjustment for a problem that was clearly a defect. This will definately be the last Ford product Ill ever own. It will be my lifes mission to discourage anyone else I know from ever buying their junk!!!

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  JCs car - 1997 Ford Mustang
  By JCH - May 10 - 2:00 am

  The car doesnÂ’t eat that much gas and handles very well. ItÂ’s built pretty strong, IÂ’ve already gone through a fence and all it did is leave a scratch on the paint. the only thing I donÂ’t like about the car is that I have a standard Mustang and it doesnt have that much power.

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  98 Taurus - 1998 Ford Taurus
  By Herb2453 - May 10 - 2:00 am

  Very good ecoonomical car, however design in front for tall people not good. Because doors get into room of leg.

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  2013 Transit Connect DO NOT BUY - 2013 Ford Transit Connect
  By robert1111 - May 9 - 11:46 am

  Ford Transit 2013 Commercial Van 1st- transmission @ 8,000mi 3 weeks in shop 2nd- Return for not searing properly, 3 days in shop 3rd -Transmission @14000mi 2 weeks in the shop 4th -Transmission @ 22,000mi 2 weeks in the shop 5th-Defective throttle Body @ 23,000 4 days in the shop Ford has responded but offers no solution and truck will be out of warranty @ 36, Ford Customer service offers No Help!!!! Do not buy this vehicle for any purpose, You will be sorry.

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  Good Truck - 1996 Ford F-150
  By Justan - May 9 - 2:00 am

  Rides nice, mine is a 300 6, 5-Speed, decent power, not so good gas milage at the moment.. other than that sweet truck

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  1999 Ford F-250 Lariat 4WD SB - 1999 Ford F-250
  By ronkster44 - May 9 - 2:00 am

  This truck has been by far the best truck I have ever driven.

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  What happened to Quality being Job 1? - 1997 Ford Explorer
  By Detroit - May 9 - 2:00 am

  I bought the vehicle but everything fell apart after 70000 miles: tranny @ 93k, radiator @ 100k, transfer case @ 105k. Never buy a leased SUV, you dont know what someone did to it. Overall though, I am very disappointed and would not recommend a Ford SUV to anyone. Maybe mine was just a lemon waiting to happen, but Ill never get another Ford SUV again. I cant even begin to say all the things that have gone wrong.

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  Great Big SUV - 2004 Ford Excursion
  By JRHW - May 9 - 2:00 am

  Much better than the 01 Suburban 8.1 I had previously The Turbo outperforms the Chevy and the vehicle gets much better fuel exconomy. I have had nor problems after 28,000 miles and love to drive this vehicle every day

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  this truck is great - 2004 Ford Excursion
  By bob marshall - May 9 - 2:00 am

  i have always wanted this truck. i traded in her 98 expedition.my limiteds color is mineral gray which is a very rich color.i had a remote starter,power sunroof and navigation installed by the dealer.i had the nav unit un-installed and the original cd6-radio re- installed.the reason being is that with the nav unit you lose your radio controls in the steering wheel and the console and you can only listen to dvd movies on the headphones.my wife did not care for these inconviences so the original unit went back in.i am getting 14 mpg in in-town driving and with the 44 gallon tank it is weeks between fill-ups

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  1993 2dr 4.0 OHV V6 Extended cab 4x4 STX project. - 1993 Ford Ranger
  By Tangle - May 8 - 12:29 pm

  I hear this is a petty reliable American Made truck when its kept in good shape. So I bought this faded red truck for a few hundred bucks. The engine was toast. The suspension needed work. So far, Im in the middle of the project. The old engine has been taken out and a new engine is in, with all new components under the hood. The next step was to prep the body and get it ready to paint so itl look good with those new 17 inch wheels and tires that Ive had waiting. So the bed was removed, and therein was the proverbial can of worms: The frame was rusty and muddy. The fuel tank strap was almost completely rusted off; the fuel filler hose that is between the body and the gas tank had a slit in it right where it was attached to the tank; the rear leaf spring hangers were cracked and rotted, and so were the shock bushings. I intended to replace almost everything, from springs, to shocks, to brakes, wire wheel the frame, prime and paint it. Only then can the body and bed be prepped and painted. The seats, interior carpet, detailed cab cleaning will come next and then a decent stereo system. If you are able to do this yourself, the cost would be about $3500.00. If the transmission is questionable, then cost could rise by another $1500.00. You could reduce a huge chunk off that cost if you decide to stick with original wheel size and cheaper tires.