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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  Great Vehicle - 1995 Ford Taurus
  By smurph - March 12 - 2:00 am

  This has proved to bea great vehicle for me. Its large enough to fit 6 adults comfortably. Has a very Large trunk for big shopping trips..lol... I have been driving it for 8+years now, and it has served me well. I got a great vehicle for a great price. I would definately recommend this vehicle to anyone.

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  Ford lover - 2000 Ford Expedition
  By DAF - March 12 - 2:00 am

  Traded in our Grand Cherokee for our Eddie Bauer. Love how much room this truck has even with the 3rd seat in it. Taking the 3rd seat out, is like a pickup truck. Thoe it is kinda heavy and bulky. Very comfortable seats and ride. Ours has air suspension, very nice on highways. Like a Lincoln. Great sound system. Rear air and radio controls are nice for kids. Pulls our 23ft boat very good to the river. Cant wait to purchase a new eddie bauer expedition. This is my 4th ford. No complaints.

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  Cheap car , cheap car, cheap car. - 1997 Ford Aspire
  By faceplanter - March 11 - 2:00 am

  If you just want to get from point A to B with no frills, this is it. Loud on the free way, really loud in the rain. Headlight/park lights quit working at 90k miles due to corroded wires. Main seal went at 100k on passenger side causing passenger side brake rotor to warp. Back of car covered in soot. Engine is a 1.3 litre 4 cylinder thats weak. If mine had A/C, doubt the engine could turn it. The plus? Easy on the gas and can go forever on tires.

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  Price makes it better than imports. - 2003 Ford Taurus
  By Jefferson Airplane - March 11 - 2:00 am

  I have not owned car long. I like most features of the car. The best is the price. Program car with 18,000 mile with only a one scratch for $9,900 before taxes. Car, tax, & title for only $10,800. Car has 3yr or 36,000 miles warranty. I like Hondas, Toys, and Nissians but I could buy two or maybe three Tauruss for thier price.

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  Been good to us - 1999 Ford Windstar
  By Dadto2 - March 11 - 2:00 am

  Bought our SEL just before our first was born. Now 4.5 yrs later we have 2 and the Windstar is still getting it done. Great family & Home Depot hauler. The leather has held up well and the carpet is very tough. We shopped for a new van/suv 2 weeks ago and didnt find anything that motivated us to replace the Windstar. I change the coolant, trans & PS fluids every year. Other than routine maint it has needed a MAF sensor, battery & tie rod ends. Our dealer returned it in 1/2 day each time. No cost w/ext warr. We ALWAYS buy them. Any late model vehicle can break the bank without one. The power doors are a great with an armful of kids, groceries, etc.

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  Convertible - 2003 Ford Mustang
  By Mark lob - March 10 - 6:43 pm

  Enjoyable toy

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  great car - 2006 Ford Fusion
  By David - March 10 - 5:20 pm

  I love this car very much. I have had it for about 3 months now and have put nearly 5000 miles on it. I got the very base model with automatic transmission as the ONLY option, and it is still a very comfortable car to ride in. Long trips are great in it because it is quiet, the sound isnt bad at all (for the base model), and it really did get me 32 mpg from New Mexico to Oklahoma several times. I checked myself. This is a fun car to drive. It is peppy, and It has much more go than I expected from a 4 cylinder. I highly recommend it.

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  Best car in its class! - 2007 Ford Fusion
  By bobbyXcore - March 10 - 11:03 am

  I bought mine today but I have done lots of research and drove almost every car in its class/price range. Its definitely the best. The 07 Accord seemed cheap and had a horrible sound system. It looked like my friends 1999 Accord in some ways. The Camry was too plain and felt like driving a boat. The Altima and Maxima werent bad and to me are under rated but all in all I felt like giving my money to the Americans. Every American car bought helps are economy it really does. I recommend this car to everyone.

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  DO NOT BUY A ZX2 - 1999 Ford Escort
  By nofx - March 10 - 2:00 am

  After approximately 48,000 mi of driving this car completley went south. I provided regular maintainence and oil changes, yet still had to have the engine and transmission replaced at 48,000 mi.

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  Good and Bad - 2003 Ford F-150
  By jcpf250 - March 10 - 2:00 am

  I had a 97 f-150 4.6 ran great but traded it in for a 03 f-150 5.4 because the 97 had 210,000 miles. The 97 never had major problems. The 03 I have pretty much sucks. Motor knocks on a cold start, tranny shifts funny, and the rear diff "grabs" when making a sharpe turn. Needless to say the 03 is for sale.