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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  When God gives you lemons, make lemonade - 2015 Ford Fusion
  By paul - May 21 - 11:22 am

  I am one of the unlucky people that got a lemon. Thankfully, its a lease and they will get it back soon enough. The car is haunted with some kind of electrical problem. On three occasions, weve come out in the morning to go to work, and the car is totally dead. Towed to the dealer by Ford Roadside Assistance (a joke at best, but thats another story), and the battery was supposedly defective. Replaced the battery, and that lasted a month. Next two times, ....they cant find anything wrong. I suspect some sort of parasitic drain, but what do I know. We are just going to try to get to the end of the lease, and get rid of it. Hopefully, my wife will not get stranded, or worse, injured. We were Toyota people for years with no issues. We wanted to "buy American", so we switched to Ford. Guess thats a fail. (Warning...DO NOT let a tow truck operator use a hammer and a wood wedge to jimmy open the driver door enough to get to the inside handle. Theres a little access latch right behind the exterior door handle......yes...this really happened!!) BTW, I could not select the proper model from the drop down menu as it wasnt listed. Its a SE, 1.6 liter ecoboost

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  Poor Road Handling - 2000 Ford Expedition
  By Robin Hood - May 21 - 2:00 am

  I have driven to mountain ski resorts and on major highways transporting college students and I am completely disappointed in the expeditions road performance. It sways badly when heavily loaded whether it is on the mountain road or the highway. The gas mileage is not as good as they predicted, it is much worse, even when I am not loaded down. I found my old caravan fit much more college furniture and dorm room items than the expedition. The only positive thing I can say about it is that the seats are incredibly comfortable, especially the front heated seats.

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  Fun but not Comfortable - 1990 Ford Mustang
  By SpeedOne - May 16 - 2:00 am

  This is a great car to drive short distances, but the poor suspension and lack of good seats make long drives difficult. The sound system is good, but you cant hear it without blasting when you drive over 45 miles per hour (and in this car, the fun begins much faster than that!).

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  windstar - 2003 Ford Windstar
  By himilaya - May 16 - 2:00 am

  oCar drives ok. Came with lots of extra features like rear sensor, heated mirrors, vhs entertainment system.

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  I Love My Windstar - 1999 Ford Windstar
  By jak - May 15 - 2:00 am

  People love to knock the Windstar. Before I bought one, I talked to a Ford mechanic I knew and to a salesman who drove one constantly. The salesman said that you can drive 800 miles in the Windstar and it feels like 250 miles. I found this to be true. It rides well on long trips. The mechanic said that since it has a T-Bird engine, it runs hot and needs some repairs at 60K I havent found that out yet, but I bought the extended engine/transmission warranty so I wouldnt worry. This car has been great. Ive driven a friends Odyssey on trips - Ill take the Windstar (and so will he) any day.

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  Starting Problems - 2000 Ford Taurus
  By BigTuna - May 15 - 2:00 am

  I am very disapointed with this car. I bought it used. It had 28K miles and was a least car. The problem started after about 7 months. It was then out of warranty. The problem is, on occasion it will not start. But if you wait a while, 10 minutes to an hour it will start. Ive had it to machanics 4 times. One time to the dealer, and know one can find the problem. This is my 2nd Taurus. The 1st one was an 89 with a similar problem. Never another Taurus. I am about to trade it on a 20043 Camry.

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  2000 Windstar - 2000 Ford Windstar
  By alias1 - May 13 - 2:00 am

  Transmission just blew at less than 3 years and 43,000 miles. Blind spots due to headrests

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  Stay Away - 1995 Ford Aspire
  By crysta - May 12 - 2:00 am

  This car started out well but has ended up being a very expensive. Most parts are not available locally and everytime something needs to be fixed, the parts must be ordered and are not cheap. My brakes alone cost $800. The clutch continually has problems. The keys break often and no one carries the template key anymore. Ford people actually laugh when I pull up to the dealership for anything. They cannot believe that it is still running.

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  Cant Be Trusted In The Heat of the Day - 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By smartsnacker - May 7 - 9:23 am

  Over the past two years, my 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac seems to get vapor lock in the summer. But it doesnt happen all the time. When it happens, Ill take it into the dealer, but the service team cant duplicate the problem. What happens (sometimes) is that Ill drive it to the store (maybe 6 miles), turn it off and shop for maybe 10 minutes. When I return to the vehicle and start it, it will sometimes not start, or, if it starts, it wont let me go over 20 mph. I had the fuel pump replaced in March (its now June) and that seemed to help. But the other day, out of the blue, it happened again! We also had a new fuel filter installed last March as well. Why does this happen?

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  Stalls when wet - 2002 Ford F-150
  By Mike P - May 7 - 2:00 am

  My f150 dosent like damp days. When in reverse it will stall out. Happens often. Wind noise is not good and gas milage terrible.(15mpg) It has a great look.