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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  Luvn my truck - 2000 Ford Expedition
  By SondraMorrison - December 30 - 2:00 am

  I bought this vehicle for the sole purpose of being able to haul around my 4 children. It is wonderfull for that purpose everyone has plenty of room and it cuts out most of the bickering. My husband and I live in the country and we have also tried to get it stuck and so far it has not happened. It has real pulling power.

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  Almost Perfect, Mileage Is the Winner! - 2007 Ford Escape Hybrid
  By Northern Lights - December 29 - 8:46 pm

  Good: 4th year of ownership. No repairs or rattles after 40,000 miles of mixed paved, gravel roads. Outstanding fuel mileage, electric mode at reasonable speeds for a couple of minutes, uses regular gas. Great road view, backup sensors, nimble steering feel, back seat comfort, storage, low wind noise, feels more powerful than its wee motors add up to. Good 4WD snow handler. Dislikes: VERY bad rear wheel fender flare destroyed by gravel from front tires, paint almost gone there. Goofy CD player under seat. Tiresome on long drives from buzzy engine and "light" feel on higher speed turns. Awkward heated seat switches, hard to find and use. NAV system is ugly and inaccurate. No air temp display

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  Just a Great 4 X4 Vehicle - 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid
  By Mike - December 29 - 4:16 am

  I ordered the Escape with all options and it arrived in 3 weeks. The quality is excellent. If only it had stearing wheel controls for the radio and navigation system. It is somewhat distracting to take your eyes off the road to change radio stations, or enter a new destination on the nav system. Other than that the Escape is a great vehicle. Leather seats are comfortable, and the interior is very well dressed up. Rear seats fold nicely flat. Plenty of room for 4 people and luggage for a week in the rear. Tires are quite and smooth, but the continental tires are not good in the winter. Goodyear tires would be a much better choice.

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  satisfied customer - 2002 Ford Excursion
  By smatre - December 29 - 2:00 am

  I have driven my diesel excursion for 71,000 trouble free miles. Used it from around town to towing, etc. I have towed 11,500 lbs from Sebrign, Fl to NC with the cruise on. My wife even drove!! It has been reliable, inexpensive vehicle to own. A little laborious to use to run to the grocery store, but if you are o the highway, it is a great truck. Pluses. Doesnt hydroplane in the WORST rainstorms, Great power 20+ MPG highway Good brakes for a vehicle of this size Handles ANY tagalong trailer you can throw at it. Good seating position drawbacks: Dont rush to get anywhere or you could get into trouble Probably could handle a little better.

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  Dont Want to Give It Up!! - 1996 Ford Escort
  By The Rave - December 29 - 2:00 am

  I dont even want to sell this old car!! Ive had it for 2 years, it had high mileage on it when I bought it, plus I put 1000 miles on it in one trip from NY to Ohio, and back. It never gave me any problems, always started right up, the AC and heat are phenomenal, and the gas mileage is great. I drove this car through two bad winters and it still never failed. I just graduated college and my father urged me to purchase a brand new car, but Im afraid it wont be as reliable as this one!

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  A - 2002 Ford Expedition
  By Midwest Expedition - December 29 - 2:00 am

  Almost to 60k miles now and it drives like a new suv. Very good build quality. Consistent power, smooth shifting, easy towing. Quad captains chairs provide easy access to third row seat). Steering was a little "weird" recently I checked my tire pressures and found that all four tires were low and different. Filled to recommended PSI (30/front and 35/rear for mine) and steering was perfect again. Fuel economy is typical (not good... 15-16 tops on the highway). Bottom line: Im keeping mine for a while.

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  Best Car EVER! - 1998 Ford Taurus
  By dc129 - December 29 - 2:00 am

  I got this as a used car like I always do and, to my suprise it has been my favorite car that ive ever owned! I bought it with 13000 mi on it. Currently, it has 208,102 mi! It has been a great runner. I had to commute about 100 mi a day for work one way for about 5 years. I then traveled back home another 100 mi, and ran around town for about 25 more totaling 225 mi EVERY DAY +/- a few miles here & there. This car is the best. It has performed EXCELLENT.

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  1999 Ford Taurus SE sedan - 1999 Ford Taurus
  By eepisski - December 29 - 2:00 am

  Bought this car brand new in 1/2000. Have not had no problems with the engine or transmission like I had with my GM vehicles. Only problems I had were the wheel bearing cracked at 50000 miles nd had to be replaced. Had to replace the engine emission sensors twice. Recently, the brake light came on and stayed on even though the brakes worked fine. Had to get the brake pads and rotors replaced and now no more brake service light. This car gets good mileage and cant complain about the engine always starts in our cold MI winters.

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  great car - 2005 Ford Focus
  By ericrad - December 28 - 3:40 pm

  Great car. Extremely fun, very solid, excellent value

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  If you dont have one, get one - 2006 Ford Crown Victoria
  By Peshopavlov - December 28 - 2:00 pm

  I am a Ford guy and I owned couple of Tauruses before but when I bought my Crown Vic I discovered a completely new class of vehicle. The comfort and the style beat any other car on the market; the price too. Ive been in many cars (I am not fan of SUVs) but the size and almost classical style make it stick out in the sea of compact imports. It can always use some more power but the stock engine is easily upgradeable to about 300HP with couple of mods. Its easy to work on the engine if youre into that - there is a lot of room under the hood to add stuff too.