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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  alot more noise - 2001 Ford Taurus
  By tntaz - October 19 - 2:00 am

  This is our 2nd taurus.We had a 1995 that we loved. we only had to repair the hood latch in 6yrs of ownership. the 2001 has been in the shop for more recalls than I would like. it is very noisy when traveling. we had to put new brakes and rotors at 24000 miles. the car is now making alot of front end noise. I dont like the wider tires either.I have talked to several people who said the car has a light rearend and have lost control in rain and snow because it comes around on you. dont like that either.Probably my last taurus

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  Good car for the $ - 2002 Ford Taurus
  By Susan22503 - October 19 - 2:00 am

  Our car was a former rental car and we got it for 10k with 17k miles on it. Pretty good deal. It leaves a few things to be desired. Not great for tall people! I always hit my head. Another problem is that all the doors lock when you put it in drive but only the front unlocks when you park! Very irritating! Interior is a bit cheap looking, but not bad.There is a definate issue with the braking, it is not great and I beleave our rotators are already bad! But for 10k it is really a great car! And hopefully it will last as long as my parents 93 model (it ran perfect into the 150k range!)

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  Great truck for the money - 2003 Ford Ranger
  By jsm131 - October 19 - 2:00 am

  First small pickup I have ever owned. Good performance on the highway and on twisty mountain roads. Have not taken it off-road. Mine is a 5-speed manual. Good shifting, smooth clutch and excellent take-off with the 4.10 rear end. Actually could use a better fifth gear ratio. 5th is a little too close to 4th for long highway driving.

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  ? - 2003 Ford Escape
  By RONALD - October 19 - 2:00 am

  IT IS A GREAT SUV I WOULD RECOMMEND IT AND WOULD BUY IT ALL OVER AGAIN

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  I LOVE MY FOCUS! - 2002 Ford Focus
  By Gotta get a Focus - October 18 - 7:33 pm

  Ive owned the Focus for a little over 1 month now; I love it. Fun to drive. Doesnt look it but it is quite roomy on the inside and it does rather well for me and my three year old daughter. We are quite pleased. Never thought I would own a Ford but I am so happy I bought this car.

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  Awesome Car! - 2017 Ford Fusion
  By CK - October 18 - 9:38 am

  I Love this car! It looks great, handles, great - the ride is so smooth. Really good gas mileage. Overall awesome performance!

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  Great vehicle, but very pricey. - 2016 Ford Explorer
  By Keith HB - October 18 - 8:48 am

  This is an excellent SUV, and my purchase choice after detailed review of the competitors. Ford is excellent to deal with and the have produced a quality product with this vehicle. Having realistic expectations of how an SUV will be after the initial purchase honeymoon has worn off is important, and you have to understand that you will not get the mileage (MPG) nor the ride comfort of a regular car (sedan). It is after all an SUV. The fuel economy is fair but I did not expect it to sip fuel either. The controls / instrumentation are complicated for those not accustomed to technical navigation through screens of available data, but its also intuitive enough for the average user to get up and running fairly quickly. The only negative is the price (but I knew this going in). $40K + for the decently equipped mid-size SUV is a lot of money and the price rockets as soon as you get into additional options.

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  1998 ford mustang v6 - 1998 Ford Mustang
  By andrew - October 18 - 8:13 am

  First sports car ive owned, great car and reliable, owned the car for about 4 years, paint was faded for being a 15 year old car, repainted Rare Alantic Blue. I added cai, and pulleys from AM, best mods for $ made a big defference from stock, i always changed oil every 3k and never had any major problems. Always got me to point A to B no problems, car is easy to wrk on and maintain

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  No longer buying Ford - 2008 Ford Taurus X
  By no longer buyin Ford - October 18 - 4:00 am

  Traded in the 2007 Expedition for the Taurus X. Felt like we needed better gas mileage. We did experience paying less at the pump for obvious reasons. With only 5900 miles on the car, however, the engine has now been torn apart twice with 9 parts being replaced, including the gaskets, valves, and the housing. Initial indications were a timing issue around a phaser. Seven and a half weeks later and two car payments for air, the car is finally fixed. We will see what the future brings...probably a Toyota!

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  Dead at 122k - 1993 Ford Tempo
  By msuennen - October 18 - 2:00 am

  Although I have tried to maintain this vehicle as directed, it has cost $1500 to $3000 each year I have owned it in repairs. And now it is dead for good. Good riddance to the Tempo.