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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  I luv my " BIRD" - 2003 Ford Thunderbird
  By Thundergirl - September 24 - 2:00 am

  I traded my 2002 Yukon SLT for a TBIRD. Nothing compares to it! I have only had the car one week now, however, I can say it has every feature I would want in a vehicle. It drives like a dream and I love to cruise on the road hovering around 80 mph!! Such a head turner. I LUV MY BIRD!!!!!

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  zx2 s/r - 2000 Ford Escort
  By zx200 - September 24 - 2:00 am

  Overall the zx2 has been a great car, no problems in any area, I have been very happy with it. Fully loaded and best price..

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  Its cool BUT - 1997 Ford Explorer
  By cshel24 - September 24 - 2:00 am

  I really loved my 97 XLT Explorer, however it wasnt too kind to me, I drove it a year or so, and it was great, then the problems started. As previously stated by somebody else, tensioner problems, believe that stuff. The tensioner broke on mime Then the transmission problems began it was going to be around $2000 to fix that problem. So I traded it off. I miss it a lot, Id love to have another. Mine had 107000 miles when the problems began. and oh yea, the check engine light burned for a long time... no problems, when the check engine light quit burning, thats when the problems began.`

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  PROBLEMS - 2002 Ford Mustang
  By BRUSH26 - September 24 - 2:00 am

  HAD IN THE SHOP IN THE FIRST MONTH. HAD IN THE SHOP 5 TIMES NOW. CAR DIES ALL OF THE SUDDEN. SYCRONIZERS IN TRANS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 2. NEED MORE POWER. SHIFTER FEELS LIKE YOU ARE ROWING A BOAT. EXPECT MORE FROM THE NEW LINE IN 2005.

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  A great value and very fun to drive - 2003 Ford Escape
  By Bid - September 24 - 2:00 am

  I bought my Escape just before we had a winter with 28 inches of snowfall. No problem for the Escape. We live on a steep hill and our side street never gets plowed, I had no problems with the 4 wheel drive system, even without low range. During the spring and summer it handles very well, good steering response and turn in. Plenty of room in the rear seats too(more that the CRV). A very balanced suspension, well designed automatic 4 wheel drive system and peppy V6 make it an all around great value.

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  Works great A++++++ - 1994 Ford Bronco
  By Jondrives - September 24 - 2:00 am

  No problems with this Bronco and fun to drive! Nice 4X4 truck! Would buy another Bronco!

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  BEAUTY - 1996 Ford Mustang
  By MOPPA - September 24 - 2:00 am

  Bought the car 2 years ago had a couple of problems but I wouldnt trade the car for anything. Have 2 Mercedes, but the Mustang is my favorite.

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  New Focus - 2007 Ford Focus
  By REO - September 23 - 10:26 pm

  The car has performed better than I expected. It is a gold SES sedan. I took it on vacation and averaged over 30 mpg. It is a fun to drive car.

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  THE Sports Car - 2007 Ford Mustang
  By Jim - September 23 - 8:10 pm

  This is definitely a Great Mustang. The chassis improvement over the Fox platform is amazing. Very solid feeling car. Interior is nice and has a lot of fun features with the Interior Upgrade package. Torque is plentiful and the car responds excellently to modifications. Youll definitely get noticed in this car. I get thumbs ups all the time. I feel like this will be a very reliable car.

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  What will I do when its gone? - 1991 Ford Escort
  By Gukchuck - September 23 - 2:00 am

  Im the OEM buyer of this car and its been great. The mileage, the performance and just the sheer fun of the vehicle. I can stash any of my bicycles into the back (including my recumbent) and the only time its ever been towed is when the missus parked it badly. The biggest improvement I made was to replace the sport Eagle GT+4 tires with touring tires and replacing the OEM struts with gas charged struts.