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 Car - 2008 Ford Focus
  By Jay - June 21 - 2:06 pm

  Traded a 98 Blazer that got 16mpg. My Focus SE 5 speed gets 28mpg. Had the car 3 weeks and got rearended. Other than the trunk lid, car held up nice. Fun car to drive. Nice sound system. Wish it had a another power outlet or two.

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  Not Bad... - 2003 Ford Explorer Sport
  By Sporty James - June 21 - 2:00 am

  Nice truck over all. Happy with the purchase.

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  SVT Focus a best buy! - 2002 Ford Focus
  By SVT4ME - June 21 - 2:00 am

  It handles like its on rails - yet you dont sacrifice ride comfort for handling prowess. The steering is tight and firm yet supple. The engine rocks - you wont win any stoplight drag races against a V8 Mustang or Camaro, but youll surprise a lot of Honda owners. And it has a nice exhaust tone, too. The six-speed is fun and works well, although occasionally the first- to -second gear change seems a little clunky, and the reverse lockout can be a little hard to overcome. Interior much nicer than previous Ford compact car efforts, although even with only 10,000 miles, already a little squeaky but turning on the excellent stereo cures that problem!

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  192,000 Miles - 1995 Ford Aerostar
  By Tony - June 20 - 8:41 am

  This van is fun to drive, very confortable, lots of cargo space. I replace the battery terminals, starter, alternator and door lock. It has 192,897 miles, engine is strong, it does not use oil.

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  2009 Ford Focus Coupe SES - 2009 Ford Focus
  By Ty - June 19 - 10:16 am

  The first drive of the focus coupe was decent. I was impressed with the amount of features you get for the price. I searched for cheaper new cars and finaly picked the focus. Ive grown to really like it. Its a good looking car with a sporty appeal. The interior is comfortably roomy and I love the sync and other toys ford has installed in the focus. It has enough power to do the job without a sacrifice in fuel economy. However the computer MPG is wrong by about 2 mpg to many which is a little misleading. Otherwise everything seems to work properly.

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  Good car if maintained - 1998 Ford Explorer
  By Welderman - June 19 - 6:38 am

  The Eddie Bauer AWD Explorer is a reliable car if properly maintained. I have never had problems with the drive train or engine (88,000 miles). It gets an honest 18.7 mpg at 55-65mph and the car is over 10 years old. My major maintenance was replacing rusted brake lines and rear brakes when they failed from corrosion. Im big so I find it very comfortable, especially the leather bucket seats as do passengers in the back seats. The A/C is used a lot in the South and it works great. Change the oil every 5000 miles and change the transmission oil every 50,000 miles. Flush the radiator out when you change the transmission oil and it will last a long time. Built Ford tough.

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  Reliable car - 2004 Ford Taurus
  By Nicos - June 18 - 11:53 pm

  I bought my 2004 Taurus new for $17,000 out the door. I put 120,000 miles on it by the time I sold it in Feb 2009. The car was great, comfortable and had good accelaration at higher sppeds. The only problem I had after the warranty expired was I had to replace the bushing between the transmission and engine. Otherwise it was 100% reliable.

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  tough little truck - 2004 Ford Ranger
  By tyrone buckets - June 16 - 9:35 pm

  It will never die cold or hot it starts. comfortable seats for long drives. Needs more room in the back for storage and seats. I have over 180,000 miles only needed to maintain truck. Nothing has gone wrong. I will get up to 355 miles on one tank.No speeding must dive a minimium 5-10 over speed limit Great MPGs.

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  Lovin the Freestyle - 2006 Ford Freestyle
  By Roughneck - June 16 - 5:10 pm

  I bought my 06 Freestyle about a year with 24k on it and have put another 20k on it since. I love the CVT and how smooth it rides and the engine has more than enough power. Most of my driving is highway and the engine moves my Freestyle faster than any other car I had. The inerior is beautiful and all the features make it feel like a much more expensive car. All these bad reviews are full of it because I am still riding on my same brakes, CVT and Continental tires with no problems. Overall I love everything about my Freestyle and as of 40k dont have anyhting to complain about.

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  Good car. - 2003 Ford Focus
  By dirkaelder - June 16 - 10:00 am

  I have only driven the car 2000 miles but it has done a good job. The engine is weak but sufficient. Gas mileage drops off drastically at speeds above 65 mph. At 72mph I was getting about 25 miles per gallon. This is only slightly better than my WRX. The car rides great but seems a bit floaty. The handling is excellent. I wouldnt try to many passes on a two lane highway. Overall I am satisfied so far. I was a bit hesitant at first with reading some of the prior recalls and problems with the brakes. This seems to have been resolved.