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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  fantastic horse - 2005 Ford Mustang
  By frank figliola - June 16 - 12:26 am

  My overall experience with this vehicle has been fantastic. The power is breath taking, the interior design is well thought out, and the driving experience is exhilarating. This car is everything advertised and more. No accessories needed for this gem, it has everything you could ever want.

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  Love my probe - 1993 Ford Probe
  By Probestah - June 15 - 9:28 am

  I have a 93 SE and I love it. It didnt wanna go uphill on take off but if you get a new upgraded exaust or some type of small Horse Power adjustment it doesnt take away from the fuel economy and also gives you that little boost. Sound system stinks in this model. Change to a cd player and change to pioneer deck speakers. Also mine came with a stock subwoofer in the back built into the right panel. If you take that out and take the wires from the back of it then buy a subwoofer it will BUMP!!! I have 3 JL audio tens in there now and it rattles my trunk! I have tried many things and it seems to be just fine pushing at 2 and 4ohms. if its shutting off while bumpin try to hook it up other ways.

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  2000 Windstar SE - 2000 Ford Windstar
  By ken_swar - June 15 - 7:30 am

  Leased vehicle has 23000 miles. Been to dealer twice for factory recalls -- both fixed in a day as promised. Required one other trip to dealer for rear sliding door which was harder to close than the other. Dealer was able to successfully correct. Lease over in March of 03. I would be more interested in sticking with a Windstar if the 3rd seat were a little easier to manage.

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  Nice Improvement - 2007 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By Eagle 16 - June 15 - 4:56 am

  I love the way my 07 Limited drives, I cant drive the vehicle enough. The traction control is great. I had an 05 Adrenalin SportTrac and the difference is night and day. The independent suspension and much quieter ride are a huge improvement over the 05 models. Corning ability is also greatly improved. The truck rides much smoother as well.

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  Fine little truck - 2008 Ford Ranger
  By Aaron - June 14 - 11:13 pm

  I bought this truck as a second vehicle primarily for haulings stuff w/o ruining my other car. I bought a really stripped down version of it (air and auto only) about 3 mos. ago, and have been really happy with it. The ride is stiff and the transmission is somewhat unrefined, but still this truck was a very economical solution to my needs. While the 4-cyl engine wont win any races, the low end torque enables the engine to come through when Im really loaded up. The 4-cyl. is noisy, the truck is loose in the rear on wet pavement :), the air conditioning works well, but I have inadvertanly knocked the truck into neutral when reaching for the radio controls (bad layout). I would recommend it.

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  Good bang for the buck. - 2008 Ford Explorer
  By Harry - June 14 - 10:50 pm

  This marks my third Ford Explorer. My only complaint is the center mounted shifter. The previous one (2002) had ample amounts of area for your stuff. Considering the price as compared to a Toyota 4Runner, Nissan Pathfinder or other comperable vehicles the explorer was WAY WAY WAY more truck for the money. It literally cost almost 1/3 less than the two above mentioned rides. I can live with some small quirks for the money I saved.

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  Exploring with the new Explorer - 2016 Ford Explorer
  By Stan Sala - June 14 - 8:31 pm

  Nice ride for a truck. Feels very comfortable and safe. Handles well. Took it to the snow and had no problems with the traction. Not happy with the location of the drink holder in the back seat. Easy to step on. Great navigation and wifi hook up. Good storage space and easy to navigate the seats. Good mileage for the size and weight, not happy with the size of the gas tank. The tank is too small.

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  2000 Ford Focus LX - 2000 Ford Focus
  By Matt - June 14 - 10:44 am

  Just bought this Ford Focus, and so far am quite impressed. I have already replaced the ignition coil pack, a simple 1 hour repair. Has a 140,500 miles on it, and still runs strong for a 4 cylinder. This is my first car, and so far, for the 1000 dollars I spent, (including purchase price, and the coil pack.)I am pretty happy. Car is quite and runs smooth. Good gas mileage, and very fun to drive.

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  Good So Far - 2000 Ford Escort
  By dubyaw - June 14 - 1:32 am

  My father just bought this car for me a few weeks ago and its been great.Granted I am used to a 1990 Eclipse an even smaller two door coupe. Being 65 this car seats me very comfortably and has plenty of space for being a compact.This car has 48,000 on it and has had a tran rebuild, replaced Fr Dr side tie rod, and been very well maintained by previous owner. This car is great on gas, around 100 miles and still a bit over half a tank left. The engine packs a punch when needed but this being my first nice car I baby her. Fun car to just cruise in, comfortable ride, good sound quality, and for a powerful little 4 banger its pretty quiet.

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  04 Expedition to Loaded 07 Escape Hybrid - 2007 Ford Escape Hybrid
  By B. Place - June 13 - 4:46 pm

  The Escape Hybrid is fun to drive. It is not as comfortable as our Expedition was, but we are paying for technology and better gas mileage rather than top of the line comfort. We miss the storage place in front of the gear shifter and the covered storage between the seats is too small to hold my wifes purse. We also noticed the air conditioning gets warmer when the vehicle switches from gas engine to electric motor, but if you use AC Max it forces the gas engine to run. The car sounds and feels different from our Expeditions, but it is a smooth comfortable ride with plenty of power to zip around town. We bought it loaded and love it!