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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  - 2004 Ford F-150
  By André Meier - November 5 - 10:00 am

  I know the reason why the f-series is the best selling truck-line! Just the best!

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  love a pony - 2009 Ford Mustang
  By shoefly - November 5 - 6:04 am

  Love to drive this car. I have a 40 anniversary pony, now I bought this 45 ann. So far so good. Only complaint is the seat belt is very hard to get to it should be like the other pony attached to the seat. Better than the new camaro.

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  Have you driven a Ford lately? - 2007 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By bankguy - November 5 - 3:16 am

  This is my first Ford after years of GM and Honda. I must say that I like my Sport Trac better than my wifes Pilot. The drivers seating seems to have been designed for me. I am very comfortable driving this vehicle. Build quality is great and the vehicle is very tight. I have not had a single issue since I bought this truck. Gas mileage could be better - but it could be worse.

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  13 years, 1 owner - 1996 Ford Bronco
  By Orig Owner 96 Bronco - November 4 - 7:43 pm

  I bought a 96 XLT 5.8L Bronco new in 1996. I still own it in 2009, and plan to keep it probably 5 more years. This vehicle has been super reliable. I have 113k miles now. No rust, but I live in FL and dont see snow. Super capable off road and comfortable on road. A few problems, front suspension bushings replaced, ball joinsts need replacing (but not causing tire wear, so im letting them be), radiator leaked (replaced it myself), bad EGR valve. Other than that, nothing major to speak of. Front brakes last about 60k, tires 50k, I always get lots of compliments on the truck and offers to buy, but why sell when Id have to pay $35K for an inferior replacement vehicle. MPG observed is 13/15

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  Great SUV - 2009 Ford Escape
  By DQuinones - November 4 - 4:02 am

  I am telling Ford did a wonderful job with this one. Its a great Suv from top to bottom. Handles very well, comfortable and fun to drive. I was always skeptical buying a Ford. This is my first Ford and I am so glad it was this one. I test drove a lot of suvs in this class and nothing compared. Looking for a suv that handles like a car, looks good and extremelly comfortable than this is the one. Highly recommended!

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  Fun in the fast lane - 2007 Ford Shelby GT500
  By Brandon - November 4 - 1:40 am

  I paid msrp for my Vista Blue GT500. It was worth if. I have a SVT Cobra and didnt buy this car because of the Shelby name. I have always want to see what a SC 4V 5.4l would do in a Mustang. My car will not be a garage queen. I picked my car up in MI and drove it 1600 miles back to FL in 19 hours. Only gripe was the car is to quiet. Didnt sound like a Mustang should. Very fun; cant wait until more parts come out and we start seeing the GT500 putting down 500-600 rwhp.

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  Still satisfied after all these years - 2001 Ford F-150
  By atwowheelguy - November 3 - 6:33 pm

  Bought new. New transmission at 160,000 miles. 174,000 miles on it now. Front brakes twice and rear brakes once. One electric window motor replaced. Throttle body cleaned twice. Uses a quart of oil every 4,000 miles. Original alternator and water pump still going strong. Interior looks good except for the rubber cover on the brake pedal. No rust. Exterior looks good except the normal parking lot dings after 8 years. Plenty of room for grandchildren and motorcycles. Reasonable gas mileage for such a large, comfortable vehicle. No complaints here.

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  2010 Ford Excape Limited, 6 cyl. - 2010 Ford Escape
  By Larry - MO - November 3 - 4:46 pm

  We ordered the vehicle and picked it up on Sept. 18. We have driven it over 1100 miles. It drives and handles like a much larger vehicle. The performance is great and fun to drive. The gas milage so far has been good. It is averaging about 22 mpg overall. The interior noise level is much quieter than the 2006 Escape we previously owned.

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  excellent Crossover - 2010 Ford Edge
  By GJ - November 3 - 11:13 am

  drove a liitle over a month. Its good Vehicle in this category. The engine is queit but the initial speedup from 0 to 30 takes long time after that the engine is powerful. The suspension system is very good for 20" tires. rear and side view is not good. but it has wide angle mirrors on both side mirrors. so actually make it safer to drive when you change lanes. The speak bass is good but overall speaks quality is not good even as my Winstar! The dashboard looks like cheap. The vista roof is awesome! Overall its very good car that can compete with Lexus RX series if you dont mind the brand name.

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  Huge improvement from last years Model - 2014 Ford Transit Connect
  By okshaw - November 3 - 12:30 am

  This vehicle performs excellent in almost every category that I have thrown at it. We also own the exact same model in 2013 and by far this Van has better acceleration, load space, and the features for Sync are much easier to use then the previous versions. The van now drives like a car then a van and handles like a dream at all speeds. This vehicle is much more stylish then any previous version. The gas mileage on it is much better then the model from last year.