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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  Primary Vehicle - 2008 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By J. Hines - May 22 - 5:53 am

  Pretty much satisfied with the vehicle. Only drawbacks are fuel economy, of which I am getting close to 18 mpg around town, and the tire pressure indicator keeps going off. Have had 2 dealerships look at the tire pressure indicator but no solution yet.

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  Solid CUV!!! - 2008 Ford Edge
  By Jonny A - May 22 - 2:27 am

  After looking at the Subaru Tribeca, Nissan Murano and Mazda CX-7 we decided on an Edge Limited AWD. It compared very well against the competition in build quality, styling, materials and fit and finish. We belived the exterior styling to be the best of the bunch. The interior shines IMHO with a conservative, well designed layout using durable materials and easy, intuitive controls. The leather seating is nice with contrast stitching! The backseat felt the most comfortable and roomy of the 4. The sync system is outstanding, with nothing comaprable in any other vehicle we looked at bluetooth+Cell=sweet. Little extras like puddle lamps and power rear liftgate are nice too. And the price!

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  Room for improvement - 2009 Ford Edge
  By Eddy - May 21 - 6:53 pm

  The Edge is pretty much everything advertised. It handles well and is a very "tight" vehicle. The roominess in the rear seat is definitely superior to the GM Suvs I have owned. Overall , a great vehicle with the instrument panel lighting being the only "significant " shortfall. Without any backlighting, it is hard to read on a cloudy/overcast day or towards sunset. This lack of lighting is unusual in the Industry today.

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  Ford made a fine auto. - 2015 Ford Fusion
  By Stephen Juodvalkis - May 21 - 2:43 am

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  Get this truck - 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By rookie - May 21 - 12:13 am

  Ive had this truck for 2 weeks. I bought used with 96,000 miles as my first vehicle and Ive put over 200 miles on it already just having fun in it. When I bought it it needed a new rack and pinion and new rear axle hose which the dealer replaced for free. Other than that it has nothing wrong with it. I love the truck so much and would recomend it to anyone. I just wish the outside looked a little more eye catching but the newer ones do

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  Ford Quality not too shabby - 1998 Ford Explorer
  By Andy - May 20 - 2:04 pm

  I have owned Fords all of my life. This was our first and only SUV purchase. We bought it new and have only had to make routine maintenance repairs mostly. I did recently repair the door latch on the drivers side, but other than that it has been batteries, tires, brakes, and so far no tune-up. I will complain about two items: the stereo display and the rough ride. The display on the stereo went out right after the warranty ended and I know this has happened on many other fords. The ride is very rough, but maybe I just need to break down a buy new shocks. We have owned a Honda and a Saturn, both of which lost their transmissions at 80K miles, so I feel the explorer was a good choice for us.

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  Best SUV for the money - 2008 Ford Expedition
  By ATL FamilyMan - May 20 - 1:39 pm

  Ive owned my 2008 Ford Expedition Limited for just about a year now and have 8k miles on it. For a fully loaded truck with all the toys got a great deal that was significantly cheaper than most competing models. Fuel-economy could be slightly better, but for a large SUV its sufficient. Dont drive it daily, its just the family shuttle bus. Extremely comfortable and handles well on highway. 6-speed transmission runs smooth, but takes a second to kick in when you really need to accelerate to pass other vehicles. Needs a little more instant HP "KICK". Cabin reasonably quiet. Kids love wireless headsets. Why pay $10-15K more for the same basic features in GM, Toyota, or Nissan models?

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  Stayed in the Family - 1999 Ford Escort
  By Commuter Scooter - May 19 - 11:20 pm

  Car was purchased very inexpensively as a commuter scooter. I needed cheap miles and this car fit the bill. Only 8400 miles at the time of purchase but with hail damage that didnt affect operation. Issues have been easy to fix (relay module, tie rod end and vacuum hose) but otherwise no problems in over 100,000 miles. It has never left anyone stranded. Great gas mileage city or open road. Easy to work on by a shade tree mechanic. Now my daughter considers it "her" car for use at college. I see it several times a year now and keep the maintenance up for her. She understands the economics of inexpensive, reliable transportation instead of a fashion statement.

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  American Car that is a kick to drive - 2008 Ford Mustang
  By gvtrai58 - May 19 - 9:49 pm

  This car does more than expected for the price. The 300 horses give a fun launch from a stop and provide pretty good high speed acceleration. Floor this car at 100mph and in seconds you are at speeds you shouldnt be doing - not that you should have been doing 100mph in the first place. But, the car performs well at high speed. What really impressed me was the ability to take corners with this car. This car eats turns for breakfast and you would have to spend a lot more money to equal the handling of this car. Now is the car comfortable hitting potholes? No, and it wasnt meant to be. So, if you want above average power and looks for a fairly low price this is a good choice.

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  love it but, - 2005 Ford Expedition
  By wendy - May 19 - 3:49 pm

  I love our expedition, but I recently noticed the it stalls while driving. I was using regular octane. We have tried using premium and mid-grade and no stalls. My husband put in onetank of regular and it stalled again. USE mid or premium gas. We also had our rear main seal leaking, dealer denied it, so we found a private shop to fix it for us.