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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  2000 Sport - 2000 Ford Expedition
  By TrueBlue - April 29 - 10:00 am

  Overall have been satisfied with vehicle. The 4.6L engine is quite small for a heavy vehicle with 17"$ tires and a towing package. ABS went south at 40,000 miles ($1,000 to fix Ford/Dealer helped reduce to $200 out of pocket). Read wiper motor broke which lead to a fatigue failure of the wiper blade.

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  2000 Sport - 2000 Ford Expedition
  By trueblue - April 29 - 10:00 am

  Overall have been satisfied with vehicle. The 4.6L engine is quite small for a heavy vehicle with 17"$ tires and a towing package. ABS went south at 40,000 miles ($1,000 to fix Ford/Dealer helped reduce to $200 out of pocket). Read wiper motor broke which lead to a fatigue failure of the wiper blade.

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  factory defect - 1997 Ford Crown Victoria
  By 40yrforder - April 29 - 10:00 am

  weld securing steering arm did not hold;ford diagnosed this as "defective"but since warranty has expired will do nothing.this is a life threatening problem which they have dismissed;no more fords for me.

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  Love my - 2002 Ford Escape
  By gravesa94 - April 29 - 10:00 am

  This vehicle lives up to every promise Ford makes. The handling is excellant, power is more than sufficient, options are wonderful. Never had a problem with it. the construction is very solid, as when a gentleman opened up his VERY large oldsmobile door on the right side of the vehicle, my passengers and I did not even feel a bump. I went all out with the options and extras, and am very glad I did. It is a very fun truck to drive, but doesnt feel at all like you are driving a truck...handles just like a car.

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  Love the Sport Trac - 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By ltmike70 - April 29 - 10:00 am

  Love my Sport Trac. I am always getting comments from people about how cool it looks. runs great, looks sharp, very utilitarian. all of the options are very usefull. If you do buy one, get all of the options, hard tonneau cover, bed extender, step bars, fog lights, etc.

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  I love it I hate it. - 2002 Ford Ranger
  By Ron Boyko - April 29 - 10:00 am

  Ive owned this vehicle for a week now and I love it and I hate it. Ford did a great job as far as the construction of the body but they forgot about the engine. If youre looking for lots of power you wont find it in the 3.0 Liter. If you dont mind shifting a manual transmission every few seconds you wont miss the horespower. Fuel mileage hasnt been that great either.

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  A shell of a car - 1996 Ford Explorer
  By Found on road dead - April 29 - 10:00 am

  My husband and I were very impressed with the look of the explorer and felt that we couldnt go wrong with the best selling suv at that time. Well, we purchased a used vehicle by two years and found problems eight months later steming from the transmission being rebuilt and finally replaced to the gage lights coming on while driving (that includes the airbag and the check engine lights). NOT IMPRESSED!!!!!!

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  Surprising Power - 1998 Ford Explorer
  By Jah Nesta - April 29 - 10:00 am

  Excellent Power out of the V6. Simple mods add a lot too. Pretty poor gas mileage but overall a great car.

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  Ford Explorer Limited - 2003 Ford Explorer
  By Jeff532110 - April 29 - 10:00 am

  The 2002 Ford Explorer Limited is great improvement over its earlier incarnations mostly because of the independent rear suspension which has improved the ride of this class of Ford vehicle imensely. The total redesign of the Explorer was long overdue and needed in order for this very popular model to compete with all the new SUVs that have flooded the market. Ford definitely has designed a winner in this vehicle.

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  Exceeds Reviews - 2005 Ford Escape
  By Tee - April 29 - 2:23 am

  My Escape exceeded my expectations. It has AWD with a peppy V6 and I still get 20 mpg in the city. It is a wonderful vehicle to own and it is extremely fun to drive. I also love the simplicity, yet functionality or the instrument panel. I give this vehicle an A.