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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  I love it! - 1995 Ford Bronco
  By burtneymom - April 28 - 2:00 am

  I absolutely love this truck! My only complaint isnt even the vehicles fault, but it is a little difficult to get my three year old and 6 monthold out of their carseats. O ther than that, my husband and I couldnt be happier. The perfomance, saftey, and reliabilty far outweigh the inconveinance of carseats! 10 out of 10!

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  A lemon needing too many repairs - 1995 Ford Contour
  By Fed Up - April 28 - 2:00 am

  WHEN it runs, its great. V6 with 5 speed manual is responsive and fun. The ride is nice, seats are comfy, and it holds cruise speed in the mountains. But it is simply unreliable. In the past 5 months, it has broken down 5 times. Starting at 36K miles (when we should have seen "the signs" and dumped it), countless trips to the shop include catalytic converter, oxygen sensor, mass air flow sensor, wiring harness, EGR something-or-another, etc. The part is NEVER in stock at my Ford dealership, adding to the inconvenience. I inherited this car when I married my husband. My husband is great, but the car is a lemon.

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  Great Purchase! - 1999 Ford Escort
  By Vette man - April 28 - 2:00 am

  I bought the car for less than $10K brand new in 1999. Really quick, have had it over 100 mph often. Its almost as quick as my 84 Corvette. Have 80K miles on it and no problems what so ever. Bought my daughter one. She got into a head on collision at 50 mph and walked away from it. The crush zones and air bags worked as well as a BMW. The best value Ford every sold.

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  Long live to my Escort!!!!!! - 1995 Ford Escort
  By Cesar SUV Lover - April 28 - 2:00 am

  This car is a mini-SUV to me :). It does not have the horsepower needed to make it more fast in acceleration, but is the faster that i know, I made 110 miles in the highway at full throttle!!!, and i felt secure, no tend to roll, exelent handling. But when is time to reapir it, is very Xpensive, and it ate lots of bucks. My mother had a roll-over in it recently, we are repairing it, but is to costly saddly, we are thinking in buying extra car, I hope a MS 2K at least

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  OK for a Ford - 2002 Ford Taurus
  By jimmy123 - April 28 - 2:00 am

  Actually no mechanical problems, Other than that the style is still ugly. (I didnt buy it, its a Fleet Car)

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  overall rating - 1993 Ford Taurus
  By Doris Mclendon - April 28 - 2:00 am

  This car was a replacement for a totaled 1991 Taurus. This has been a good, dependable car with a average amount of maintenance!I hope its replacement performes as well.

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  Great Truck - 1997 Ford Ranger
  By russ1a1hesston - April 28 - 2:00 am

  I enjoy my Ranger. It has a V6 4.0L with 4 wheel drive. Its a little weak in acceleration but plenty of power for hauling a load. It pulls a heavy trailer load better than my V8 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

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  Eddie Bauer Explorer Exceeds Expectations - 2006 Ford Explorer
  By zeeman84 - April 27 - 8:13 pm

  Just purchased an Eddie Bauer edition Explorer. After reading all the research and reviews, decided this was the best vehicle for our needs. Build quality is excellent. Nav radio is the way to go. Very simple to use and program. Our eight year old was able to operate the rear DVD with a short lesson from the salesman. She thinks it "rocks" I do not see the big deal about placement of the door handles. We got used to them right away. Power with the V8 is great. The mileage is about 16 which is not bad for a engine which is not broken in yet. We are also very impressed with all the safety features. With the current rebates, we received a great deal.

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  A Fun SUV - 2005 Ford Escape
  By Lee Flocke - April 27 - 5:03 pm

  We bought our Escape Limited in June 04 and we have driven to Ohio and back 3 different times. It gaves us a very safe and enjoyable ride. We are very happy with the Escape.

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  Love this SUV - 2006 Ford Escape Hybrid
  By ekiehn - April 27 - 11:36 am

  Overall very pleased with the vehicle. Low maintenance as except for fuel. I spent $29.99 for the first oil change at the recommended 10,000 mile mark and thats it! Mileage is very good for and SUV of this type, averaging 31MPG combined city/hwy (weighted toward city). I know if they they allowed some tweaking of the computer I could be doing better. Worst highway mileage was around 26.4MPG from FL to South Carolina but that was with a car topper, fully loaded vehicle and doing about 10 miles/hour over posted speed limit. :) The vehicle is used for work and play and it is truly superb.