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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  a real disappointment - 2012 Ford Explorer
  By stillsearchun - February 28 - 3:43 pm

  Ive had my 2012 Explorer for 15000 miles. I wish I didnt. The sync, even upgrade, freezes. It happened on a 1300 mile trip and I was without Nav, radio, etc. for 16 hours of driving over two days. Not the first time. It also has very poor voice recognition, takes 15 to 20 minutes to connect to my phone. The touch controls are very distracting and dangerous, and balky. Also, set the dash display the way you like for a long trip, stop for gas, and when you restart, EVERYTHING has defaulted to factory settings. It seems intentionally designed to frustrate and endanger the driver. Also, the side view mirrors are too small. There is no way to adjust them to eliminate a massive blindspo

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  Okay, Rather have something else - 2008 Ford Escape
  By chewetson825 - February 27 - 10:49 am

  Bought the car new in 2008 and has been a love-hate experience. The car is absolutely AWFUL on the highway, but fantastic in the snow. If we had to buy another small SUV again, i would probably go for the Honda CRV instead.

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  Go FORD! - 1997 Ford Explorer
  By rpsims82 - February 26 - 11:02 am

  Ive got 180k miles on my explorer and the 4.0L keeps on going! No ticks, knocks, EVERYTHING works including all power windows, locks, cruise, etc. Auto 4x4 kicks in when it needs to, 4 low and high both work outstanding. Might need a new clutch soon, but thats expected. I never liked the explorers much, but I bought this one as a back up vehicle and now its my daily driver. Despite all of the other negative comments on gas mileage, I get from 18-20 on every fill-up. I think thats good for a big V6. Very happy with my Explorer! The 5 speed manual tranny makes it even more enjoyable! My complimants to Ford on this one.

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  Great Car but needed a new engine at 1100 miles - 2012 Ford Fusion
  By tx_fcory - February 23 - 11:55 pm

  I purchased a brand new 2012 Ford Fusion V6 3.0L, on January 7th 2012. In the first 30 days, My engine starts ticking once it warms up, the radiator fan squeels when you turn off the engine and the back passenger window would take a long time to roll back up. I took it into the local Ford dealership and they told me I needed a new radiator fan, a new motor for the power window and that the factory installed the wrong lifters in my engine and they would need to replace them. (They called Ford Technical Advisors) I was a little concerned with the assessment but told them to go ahead and fix the issues. The next day they called and said I also needed a new engine.

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  Bronco XLT with 5.8L/351W - 1996 Ford Bronco
  By 12345678910 - February 23 - 9:41 pm

  Our Bronco it the most reliable vehicles we have every owned, basically I got the Bronco from a family member who purchased it new in 96. The Bronco has 170K on it, and most of the factory parts are still on the Bronco today. The motor has never been open or out of the Bronco, as well as the transmission. The 351W engine runs strong, even with all of smog B.S on it. The Bronco still has its original paint which it still decent , and has a rust free body. The only real problem we have with the Bronco, is the cheaply made auto 4x4 hubs, which we converted to lock-outs. Even the leather interior is still in decent shape. Lastly, our Bronco has been well maintained with 90% highway miles.

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  Great Value and Reliability - 2011 Ford Ranger
  By labman3 - February 23 - 8:21 pm

  I have a 2001 Ford Ranger XLT Super Cab 4 door with 4.0 Liter V-6. I bought it brand new off the lot and have never looked back! It is a great truck for the money and very reliable. I have 177,000 miles on the truck have faithfully changed the oil every 3000 miles done routine maintenance like brakes and fluids never given me a bit of trouble. I get 22 miles per gallon on the road and this truck has more than enough power. My son just drove it to Denver Colorado over 1200 miles and never missed a beat! I hate to see Ford discontinue this truck. It is easy to park and very nimble. I love it and am going to buy a 2011 while they are still available.

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  Watch out for the coolant and radiator - 2005 Ford Taurus
  By kazkiev - February 23 - 5:13 pm

  My first car and I really enjoyed it for 2yrs, bought it with 43k, the head gasket blew at 99k, Ford has a reputation for overheating, the components of the car are cheaply made which is why they are cheap at the junk yards. Very smooth ride, quite good on gas for a V6, sporty handling. I would buy it with low miles and drive it lightly, after it reaches, 100k, get rid of it

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  2008 Ford Taurus SEL AWD - 2008 Ford Taurus
  By andysamuels - February 23 - 1:12 pm

  My 2008 Ford Taurus SEL AWD is a great upgrade from the 2003 Lincoln LS Sport V8 I used to drive. The Taurus has a lot more room in the cabin, a much bigger trunk and AWD. The AWD makes a world of difference: in rain and snow the Lincoln LS was a death trap. Unfortunately the finishing of the trim of the Taurus is not up the Lincoln standard but I guess that is to be expected. I was able to install factory navigation myself so that was a nice bonus. I also bought the Taurus really cheap so I got a lot of value for money (definitely an under appreciated car)

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  Just Traded it In!! - 2000 Ford Windstar
  By nicholez - February 22 - 1:46 pm

  I just traded in my Windstar (amazingly got 2K for it!) and glad to be rid of it. The power door was great when my kids were younger, but now I really dont need all the extra space. The extra back seat was nice for certain times when we had extra passengers. I purchased the vehicle with 77k miles on it and over 5 years, only put about 30K on. The emissions system light has been on since I owned it and recently, the ABS light has been on for no reason. The front passenger door will not unlock with the power lock and occasionally the sliding door will not work. The rear defrost stopped working and air will only blow out of the defrost vents. Glad to be rid of the vehicle.

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  Durable, Long-lasting car for a Pizza Delivery Driver - 1998 Ford Taurus
  By oo7chick - February 21 - 8:16 pm

  Bought this car in January 2010 but didnt start driving it until March because the transmission had been rigged up by previous owners. After shop did what they could to fix the transmission, I put about 36,000 miles on it driving for work and school. Had to get new brakes/pads, alternator, fuel and water pumps, battery and all the fixins. Show it some love and it will last for you! We bought it with just under 100,000 miles on it and the ending odometer was 135,500 (right on normal for the age of this car). It was a total loss when someone rear-ended me, but I would recommend this as a car worth the money. We paid $1200 originally and spend about $1500 on repairs needed for this car.