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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  fast for a four cylinder - 1996 Ford Probe
  By Tad - January 28 - 2:00 am

  the car handles well around turns. its not that fast but for 118hp its pretty quick. the only things i have had trouble with is the exust pipe and muffler i had to replace twice and some coil for the battery went bad.

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  MUSTANG FOREVER - 1995 Ford Mustang
  By 67gt500 - January 28 - 2:00 am

  One of the greatest cars ever made. The 5.0L v8 gives it enough under the hood for any everyday use and then some. Gas is okay, if you dont drive an hour to work and back. I havnt had my mustang very long, and honestly its only my second car, but it has yet to fail me. Great buy for anyone who wants a less expensive car with real muscles.

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  I cant wait for Spring - 2002 Ford Thunderbird
  By SASY302 - January 28 - 2:00 am

  This car is what driving is all about, not a person in the world can deny that when you get behind this wheel...you become King or Queen of the road! No BMW,Mecedes, Lexus, or Corvette for that matter gets as many looks as I do when I pull in anywhere! I cant wait for this long cold winter to be over, because this is a car that is pampered and will never see daylight as long as one snowflake is in the air...I cant think of one thing I dont love about this car, and for all those who wrote in and made disparaging remarks..you have not right to own one!To those that love and own this car I will see you in the spring...

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  Good overall - 2002 Ford Windstar
  By samnoe - January 28 - 2:00 am

  Now, after 12 months driving my 2002 Windstar, Im still satisfied with most of it. good ride, quiet unless you give gas, comfortable, but could improve (see below).

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  Ranger stands on Reliability - 1996 Ford Ranger
  By Mdtguy - January 28 - 2:00 am

  Ive now owned my Ranger for 4 years and through Minnesota Winters of -10 to -15 below zero at nights it always starts and runs very well. It has always been a very reliable truck. It has a nicely designed dash when speaking of controls for air,heat and they work well too.The real only negative is I have had off and on issues with my check engine light turning on and I have it checked and they cant make sense of it. I have had 3 different shops look into this issue and get nowhere.

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  My Ford - 1996 Ford F-150
  By aires1942 - January 27 - 2:00 am

  Beware of fuel pump and fuel tank roll over valve replacements, very expensive (have to drop tanks). Standard 351 V-8 with 195 HP has little real towing power and sucks lots of gas.

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  Good truck - 1997 Ford F-150
  By TN Firefighter - January 27 - 2:00 am

  Good overall truck, had a few probs initially but it was used so I dont exactly how the previous owner handled the truck

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  The Awesome Bronco by a 41 year old man - 1996 Ford Bronco
  By Not High Enough - January 27 - 2:00 am

  only problems I have had with my 5.8L XLT Bronco are Fuel pump, Horn&cruise problems.And the notorious ttb ball joints

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  A mechanical nightmare! - 1995 Ford Contour
  By i hate this car - January 27 - 2:00 am

  This car is a decent car to drive, especially for the money paid, but its a disaster on wheels. The engine revs itself at idle, and I cant start it without keeping my foot on the gas or it stalls. The brake pedal will only depress half-way (new pads and rotors turned 6 mo. ago). This car also jerks and shakes when in drive gear below speeds of 20 MPH, causing me to hit a car in front of me while I was parallel parking. I like Fords, but this car seems to be poorly designed (ie. cupholder, lack of rear legroom, locking gas cap wont open etc).

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  Great Car - 1997 Ford Contour
  By Contour Lover - January 27 - 2:00 am

  Ive had this car for about 6 months now and its great. I have leather seats, a sporty V6 with a 5 speed transmition, sunroof, mags....etc This is a great car which is fun to drive and has a very large amount of features. Ford did a good job on this car.