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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  Looks good - 2007 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By Marsha K - December 2 - 12:23 pm

  Just purchased a 2007 Sport Trac and it looks good but the gas mileage leaves something to be desired. It is comfortable and I like the fact that the rear seat can seat adults or fold down for the dogs. The little cubbyholes in the bed seem to be pretty useless. One is unreachable unless I climb into the bed of the truck. The other two arent even deep enough to hold a bottle of oil upright. I can keep bungee cords in one. I just drove it four hours straight with no discomfort so it fits me pretty good. 57 female. The Gas tank is on the wrong side for the USA and the interior door handle is inconvenient.

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  My First Car...still going strong! - 1996 Ford Escort
  By Kerry3 - December 2 - 2:00 am

  My Ford Escort is the first car Ive ever owned. I loved the style and now I love the car! I bought it brand new in 1996, and finally got a tune-up (2001)! Im not that nice to it, but the only problems Ive had were after 4 -6 years of Michigan driving, and 4 or 5 trips to Atlanta, GA. She now has almost 100,000 miles. The mileage is great, the ride is great shes reliable, especially considering what I havent done. Routine stuff? Nope, havent done them. Sometimes I do the oil. Shes a beaut!

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  Best Vehicle Ive ever owned - 1996 Ford Ranger
  By ROBERT5588 - December 2 - 2:00 am

  Excellent, excellent, excellent. Very reliable, decent power, good gas mileage, easy to repair, etc.etc.etc!!!

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  99 Ford Taurus - 1999 Ford Taurus
  By kerrlake - December 2 - 2:00 am

  Great car, no problems what-so-ever

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  wakeboarder - 1996 Ford Aerostar
  By BradfromGA - December 2 - 2:00 am

  100K and no major repairs. This car wont be the envy of your neighbors but it can haul a lot reliably.

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  Great Truck - 1994 Ford Ranger
  By redranger - December 2 - 2:00 am

  Im 16 and i bought this truck as my first vehicle. Ive always liked Ford and wanted a truck for the lower insurnace. So the Ranger was a natural choice. The 4x4 is great and i love the ride height. I have the 3.0L V6 and i get better gas mileage than my friends Nissan 4x4 4cyl. (I get 20mpg in a 4x4 V6 truck is pretty good). I have room for three people comfortably and four if i squeeze and five if they are small.

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  Dont get a windstar - 2003 Ford Windstar
  By bellcurve - December 2 - 2:00 am

  I owned a 97 Windstar. It was functional and did what it was intended to do - hull people. Then chose the basic 02 Windstar - and what difference. 1. Outside noise 2. Cheep and flimsy material (inside and out) 3. Annoying seat belt beeper 4. Inside lights shorted out 5. Feels like the wind could push the van over. 6. Poor excelleration, rough ride. 7. Visionless. It seems like they took an old formula and then simply tried to make money by cheepening all of the parts. The only revisions you get with newer models is price cuts in production with little in the way of new amenities. Very poor van. Will never get another one.

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  Very satisfied - 2006 Ford Fusion
  By jr - December 1 - 5:43 am

  This is a great car! Nice snappy exterior styling. Great gas mileage - 30+. Great handling. Probably a bit underpowered with the I-4 but with the mileage worth the sacrifice. Lack of good rear window visibility will take a while to get use to but probably not unlike other cars. Light colored cloth interior is nice but I have concerns over durability and stain resistance.

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  tbird - 1993 Ford Thunderbird
  By price - December 1 - 2:00 am

  At 90,000 miles I had to replace the heads at a Ford dealership, but am still having problems. Ive replaced the switch twice now for my headlights and am once again having problems with the lights flickering and the brights dont work. However, it is pretty dependable, I have 145,000 miles on my Bird and the body is in great shape, no rust and its comfy and roomy.

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  Will never buy a Ford again - 1995 Ford Windstar
  By acer111 - December 1 - 2:00 am

  It has had a new lower engine. Then replaced Head Gaskets, Then the whole engine, then ABS sensors, then front rotors, then continuous engine check lites, then Airbag light, then speedometer goes haywire. IT DOESNT STOP. Rear windows stopped closing. Power locks stoppped working. NEVER GET ANOTHER FORD.