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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  Great car for the money - 1997 Ford Taurus
  By Marc Ayala - August 30 - 2:00 am

  I purchased my Taurus in 1998 used with 24,000 miles. I was extremely surprised with the power and handling for a domestic car. On the highway the car gets 30 miles to the gallon, and 20 in the city. Its held up extremely well, and is still going strong at 112,000 miles.

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  114K and still going - 1994 Ford Explorer
  By rhlucius - August 30 - 2:00 am

  Has been a reliable truck. The ride is rough, but the engine still has plenty of pep on good days!

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  A lots of fun - 1995 Ford Mustang
  By DAVIDs - August 30 - 2:00 am

  Realy Good.... The car is fast, fun, and is not as expensive as many other cars like this.

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  1993 Ford Dually Diesel - 1993 Ford F-350
  By sprinkle sr - August 30 - 2:00 am

  This non-turbo charged truck has provided the highest level of reliability of all my vehicles, and that is 4 other vehicles.

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  Great Ride - 2007 Ford Five Hundred
  By Ron - August 29 - 6:00 pm

  Purchased in Illinois and drove to AZ with very good performance. Window showed highway 29 MPG, obtained 28.8 MPG. GPS system works great and over all clean tight fit with a comfortable ride.

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  Looks & drives nice, but........ - 2017 Ford Mustang
  By Jim Cook - August 29 - 10:04 am

  Check out your car very well before purchasing. It is obvious that Ford still does not care about quality after all of these years & why I avoided them for most of my life. The car I have is twisted. The drivers side door is warped. The hood is extremely hard to open because it barely opens far enough to get small fingers underneath to get to the release. The body lines do not line up. The dealership could do nothing about this and the repairs will require a body shop. I know this is a bad car that I bought, but these things should have been caught by Ford before being released from the factory! It wasnt noticed by me until I got the car home & really went over it that evening. The dealer is doing its best to get it fixed by getting it to the right people, but it really should go back to Ford & I should get a replacement car. Other than the body/frame issues, the car drives great, handles great, looks great and the front seats are comfortable. Cant say much for the back seat. The rear seats look great, but are useless. A child couldnt even sit back there. St least the trunk is very roomy. I like the car, but it will definitely be my last Ford.

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  I love my Truck - 2005 Ford F-150
  By s keith - August 29 - 7:36 am

  Over all I really enjoy driving my F150. It has a very short turning radius which makes it a breeze in the parking lot or tight turns. It has excellent acceleration and very comfortable seats. Also the quarter windows make pulling out into traffic easy with the extra view.

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  Great truck - 1993 Ford Ranger
  By jackjack - August 29 - 2:00 am

  Had it ten years and never had a problem. Good power. With ABS rear brakes stops on a dime, saved me from having an accident when big rig suddenly pulled out in front of me on freeway.

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  Bad Transmissions - 1990 Ford Aerostar
  By kings - August 29 - 2:00 am

  I bought mine from a crooked used dealer (arent they all?). The radiator fluid was burning out the tail pipe so I put in some stop leak. This may have caused some other problems but a lot of things just fell apart because Ford stands for Fix Or Repair Daily. The A/C stopped working, the heat sucks in the winter. The drivers side power door lock stopped working. I was told I needed to replace the transmission ($1500 Canadian) last year and have been able to drive it still but it revs high for a few minutes before it kicks into 2nd gear every time you turn it on and it wont go into reverse now when its been driven a lot. The gas mileage is HORRENDOUS.

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  Great Car - 1990 Ford Mustang
  By Curtissss - August 29 - 2:00 am

  Extremely reliable. Easy and cheap to repair. Fast and fun to drive. Handles well and doesnt get that bad of gas millage for a V8. I wish it had 4 wheel disc brakes and a stiffer chasis. Overall well designed and just enough technology without going overboard.