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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  Best SUV - 2008 Ford Explorer
  By AnthraciteAspec - February 27 - 12:02 pm

  I had my Ex for about 3 months now. Its great SUV because it has everything I need. The V6 is just enough for me, I mainly do city driving. I like the leather quality on the seats. It is very quiet and I love the comfort on the 2nd row.

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  Fordisms - 2005 Ford Explorer
  By HD - February 27 - 11:20 am

  Nice truck overall, nice ride, quiet cab, good handling performance, great power, acceptable fit & finish. Many "Fordisms", however, i.e. shifter on the column, fixed external wire antenna, truck like passenger seats, class II hitch, lousy radio, aesthetically challenged control panel. Minor issues if remedied would go a long way and bring the truck to the next level. Buy it to fulfill your basic transportation needs.

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  Mustang GT 40th Anniversary Edition - 2004 Ford Mustang
  By grannieannie - February 27 - 2:00 am

  Absolutely love this car. Wish FORD would get a better interior panel package. Same pkg has been used for too many years. Heres a hint FORD: look inside a NISSAN. Instrument panel, dash is fully loaded not a plain Jane. For such a beautiful exterior as Mustang, should be total work of art.

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  Opinion of the new Ford F150 - 2004 Ford F-150
  By Zane Siminoe - February 27 - 2:00 am

  We have driven Fords for years. The new 2004 seems to have gone backwards as far as interior design comfort. The back seats are very uncomfortable for an adult. Location of cupholders and info such as outside temp indicator is difficult to see. The new box is too deep, making it difficult to retrieve items without opening the tailgate.

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  Great Car Seriously - 1997 Ford Mustang
  By chenz380 - February 26 - 10:55 pm

  I got brainwashed by people saying Toyota is reliable vehicles and American cars are junk. I found that to be not true so I went with my dream of getting ether a mustang or a camaro/firebird. This car cost me $2800 and it has 143K miles and runs great compared to my Toyota Celica with 70K miles having gone through 3 engines. Warms up great, runs great even in -20F weather, and contrary to people who cant drive rwd in the snow, it handles fine in the snow unless you like drifting which I LOVE to do! The people who had bad luck just found a lemon and didnt know any better. Like any car, a poorly maintained car wont last long. Get your used cars checked before getting tricked by salesmen.

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  Sensible 7-Passenger Solution - 2005 Ford Freestyle
  By Guillermo - February 26 - 8:08 pm

  My wife and I kept an eye out for a Freestyle for quite some time and finally found a great deal. The engine is well laid out (designed by Porsche and acquired by Ford-Cosworth). The AWD is taken from Volvos. The continuously-variable transmission (CVT) works remarkably well. Safety features are many, including ABS, traction control, and frontal and side- curtain airbags. The flat-folding seats, including the front passengers, are extremely convenient. So far its been reliable. Mileage has varied from 13-17 in the city to 24-26 on the highway while carrying five passengers. We cant wait for the summer!

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  Happy camper - 2009 Ford Ranger
  By Pleased Owner - February 26 - 11:57 am

  2009 is the first year for the Sport in a 4CYL. I never would have driven one exceot my employer bought a fleet and the mechanics told me to test drive tone. I was surprised with the 4cyl guts. My gas mileage is 20.5 around town and one one trip it was 23mpg. Didnt look at any other models because I am stuck on the dependabilty of Fords. Great truck for the money.

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  Best truck made in America - 2009 Ford Ranger
  By Chris - February 26 - 7:09 am

  I bought this truck in 2009 and so far have put 1000 miles on it. So far so good havent had a problem with it yet. Im not sure about fuel economy though, I have the 4.0L V6 and I get 14 in the city. Im suposed to get 17 in the city and 20 on the highway. Other than that i love this truck. Its the best one That you can buy for the money. I wouldnt reccommend this truck unless there is only two people in your family.

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  reliable recreational vehicle - 1998 Ford Explorer
  By wild rose native - February 25 - 10:00 am

  I have had the truck for about two years now and it has performed according to my expectations. It has ample power to tow a travel trailer weighing 4500 pound. Around the city, this Explorer is fun to drive. Other than the LED display disappearing on the combo cd/cassette player and the annoying engine light turning on for no reason, I have had no troubles with this truck. I am crossing my fingers hoping that I can avoid the problems that other owners have had.

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  Really safe and good but needs a few improvements. - 2012 Ford Focus
  By beeryan78 - February 25 - 5:28 am

  I purchased my Focus back in May of 2011. Recently in Nov of 2011, the vehicle was t-boned at an angle by a Toyota Highlander. To my surprise, the Focus performed great! Only a little airbag burn on my arm and that is it. Very impressed. Unfortunately the dealer had the vehicle for 70 days and there were just too many post repair issues, so I traded it in. Now let me not let you think its perfect, because it had some issues. My dashboard was replaced due to a crack(early model issue), the vehicle developed some rattles(none of my Fords 97-04 rattled), the tranny had shifts issues, MyFordTouch had its issues and the engine flipped out once and revved high(fluke?). Enjoyed the car, miss it.