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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  Average For a Truck - 1994 Ford Ranger
  By concernedbuyer - July 9 - 2:00 am

  I loved my truck being a woman and seated higher up from other cars. It was comfortable for my bad back and held up well. I started having major problems at 116,000. It was a 5 speed manual and one day the stick decided not to work when shifting. I maintained it very well always did the reccommended maintenance on it. I must say the best thing about this truck was the original tires lasted me almost 5 1/2 years before I had to replace all four. My husbands car is a 91 Toyota Tercel and he only had to do oil changes on it, compared to my truck. I think we will stick to Toyotas.

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  BUY USED TRUCKS... - 1998 Ford Ranger
  By Daves - July 9 - 2:00 am

  With common sense and a "inspection service" we manage to keep our family in late model vehicles at a fraction of the cost of the "Joness next door". Our Ranger was added to our fleet for $4700, he paid $15700 in 98. This Ford has been our best value so far, next is our 96 Town Car for $6900...

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  watch out for the fuel pump - 1997 Ford Taurus
  By on_the_fence - July 9 - 2:00 am

  2.5 years into having this wagon (bought with 30k miles) I was driving down a busy street. Suddenly, no power. Engine goes silent. Glide into a hotel parking lot. Tried starting car. No go. Car had been running fine up till now. Towed to dealer (first major repair, figured better safe than sorry). $500 bucks later, new fuel pump. 5 months later, fuel injectors clogged, needs a complete tune up (76,000 miles on it). Another $500. Generally a good car, but starting to worry, approaching 80,000 miles.

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  Northern adventure - 2003 Ford Escape
  By Lawrence Lawson - July 8 - 9:44 pm

  Prone to rust in rear quarter panels.

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  Northern adventure - 2003 Ford Escape
  By Lawrence Lawson - July 8 - 9:44 pm

  Prone to rust in rear quarter panels.

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  A real head-turner! - 2005 Ford Mustang
  By barjon - July 8 - 12:36 pm

  I have owned mine for one week now, and the car is absolutely fantastic. I was surprised to find that, at 64" tall, I fit very comfortably behind the wheel of this Mustang. Fit and finish are excellent and the V6 with 5- speed automatic is smooth with plenty of power. I am amazed at my gas mileage so far, averaging 20 mpg around town, and 26 mpg on long highway trips. Thats a little more than the EPA ratings. Im turning heads everywhere I drive it, too!

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  really really good car - 1993 Ford Probe
  By mr hobbles - July 8 - 2:00 am

  very easy to drive, great handling, still runs really well, and the stereo works great.

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  Good and Bad - 1996 Ford Contour
  By mikemc - July 8 - 2:00 am

  The Contour I purchased has great mileage and the car is extra clean however there are some problems worth mentioning.The Contour has a history of blowing the timing belt around 80,000 miles as well as air conditioning problems around 50,000 I havent had thse problems but I did have to replace the relay,radiator,and fan in the motor before ever driving the car.The other problem that I had was the design of the cup holder in the middle console.It broke and now Ford is replacing the whole item with a new item for 80.00

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  Good for the first 86,000 miles... - 1996 Ford Contour
  By schumah1019 - July 8 - 2:00 am

  My wife and I have had the Contour for 3 years now and have had no major problems. Oil changes every 3,000 miles, and a tuneup and injector cleaning about a year ago. It has been quite dependable, and my wife often puts on 300 miles a week of highway driving. But now its getting to the point where it seems like things will start to go wrong. Its losing power, dies occasionally after starting it up first thing in the morning, and the shifts from the automatic transmission are not nearly as smooth as they used to be.

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  Ford Aerostar - 1995 Ford Aerostar
  By Kevin Kurtz - July 8 - 2:00 am

  No major mechanical problems, very reliable. After going 90,000 miles, I have not had to do any maintenance other than oil changes.