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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  97 TBird LX Limited Edition - 1997 Ford Thunderbird
  By robleyw - April 25 - 2:00 am

  Possibly the best car Ive ever owned. Smooth, powerful, comfortable - who could ask for more? A pity Ford stopped production of this design. The 4.6 V8 is silky smooth and has tons of power. The interior is roomy and seats my family of 5 comfortably. The car is simply beautiful and doesnt have all that "boy racer" stuff grafted onto it. It still turns heads after 5 years...

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  Best Ford Ever - 2006 Ford Five Hundred
  By lee warren - April 25 - 12:20 am

  I bought the Limited. This is truly a great car. Fuel economy is impressive, especially on the highway. Getting over 30mpg. I love the CVT transmission and build quality. A lot of car for the money.

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  2005 SE - 2005 Ford Freestyle
  By Ben99GT - April 24 - 8:16 pm

  The best family car on the market today. What other vehicle today matches the Freestyles combination of seating flexibility, ride comfort, car like handling, roominess, SUV-like appearance, and 25+ mpg fuel economy? The Chrysler Pacifica falls well short of the Freestyle in every category and is much slower to boot. A case could be made for one of the better minivans, such as the Honda Odyssey, but then youre behind the wheel of a minivan.

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  best all around small suv - 2001 Ford Escape
  By tdr - April 24 - 10:00 am

  Pulling power and handling are the tops with this small suv, in fact out performs alot of mid size suvs in this area. Surprising interior room. Have pulled 18 tandem axle trailer with 3 four wheelers; no problem even in the Arkansas Ozarks.

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  Typical Poor workmanship - 2003 Ford Explorer
  By Kipiew - April 24 - 10:00 am

  My Ford is the reason why my mechanic can afford to buy a house in this real estate market.

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  nothing but trouble - 1991 Ford Explorer
  By john kiernan - April 24 - 2:00 am

  ever since I bought my 91 explorer Ive had nothing but headaches with it.first it was the fuel relay sensor that went then 2 brake lines, then the ignition shroud is shot and last but not least I had to replace the front end upper and lower ball joints and the tie rod arms.and just tonight it started making grinding noises in the front as i was turning a corner....what a piece of crap!

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  Never Touch THIS car! - 1994 Ford Tempo
  By ACE - April 24 - 2:00 am

  I bought my ford tempo one year old, and before 50000 miles the transmission needed to be replaced. so i spent 500 dollars right there. thinking bad luck. oh boy was i wrong. then all of a sudden it got this noise in the engine that sounded like a coke can stuck in the belt. so i brought it to the shop and they fixed it, but then it came back louder not even 1 month later. come to find out it was yet again the transmission. then i tried to trade it off to a dealer... they said that it by itself would not be a good enough down payment for a decent car, and that i would need atleast 2 grand more to put with it to make a nomal down payment.

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  My T-Bird - 1990 Ford Thunderbird
  By Nana - April 24 - 2:00 am

  I have driven this car faithfully and serviced it regularly.. now that I am retired we use my Husbands car .. and Baby T-bird sits in that lonely garage... It has 67,000 Kilometers on it now, but still has original Tires and is in nice shape... one tiny scratch on right front bumper.. which I guess happened while shopping.. no idea when or where as never noticed it till I was washing the other day.. otherwise it is great..

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  My 96 T-Bird - 1996 Ford Thunderbird
  By petjaz - April 24 - 2:00 am

  A very dependable auto. Runs like a Swiss wristwatch. Oil was changed every 3000 miles, and engine wasnt looked at until 100,000 miles when I insisted on changing the platinum plugs. Now has 128,000 miles and is driven daily, as it is my only car. Have been thinking about buying something else, but why? My T Bird runs so well, why replace it!!!

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  1997F0RD ESCORT - 1997 Ford Escort
  By CALEB - April 24 - 2:00 am

  I BOUGHT MY 97 ESCORT WITH 2100 MILES ON IT.IT HAS BEEN SUPER DEPENDABLE.HAD A CRANK PULLEY GO BAD AN A SENSOR ON THE GAS TANK .EACH WAS BITEY TO GET FIXED.THE FUEL SENSOR MIGHT HAVE BEEN MY FAULT IN THAT I HABITUALLY ADDED MORE GAS AFTER THE AUTOMATIC SHUT OFF.IF SO IT WAS A 3 HUNDRED DOLLAR LESSON. IT COULD EASILY USE MORE COMFORTABLE SEATS.ITS RESPONSIVE, STYLISH ECONOMICAL AND HIGHLY DEPENDABLE.ITS EASY TO USE AND EASY TO OWN!I THINK MY 8000 DOLLARS WAS WELL SPENT