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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  Fantastic! - 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid
  By Magnus - April 15 - 6:30 am

  Unbelivable the car is just amazing! 502A package is worth the money. This is the car you just cant wait to drive again and again,it huggs the road like the best sports sedans in the world! Ford finally got rid of the green dash lights - this is new and fresh. I have bought Fords for the last 17 years because they where so reliable But now they changed the game , - This is pure excitement!You can have the chocolate without the calories! Thanks FORD. Great job.

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  Black Beauty - 2007 Ford Mustang
  By Tom - April 15 - 5:46 am

  The car is sharp looking and drives like it looks. The exterior and interior are finished off great.

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  nice truck,bad trans - 1996 Ford Aerostar
  By D.J. - April 15 - 2:00 am

  had a 93,loved it.bought a 96,at 90000 the transmission went bad.was told the shops called it the exploder since it was the same one in the explorer and was a bad design.other than that love it.

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  Daily Driver - 1995 Ford Contour
  By XCLNCE - April 15 - 2:00 am

  I have owned my contour for more than 3 years now and have never had a problem. The 2.5L V6 is an excellent engine with a matched 5spd manual transmission. It has a broad torque curve and will pull all the way to the redline if needed. I bought the car with 60k miles on it and am now at 118k. I have never had any problems with the car, and have driven cross country multiple times. I have been from San Francisco to New York, in 48 hours flat and have not been let down. If regular maintenance is performed on the car I can see these cars pushing over 200k with no problem.

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  Windstars Blow Their Head Gaskets - 1995 Ford Windstar
  By James Muecke - April 15 - 2:00 am

  There are NINE factory recalls for this Windstar. An internet search can lead to graphs showing the EXTREME rate of Head Gasket failure for the Windstar. The 3.8 is the worst engine by several magnitudes of failure over all other engines. This engine will blow its head gaskets because of the interaction of THREE design failures. Repaired engines will blow their head gaskets again. When replacing the head gaskets most techs will opt to drop the engine to avoid damaging the air conditioning. This car also blows its transmission because of a design failure using an aluminum hydraulic piston that cracks. I deeply regret having bought this van.

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  Great Van - 1995 Ford Windstar
  By Kenneth - April 15 - 2:00 am

  We have had great success with our Windstar. Very reliable. Weve only had to perform routine maintenance (oil, tires, brakes). Engine and transmission still respond well even after 90K miles. I will definately buy another Ford.

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  high quality sport car - 2002 Ford Mustang
  By ho quy pham - April 15 - 1:20 am

  mustang gt is an great car for 22k around. keep it up, ford.

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  terrible - 1995 Ford Windstar
  By breanna - April 14 - 2:00 am

  i own a 1995 ford windstar,and it is the worst van i have ever owned. the transmission went out 6months after i bought it. 4 month after that i replaced the engine. the starter has been replaced,the tie rods the cylinder was replaced, the brakes twice(8 months apart)the heater is shot and needs to be replaced,right along with the crank shaft pully and theres a noise still underneith. i also replaced the rack and pinions. now the head gasket is out again. its only got 16,000miles on this engine and 2 months past the warrenty. ford refuses to help in any way or stand behind this windstar. stay away from these or youll be very sorry, i know i am

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  the bird - 1990 Ford Thunderbird
  By milkbonez03 - April 14 - 2:00 am

  this car has been in my family for almost 12 years now, Ive enjoyed it alot. the interior is the ergonomically sound setup I have ever seen and the car still has the same might it had the day it rolled off the showroom floor. nice car, head gaskets problems to watch out for however.

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  Big Disappointment - 1995 Ford Thunderbird
  By Zubrovka - April 14 - 2:00 am

  Pretty pearl paint has numerous imperfections, front cap was so shoddily mounted that factory bra wouldnt fit! Next problem was the transmission, it came up for recall. Since that time, it has had 3 complete rebuilds. Ford caught 2 of them under warranty and I paid for the last one. The V8 is a decent motor, too bad it was backed up by such a dog transmission. However, when everything is working right, it is a blast to drive. Still love the styling, almost a direct knockoff of a BMW 6 series coupe! Leather seats are supportive, have held up well, Moonroof has never leaked. The car is a Jeckyl/Hyde. My better idea? NO MORE FORDS!!!