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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  Still loving it - 2009 Ford Flex
  By chuck from kansas - August 12 - 9:28 am

  Wrote my first review 11/08 when Flex was first purchased. Flex (Ford) has made a believer of me. I am a retired automobile sales representative and sold and drove imports.(Honda,Toyota, Nissan). Without hesitation, I would put the quality, reliability and ride of Flex against any of them. I keep looking to find some small flaw, but so far-nothing have shown. I couldnt see any way the Flex could have been improved, but Ford managed to do it with the 2010 Flex. I have never in my life been so impressed with any one car. P.S. I sold and drove the imports for almost 30 years.

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  Fun, Fun, Fun!!! - 2005 Ford Mustang
  By Brandon - August 12 - 3:57 am

  It is a Blast to drive every single time!! Truly feels like you are in a 67 fastback! Only problem Ive had with it is the oxygen sensor going out, but not to worry Its a GREAT car! The A/C blows SUPER cold, I never have to use the full power of it. It has plenty of horsepower, in fact when the light turns green its a struggle not to laugh and spin the tires leaving the Prius next to you in your rear view mirror. Mine has a borla exhaust that produces a sound second to none! It is extremely reliable and never lets you down. If you are not having fun with this car you are doing something wrong!

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  Great for the Cost - 2007 Ford Taurus
  By Older but not dead - August 11 - 11:20 pm

  Had 36K mi when bought and in like new condition. Rough handling on most Ohio roads, but good on improved roads. If I featherfoot it the fuel economy is unbelievable. 24 local/27 mixed/and 32 highway. Roomy interior and trunk. It is nicer than my 98 Sable but cheaper looking inside. The only problem I had was replacing the bolts on the subframe assembly. Ohio roads, go figure. Best feature was the price, $10,800 over 15 months ago. I even Carfaxed to see why and that came up clean.

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  My first American Car... - 2005 Ford Five Hundred
  By JohnV - August 11 - 12:43 pm

  ...and I love it! Glad we found this wonderful, large comfortable car - at such a great price. The styling is a bit on the vanilla side but who cares. Its attractive to me and thats all that matters. The command seating gives me a fantastic view of the road. The leg room for me (5-8) and my wife (5-4) is more than generous and the trunk can carry almost anything you can throw at it. This car, in my opinion, is a much better value than any strangely styled Honda, Nissan or Toyota on the road today.

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  My 95 ford probe GT - 1995 Ford Probe
  By CarpenterChick - August 10 - 7:04 pm

  I absolutely love my little car. It is still running good. I have to put a little money here and there but over all its the best Ive had. Its very quick, handles wonderfully in rain. Its very fast. I do have to be easy when using the gas pedal, it just gets up and goes... I wont trade it in for anything......

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  Great van with a few problems - 2001 Ford Windstar
  By Lou - August 10 - 4:05 pm

  At 83000 miles, have replaced the intake manifold gasket, $1000, and ABS unit, $600. On second set of tires. Father-in-law is a car nut and says it rides like a limo, very comfortable for long trips between Houston/Denver. Styling is nice, no paint problems. Gas mileage has consistently attained the 18/24 rating. I drive conservatively and do all maintenance, so cant explain problems others have had.

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  Affordable Ford Fun - 2005 Ford Focus
  By Darrell NUssbaum - August 10 - 2:40 pm

  My SES is nicely equipped; it has just about all the options you can order. It handles like a jungle cat on a chase. Im very inpressed with the quality and comfort this auto presents. The fit and finish is excellent. Whether you are driving or just admiring the ZX3 you feel the tingle of ownership. It is a fine Detroit piece of workmanship with a look of things to come down the road. It is fun driving that is affordable with many creature comforts.

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  Great Family Car - 2009 Ford Flex
  By westwood mom - August 10 - 1:09 pm

  Have had this vehicle for two months and very happy. A big improvement over our Acura MDX (which it replaced) in terms of comfort, smoothness of ride, and gas mileage (about 2 mpg better).

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  Great Car - 2006 Ford Fusion
  By Ford Guy - August 10 - 2:30 am

  Bought this Fusion a few weeks ago and love it! Drives great - the steering is responsive - it really hugs the road. The car is fully loaded - leather interior - which is very comfortable. I did purchase it with an extended warranty - 3 yr / 36000 mi. - just in case since I bought the car used. The quality and workmanship has drastically improved when compared to my previous Fords. In fact - quality wise it is as good as our Toyota. Great job FORD!!

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  Pleasantly Surprised - 2009 Ford Escape
  By Roy C - August 9 - 10:09 pm

  I have purchased Chrysler products for years, most recently a 300 C. Im so glad I switched to Ford. I had a 2009 Flex AWD Limited that I loved, but due to the uncertainty of the economy, I took a proactive approach and "down sized" my ride. I was so impressed with the quality of the Flex, I stayed with Ford and went with the more economical Escape Limited. What a pleasant surprise...I bought it from a dealer that was 75 miles from my home and on the way home it was already averaging 28.5 mpg! The ride and handling are good, the engine is more responsive and the radio is better than I expected. Its not the Flex by any means...but @ $14,000 less its a great car.