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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  Ford Mustang - 2005 Ford Mustang
  By dpspanta - March 16 - 3:40 am

  This car is the hottest on the road. Beautiful car, and handles like a dream. I love it. The car relates to everyone. Old and young.

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  I like it - 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid
  By rob - March 15 - 10:43 pm

  Ive had the car about 3 weeks and Ive driven about 400 miles mostly highway and Im averaging around 35 mpg. Despite what Ford says I seem to get better gas mileage on the hwy vs the city. The problem with the city driving is that unless you crawl out of each stop the car switches to the gas engine and it brings the gas mileage way down. The problem is if you drive the car like the smart gauges suggest (at least in CA) youd be driven off the road by someone with road rage. Its just impracticle to take 30-60 seconds just to get up to 10-15 miles per hour. A little dissapointed on this front but all in all a great fun car to drive.

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  Fantastic Truck - Sad Former Owner - 1993 Ford Ranger
  By Mayhem - March 15 - 8:47 pm

  This review is actually a post ownership review. I owned my Ranger from 1993 to 2000 (87,000 miles), and I must say that it was the best vehicle Ive owned to date. The only reason I parted ways with it was because of the birth of my first child, and we needed a more practical second vehicle. I cant say enough about this truck. All that it requires from you as an owner is routine maintenance. I put my truck through nearly every imaginable combination of use and weather and it never once failed me. Never needed a major repair... actually it never needed a repair of any kind, just replacement of wear and tear parts like brakes. I miss this truck.

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  Great Car - 1997 Ford Escort
  By bark - March 15 - 7:16 pm

  I would have to rate my 97 Escort as execellent. It has racked up around 85000 trouble free miles. This particular Escort has a manual tranmission and gets around 30/36 mpg. The only drawback I can think of is related to the manual transmission. The manual tranny is a real hassle during rush hour traffic, stop go.

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  A reliable econobox - 1997 Ford Escort
  By Milek - March 15 - 4:15 pm

  A surprisingly reliable car.

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  ROCKING CAR - 1994 Ford Taurus
  By DAFFY06 - March 15 - 12:51 pm

  THIS CAR HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT A DREAM. LOTS OF POWER, WITH LEATHER, JBL, MOON, YOU NAME IT. OVER 90K NOW AND NO PROBLEMS, ONLY MAJOR PROBLEM IS THE TRANS, WEAK AND EASILY DAMAGED. OTHERWISE SIMPLY THE BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK. OVER ALL GREAT GRADED CAR 9 OUT OF 10

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  Needs Work - 1994 Ford Explorer
  By White Knuckled - March 15 - 12:46 pm

  My first and perhaps last SUV. The 94 Explorer handles poorly and fuel economy is non-existent. It seems to have been designed to do nothing very well.

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  1994 Ford Explorer - 1994 Ford Explorer
  By VanDriver - March 15 - 11:12 am

  4WD needed repairs. Otherwise, normal routine maintenance.

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  Why not? - 2000 Ford Escort
  By crawdad - March 15 - 3:02 am

  I have had my used escort for almost one year. This car is a mini-tank, it can climb any incline with out losing speed. Talk about comfort, the seats are like lazy-boy furniture. It might not be a sports car, but it will get you there quick.

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  Great truck, bad gas mileage - 1996 Ford Ranger
  By Johnny - March 15 - 1:03 am

  I love this truck. Its my first vehicle, and I find that it has fantastic performance (mild during regular use and aggressive in those "stoplight excursions" with other cars), decent stereo, good ride, looks awesome, s like it, and its never broken down. only thing that i dont like is the cupholders. big aftermarket for lowrider or off-road markets. i love this truck, it does everything i want it to and more.