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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  So far So good! - 1993 Ford Taurus
  By leosmane - February 12 - 1:43 pm

  Ive had my 93 SHO for a few months now, and so far so good. I think some people have bad luck with cars and some people dont. This SHO had the same things wrong with it that my previous Taurus had, a window switch is out and it has slow downshifts. (AUTO) The 92 to 95 SHOs have the awesome looks though! Its a poor mans STS, but I like it so far. The performance is pretty good, but Im sure alot of newer cars can beat me. Its fun to SHO off in! Itll smoke em.

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  Best SUV on the road - 2002 Ford Explorer
  By Finochio - February 12 - 12:46 am

  Smoothest SUV ride I have ever experienced. I never though an SUV would be as comfortable and handle so nicely.

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  Looks like an SHO - 1998 Ford Taurus
  By snaptab - February 12 - 12:45 am

  Great 24 valve V6, good acceleration and handling, good interior room and comfort, good exterior appearence, mediocre A/T performance, unexceptional gas mileage, questionable long-term reliability, poor front disc rotor/pad wear. Overall I would recommend, especially at the price. Looks as good as an SHO.

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  MY XLT - 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By BCBard - February 11 - 10:00 am

  I love this truck. It is perfect for all I need it to do. Not too big and bulky, as the gas sucking testosterone laden trucks out there. It carries my family and I comfortably, all 5 of us. My family and I enjoy its versitility. We use it for fishing and camping trips, the shorter, smaller bed being just the right fit for us. This is a great compact truck.

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  In Focus - 2005 Ford Focus
  By roni12353@aol.com - February 11 - 10:00 am

  This car runs great and is good on gas. The styling is sharp and the interior is spacious.

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  ford focus - 2005 Ford Focus
  By manessi - February 11 - 10:00 am

  When my husband present this vehicle to me, I was very reluctant. I love my ford focus. Not only the performance but the overall look of the vehicle. I am very please with gas mileage per gallon. They way the vehicle hug the curves. Again I am very happy with my focus.

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  A beautiful hypochondriac girlfriend. - 2003 Ford Focus
  By gukin - February 11 - 10:00 am

  We started off well, me and my orange Euro appearance SVT when the clutch starting making odd sounds around 6000 miles. I brought it into the dealer where he replaced the clutch & flywheel. He also borked the exhaust system, alignment, and shift linkage. I brought it back because my SVT steered like a cow and the dealer aligned it and "balanced" the tires. He actually "unbalanced" the tire and now my car shakes like a paint mixer. The shift linkage broke three miles from home so I drove at 6000 RPM in first gear. The dealer repaired the shifter but crashed the front-end which now squeaks like an old rocking chair. Ford built it badly and the dealer has finished it off.

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  The Best keeps getting Better - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By Lenny722 - February 11 - 10:00 am

  This is the second Ford minivan I have purchused and I feel safe on the highway and around the city. Confort is outstanding for a minivan along with a quite tight ride better then any other minivan. The look of the 2004 Freestar stands apart from the sameold bullet looking style of other minivans, It looks in a class of its own with stylish body sculpturing, headlighting all in a hermeticly attractive look. I feel proud driving the Ford Freestar and take advantage of any chance to show it off, But that is something that Freestar does well by itself.

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  Most satisfying car Ive owned - 2011 Ford Fusion Hybrid
  By rahenige - February 10 - 11:35 pm

  14-months after initial purchase, I have had no problems with the car. I have kept track of all fuel purchases and long-term fuel mileage is 37 mpg, mostly commuting (app. 17 miles in Boston area). Fuel economy is better in warmer weather: over 43 mpg for one tank in July. Cold weather, snow and rain decrease fuel economy (28 mpg for one tank in January) since the engine is on longer to maintain operating temperature (and heat the car). Options include moonroof, leather seats, navigation system, Sirius radio, Sony sound system, 10GB jukebox, BLInd Spot Sensor, backup camera

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  Good Car! - 2008 Ford Focus
  By trd88 - February 10 - 10:53 pm

  I really really like this car but there are a couple of things I found Im not to big of a fan of. This being on mine it didnt come standard with tilt even thought mentioned in owners manual And also it did not come with the silver emblems on the outside as ever other Focus did. But as for the rest of the car the inside flows very very well and the outside looks very sharp. And still has some horsepower to boot.