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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  I absolutely love this vehicle. - 2005 Ford Crown Victoria
  By Luke - September 16 - 1:46 pm

  I absolutely love this vehicle. I bought it from a good friend of the family. It only had 19,000 miles on it. I love this car a lot. It is the most comfortable car, seats are just amazing. Best ride ever, eats up the bumps and potholes excellent. Has a lot of power, never have trouble getting car up to speed. I also love the steering on this car, for such a big car, it handles amazing. Also the gas mileage just shocked me to death. For a full size rear wheel drive with a V-8, on the highway i get 27 mpg, mixed driving i get 23 mpg. The only thing I was worried about was driving it in the snow, but it doesnt handle that bad in the snow. I am only 20 years old. Im shocked how much I like it.

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  Touring Car (NOT All Weather Car) - 2007 Ford Five Hundred
  By DBLD - September 16 - 9:30 am

  I purchased this 500 because its AWD...well 2 days after purchase 10" of snow! I was very disappointed in how AWD performed! Ive owned 2 other AWD vehicles and they were flawless...in all types of weather,(100% better in the snow.) The 500 slips and slides all over the place!(even with NEW touring tires!)

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  What 47 mpg ? - 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid
  By mikeeewags - September 15 - 11:01 am

  I have now put 5500 miles on my 2013 fusion se. I have yet to even get close to 40 mpg, much less 47 mpg. I drove from Florida to Ohio and back last week and the best mileage I got was 35 in the mountains, but only 33 in the flat areas of Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. I had the computer upgrade done before I left and that was no help either. Will be contacting the Ford Tech people tomorrow and see what the issue is with the mileage. Other than the mileage it is a most wonderful car, and adding a lot of chrome makes it a real head turner.

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  A Diamond From Ford - 2005 Ford Freestyle
  By MPirkl - September 15 - 10:23 am

  We were in the market for a minivan and "discovered" the vehicle through Edmunds.com. We were impressed with the value of all features and have been thrilled with owning this vehicle. We opted for the AWD version and it is harder on gas than we hoped, but that is the trade off I guess. We have kids and dogs and the vehicle provides great utility. My wife also enjoys not having to climb into it as she did in our former SUVs.

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  2002 Escape - 2002 Ford Escape
  By Tell3131 - September 15 - 9:26 am

  The 2002 Escape 2WD XLT Premium is a fun SUV to drive and has plenty of cargo space. The only complaint is the shift mechanism for the automatic gets in the way of the way of stereo controls.

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  Mustang 2006 - 2006 Ford Mustang
  By Shark attack - September 15 - 3:20 am

  This is the hottest car I have ever owned. It may not be as practical as a Honda Civic, but it makes up for it when youre out and about. Its a head turning gorgeous machine.

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  Awesome - 2005 Ford F-150
  By Phil71185 - September 14 - 4:03 pm

  I just picked it up last week and all I can say is wow. I already loaded my 4-wheeler in it and took it out hunting with me. It had no problem at all climbing any of the hills or going down the logging trail that my 2001 Nissan had. Its also a lot better on gas than I thought it would be. 250 miles on it so far and just a little under half a tank left. Would recommend it to anyone. Its one awesome truck.

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  Ford Got it Right This Time - 2007 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By schurc - September 14 - 8:43 am

  Just traded back to the Sport Trac, and am so glad I did. The 07s ride is 1000 times better than the 02, and better than the Tacoma also. I love this truck/SUV, and am so glad to be a Ford owner once again. Many more options than the Toyota for the same price.

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  Worst Vehicle Ever Owned! - 2003 Ford Explorer
  By noseylarge102 - September 14 - 4:03 am

  First of all do not buy Ford brand vehicles; Mercury is a way better bet. The interior of this vehicle is very uncomfortable with the nylon cactus seats, and it hurts with shorts on, Second the flex fuel v6 stinks with gas mileage and power, third the trim is very cheap; it has black handles on a silver truck and all black trim - my 1992 Sable looked better than this truck.

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  Best car I own - 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid
  By alexinmemphis - September 13 - 6:07 pm

  I would probably be slightly disappointed if Id paid full price for my C-Max. We bought ours used with 7k miles on it. It now has 12k. When I bought the car, the lifetime mileage was 32 mpg. Now its 37. Hybrids are still cars. The person who previously owned this vehicle had a very short drive cycle. If you drive a short distance- less than 5 miles, you cant expect anything to get the EPA rating. My wife drives 5 miles per day. Important- be aware of the tire inflation sticker. I thought my Cmax handled like a badly, but the dealer only put 32 psi in the tires- the sticker says 42! Make sure your tires are properly inflated, the sticker is in the drivers door jamb.