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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  My little red truck! - 2002 Ford F-150
  By Iamgonzo - July 22 - 2:30 pm

  Searched long and hard for this truck. I looked at the 2005 and was not fond of the looks and even less fond of the 2009 either! I found the color, red, the right options and low mileage by searching the internet endlessly. I put a K&N cold air intake on it, with helped with power and got some improvement on the mileage, not great, it is a 5.4 after all! Drove it from CA to FL and was very comfortable at the end of the day. Got 21mph one time going across Texas. Avg 19.5 most of the trip. Handled great in the snow of N. Arizona. Love my truck and will be keeping her a long time.

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  Way to go Ford - 2010 Ford Mustang
  By cowbay - July 22 - 7:15 am

  Well my wife traded in her mountaineer for a mustang. Having her midlife crisis. She got the V6 premium with automatic and convertible. She also had the GT stripe installed over the hood and trunk. The color of the car is Kona blue. Very sharp looking and we get looks where ever we go. Car is well put together and solid. Ford really addressed past weakeness in the car. Car gets good mileage on the highway. We went out to Pa on business with straight open highway driving and the car got 26 MPG doing 70. Not bad for less than a 1,000 miles on the car. If someone is looking for a two door sports coupe they should look at this first before going to the imports.

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  Great used ride! - 2006 Ford Expedition
  By B. Murdock - July 22 - 1:52 am

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  THE BIG REPLACEMENT - 2005 Ford Excursion
  By Rick Salinas - July 22 - 1:05 am

  I had wanted an Excursion since they first arived on the showroom floor. I finally got one nine years later, as a replacement for two vehicles. It now takes the place of my Lincoln Town Car and a 4wd 15 passenger van, which was a hard thing to do. I wanted all the luxury inside an suv just like my Lincoln Cartier, the room, rugedness,and 4wd go anywhere of my van. It has replaced them both with flying colors, and made me very happy. It is very comfortable and ride hieght is excelent. I use this vehicle for work, family and play.

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  Best Truck Out There - 2009 Ford F-150
  By Nick - July 21 - 1:47 pm

  It took me 1 year, researching the Internet and 50 test drives of every truck out on the market to make my decision but I chose the 2009 Ford F150 FX4 for my family. Interior was by far the best and back seats were very roomy. This is the truck to buy Here are my takes on the rest of the trucks Dodge Ram Hemi 4X4 Crew- Interior still looks cheap and Hemi makes a whole lot of sound and no go. Toyota Tundra 5.7 4X4 Crew- Very fast truck but interior was off key and frame not as strong as the domestic three. Nissan Titan 4X4 Crew- Decent truck but mpg was the lowest and the ride was jittery. Chevy/GMC Trucks 4X4 Crew- Back seats where for children only and interior was cheap.

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  Great car - 2009 Ford Focus
  By bob - July 21 - 1:01 pm

  I thought that my 2004 was a good car but it was surpassed by my 2009 Focus. Great handling, good acceleration.

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  great - 2002 Ford Explorer
  By zach - July 21 - 12:50 pm

  This vehicle is fun to drive and can accelerate very quickly. It has a 5.0 v8 in it and can tow up to 9,000 lbs. It gets around 18mpg so gas isnt that great in it.

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  New SuperCrew was worth the wait - 2005 Ford F-150
  By Fyrdawg - July 21 - 11:20 am

  As an owner of a 01 F-150 SuperCrew I was very happy with my truck, until I saw the new 04 style at an auto show and set my sights (and wallet) on owning one. Almost one year and 17,000 miles later and was it ever worth it. I custom ordered my Lariat from an excellent knowledgeable dealer and would do it all again. The trucks new exterior is incredible. The new outside is nothing compared to the inside. The new flow-through cabin design does not have words to describe it. The power moonroof, audiophile 6 disc changer, and power memory leather seats make for a great road trip whether around the corner or around the country. The ride is smooth and most of all for a truck VERY QUIET. What a SWEET RIDE!

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  Do this again, Ford - 2003 Ford Focus
  By Mel - July 20 - 11:03 pm

  This car is adequately powered for almost any situation. It has needed only 1 repair in 60000 miles. The power window lifter failed on the passenger side and the dealer was able to make it work better than when it was new. The mileage is excellent, I am averaging 29 miles to the gallon under all conditions.

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  Great SUV - 2009 Ford Escape
  By Louise - July 20 - 4:25 pm

  This is our first NEW car in almost 25 years. We have been wanting a small SUV and after a lot of research we decided on the Ford Escape. Besides the comfort, the street appeal and the reliability ratings, this FWD,4 cyl. 6 speed trans. is getting nearly 27 mpg! Its only 4 days old and supposed to have even better mileage when broken in. We live in the Ozarks where its all mountain driving and the car handles like it was a V6! Theres no road noise and the automatic shifting is effortless. The front seats are ample and the Sirius music is awesome! This SUV has a lot of classy features and we know we will be enjoying it for a long time.