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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  great hauler - 2004 Ford F-150
  By j oberbroeckling - August 30 - 2:00 am

  good truck,looks good,rides alittle ruff on bumpie roads & with the 4-11 rear end gets poor gas milelage[12-15]

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  AWESOME BUY - 2004 Ford F-150
  By Truck Girl - August 30 - 2:00 am

  Had a 2003 SuperCrew and decided I needed a change. Went and test drove the SuperCab XLT and fell in love. I have owned 5 Ford Vehicles and I have to say this is the BEST yet!

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  ford escape - 2004 Ford Escape
  By aperr - August 30 - 2:00 am

  Easy to drive Plenty of room for me,wife,two kids,stuff Good acceleration Good braking Rear seats confortable Front seats very stiff feeling More control knobs should be lighted Gear shift is awkward Overall, would recommend

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  Extremely Wonderful Vehicle - 2004 Ford Taurus
  By Pleased with Taurus - August 30 - 2:00 am

  This Taurus is the best one yet. The seating capacity of this car is excellent so is the cargo area. And yet, it still has style and class. Its not a mini-van, but it is still my family vehicle.

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  With Gas Prices Go For The V6 - 2005 Ford Mustang
  By Sabina - August 29 - 10:00 am

  Before purchasing a manual make sure to test drive both automatic and manual and see and feel the difference. I test-drove the manual and found that because of the small windows it increases the blind spots. I ended up buying the automatic and havent regretted it yet.

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  Its.....all right. - 2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By bobs66 - August 28 - 11:10 pm

  This is a great truck/SUVcombo for the single person. When you add in two kids and two car seats, you run out of room very quickly.

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  Found - 2008 Ford Taurus X
  By Randy - August 28 - 10:16 pm

  I heard the Taurus was back. It is one sweet ride! The engine has good power & the ride is comfortable. A bit heavy on fuel, but it is a heavy vehicle. One pet peeve: The keypad mastercode is NOT user changable! It is permanent! Protect this code or one may face a security risk. Even if you program another code, the master code still works. Thieves may not be able to steal your car, but can steal what ever is inside. Ford needs to make the mastercode user changable and resetable in the event one forgets the programmed master code. You can change the module to get another code, but it costs around $700 cdn.

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  2014 FX4 6.2L 6.5 bed w/bed cap - 2014 Ford F-150
  By Mark - August 28 - 3:58 pm

  I couldn’t be happier with this pickup! The ride, technology, Bluetooth, have performed flawlessly along with the 6.2L. Ownership accquired new in 2015.

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  Nickle and Dimed to Death - 2002 Ford Focus
  By YellowBananaZX3 - August 28 - 10:00 am

  I enjoyed my Ford Focus ZX3, but... It has been in the shop every month, for unscheduled repairs, for the last 4 months (three additional times during the year prior). It has left me stranded twice (once in a bad part of detroit). It has proven too unreliable in the long run. I was hoping for 160k like I got in my 91 Ford Escort GT, but it looks like I wont make it past 65k in the focus. This is my last ford purchase, ever. It has just proven too unreliable, and Ford customer service is simply awful.

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  Fun car with a lot of problems! - 2000 Ford Focus
  By kayakgirl - August 28 - 10:00 am

  Ive had my Focus for 2 years now, only 18000 miles, and it handles great, its spacious, and looks good BUT-besides 3 recalls, Ive taken it in to have the power steering pump replaced there was also the plastic guard below the windshield wipers falling off, trim along the passenger side roof peeling, the vinyl cover on the emergency brake with several cracks in it, and I also have this horrible rattle on the rear passenger side that has been fixed several times but keeps coming back! Despite the fact these have all been fixed under warranty-what is going to happen in another 2 years?