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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  Dont Buy Flex-Fuel Version - 2005 Ford Taurus
  By desoto44 - November 25 - 6:03 pm

  I purchased this as a program car with 22,000 miles on it in October 2005. My biggest complaint is the poor mileage of the flex fuel version. I was very satisfied with a nearly identical (regular fuel only) 99 Taurus I owned. The 99 Taurus got about 20 city/ 26 highway MPG. This car struggles to get 20 MPG on the highway. I took it back to the dealer and the explanation was flex fuel cars are designed to run hotter and thus use more fuel. In short, there was nothing that could be done to improve the 20-25% drop in MPG. Other than that I like everything else about the car, but I would not have purchased this car had I known about the comparatively terrible MPG.

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  2003 Competition Orange SVT 2 door hatch - 2003 Ford Focus
  By Marc Ceniceros - November 25 - 6:53 am

  Love the Comp. Orange color, always the only 1 in a parking lot. The car is about balance. Adequate acceleration, good grip, excellent handling, fantastic brakes. I dont trust my Ford dealer so have not had the clutch knocking fixed but it continues to function otherwise so Ill wait to repair it. Euro package brings nice accessories, but body treatment adds useless weight to a car already weak on torque. Id trade 15/20 Bhp for 5/10 more lbs./ft. Base car weighs less than SVT! Wrong. Im 70" tall and my hair rubs the sunroof. Wish it had 16" wheels for improved ride/comfort without diminishing the turn in. 45 series rubber is ridiculous off track. Car is noisy on many surfaces.

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  Mustang Returns to its Roots - 2005 Ford Mustang
  By jchiar1a - November 25 - 12:50 am

  I used to own a 69 Mustang Fastback back in 1980. Of course I probably spent more time under the hood than driving it but I honestly thought that the styling of that particular year and model Mustang was bar far the best ever. This years design is reminiscent of the 69 design and delivers beautiful lines with the styling that evokes the same feelings I had about my 69. It is fast, comfortable and as an added plus handles like a true 2005 sports car. I have a fully loaded 05 Yellow GT convertible and I love it. It draws attention wherever I go. I truly believe that Ford has created another classic with this new Mustang.

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  Great First Car - 1995 Ford Probe
  By NolesGirl03 - November 24 - 11:26 pm

  My 1995 Ford Probe SE has been a blessing and a curse. Ive had the car for nearly 8 years now and put well over 100,000 miles on him. But the problems started after two weeks of ownership. My AC compressor has been shredding belts every other month, Im on my third transmission and I may be single-handedly responsible for the oil crisis (cause my car leaks oil like its on a mission). But for a car that has been so unreliable it sure has been reliable - if that makes sense. I know my car will get me from Point A to Point B as long as they arent too far from each other and I have quarts of oil in tow. Fun car to drive, as well. I love taking turns fast.

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  Great looking at great value - 2005 Ford Five Hundred
  By Ocean - November 23 - 4:50 am

  Excellent looking and handling ride at a terrific value. Lots of extras for the money. A few minor design issues will be worked out with subsequent year models or in the Taurus. The cars size and executive design made it very comfortable and it had a cavernous trunk. Despite its size, it handled like a much smaller car with tight handling and confident handling, great suspension and grip, while having just enough power to have some fun. The economy wasnt bad. I would like to see the rear fender redesigned so not to catch stones with its leading edge. Else, its a great all around ride. Ill miss it.

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  great little suv - 2005 Ford Escape
  By anthony pisciotta - November 22 - 10:00 am

  drives great, very comfortable, and looks great, we traded in our sedan in and dont regret it.

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  Ive Had a Better Mustang - 2004 Ford Mustang
  By rainy - November 21 - 12:13 am

  I had a 1996 GT that could run circles around this one but some jerk totaled my parked car that only had 68k miles on it. So I bought the 04 V6. Wow, does it handle differently! The power is definitely less, and the GT cornered like it was on rails. The GT also had a rear stablizing bar and wider tires for much better traction in the rain and snow. The 04 gets excellent gas mileage (from Philadelphia to Connecticut on 3/4 a tank) and is very reliable (except the CD player).

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  Great vehicle - 1993 Ford Explorer
  By Katrina woiten - November 20 - 6:47 pm

  Bought this used with 27k on it in 1995, AC compressor died at 60k, no issues with gauges and the radio still worked when I sold it this summer with 106k on it, now with the economy the way it is I wish I had kept it! You cant go wrong finding a used older Explorer. New ones are too big! Lost their nimble driving charecteristics.

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  Best bang for the buck - 2008 Ford Focus
  By bhil1981 - November 20 - 10:10 am

  This is a great little car. I never really considered a Ford Focus, but with gas prices going up and up, I decided to test drive one and loved it. I got a black 2 door coupe SES with black cloth and everything besides a roof. The interior design is very nice for a $17,000 car. The white gauges with indigo blue looks nice at night. The car handles very well and the dash is set up nicely. I currently have about 500 miles on the car and am averaging about 26 mpg with mostly city driving, it should get better when the car is broken in more.

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  Great deal when purchased used - 2006 Ford Taurus
  By Gregg in Milwaukee - November 20 - 9:47 am

  I bought my 2006 Taurus SE as a 7- month old, used fleet vehicle with 33,000 miles on it. It was a great deal at just $10,000. Cheaper to own and operate that a new or used Toyota or Honda. Mine has ABS brakes, traction control, power driver seat, side air bags, and split folding rear seats. Uninspiring and boring to drive, but a decent, comfortable family car with a massive trunk. Factory radio/CD player has way too many buttons and is confusing to operate. My only complaint is that even after driving my Taurus for 18 months, Im still unable to judge just exactly where the front and rear of the vehicle are positioned when parking it. Plus, it takes a huge circle to make a U-turn.