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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  truly american - 2004 Ford Mustang
  By lbst8u - June 18 - 10:00 am

  This car is absolutely a great ride. For the price, you get everything from leather to power. I paid $11000 less for this mustang than my brother did for his G35 Coupe 6MT and the mustang is still faster.

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  my toy - 2004 Ford Mustang
  By greg425hp - June 18 - 10:00 am

  I really like the performance of the cobra. Once I drove the 03 convertible, I was hooked. I had a 01 corvette convertible, that was a great car that only had 5005 miles on it when I sold it. The cobra has less wind noise with the top down and the power that the engine produces is great. The interior is not as nice as the vette, but I knew that before I bought the cobra.I have no regrets with my choics.

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  Works fine - 2002 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By Jesse - June 18 - 7:53 am

  I have had my sport trac since 2002 and now it has 158,000.00 miles on it. I have had to do some routine maintainace but it still runs really well and I am having a hard time replacing because it is in such good shape. I will get at least 200,000 miles out of this truck but I also take care of it and not try to dog it out. I would say to anyone if you want your car to last, you need to look at your manuel that came with your truck and do the maintainance. You will end up saving thousands on repairs. I know because this is not the first Ford that I have got this many miles out of.

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  First Ford Automobile purchased - 2006 Ford Fusion
  By steel wheels - June 17 - 10:43 pm

  This car has surprised me. The ride is very comfortable, the handling is excellent and the power available is perfect. I have the V-6 and it provides smooth quiet power and is great on fuel economy. There are no squeaks or rattles and the paint is flawless. Suit yourself and go for a test ride and run the wheels off it and youll see what I mean.

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  The best car ever!!! - 2008 Ford Crown Victoria
  By Marco - June 17 - 9:23 am

  The best in its class, the best mileage Ive ever seen for a 4.6L engine. Great reliability and parts a readily available. One of the best cars Ive ever driven!

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  Terrific Vehicle! - 2007 Ford Edge
  By Zete - June 17 - 3:33 am

  What a vehicle! Spacious, comfortable, sharp looking, quiet ride, and from early experience it appears to be built well with solid craftsmanship. The Edge is well designed in the cab allowing easy access to the controls and giving each of the passengers ample room and drink storage. The exterior design is certainly a head turner -- especially when you equip the vehicle with the 18" wheels (which come standard on this trim line). My Edge is black with the camel leather interior -- it looks great. So far, the performance of the engine and transmission has been flawless. The 6 speed automatic shifts smoothly and allows me to cruise at high speeds at only 1500- 1700 rpms.

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  trying to make lemonade out of a lemon - 2012 Ford Fusion
  By Sammye Baker - June 17 - 2:18 am

  Nissan in Yuba City, Ca; while they have been trying to help us a lot, the vehicle had 34,000 miles on it. It has been in the shop twice. All of the pullies had to be replaced. The tire pressure sensor and fuel sensor have not been reset. Apparently thats a special tool and the dealerships has been broken. So every time you start the car it sounds like a four alarm fire is happening. A week after we got it out of the shop, my husband was attempting to pass an RV and the tranny just shut off. He had to coast to the side of the road and the entire car was violently shaking and the wrench light went on. We had to struggle to get a rental car from the dealership while the car is going to be held for two weeks to be fixed. Its been there for about a week and we havent heard anything back from them. I got a chip in the windshield from a rock hauling truck 2 days after we got the vehicle (no ones fault, these thing happen). When the pullies were being replaced they had a windshield guy try to fix it and he ended up doing further damage. We picked up the car with a spider crack heading towards the hood. When the transmission had its problem and the car was rattling the whole chip spidered out vertically from top to bottom. I thought chip repair was suppose to prevent this. Im not an expert. After everything we as a family have a pretty sour taste about the vehicle. I really wish we didnt get it all in all. We had rented a couple ford fusions (with much higher mileage) in the past and love them. This one seems like the anti-christ of fusions. I feel like we flushed $15,000 down the toilet at some rutty truck stop. We did it to build credit in hopes for having a better opportunity at getting a home loan, no I just hope it will make due until we can pay it off somehow. WE HAVE OWNED THE CAR FOR A MONTH, ITS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR HALF OF THAT TIME!!!!!!!!

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  Escape Pause - 2001 Ford Escape
  By Dorfman - June 16 - 10:00 am

  This little Suv is super fun to drive. Goes anywhere in the snow with a very safe and secure feeling.

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  My lightning - 2002 Ford F-150
  By copenhagen - June 16 - 10:00 am

  best car in the world

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  Ford Explorer 96 - 1996 Ford Explorer
  By Larry Scott - June 16 - 10:00 am

  Car has been flawless. No problems at all. One of the best cars I have ever owned mechanically.