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 Car - 2012 Ford Focus
  By Dean - September 4 - 11:08 am

  Have no problems. Have 57,000 miles on car. Trans does shaft fast and cant pull out fast because trans shafts fast. When driving normal car is great. Was allays a GM man and first Ford ever owned and will by a ford again.

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  Love it - 1997 Ford Taurus
  By Angelina0888 - September 3 - 7:14 pm

  Ok they do have trouble, yeah mine doesnt start right. The paint is chipping, back window doesnt work right, needs a tune up. But I love it. Better then the 03 Sable I had that broke down at 53000 miles.

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  Better than a Lambo - 2008 Ford Mustang
  By Alex - September 3 - 3:17 pm

  I work downtown Los Angeles and park at the country club with all sorts of exotic cars, let alone your M6s, S8s etc., but the valet guys favor my car. The people from GAS (Pimp my ride) spruced it up with 20 inch Boss wheels, Bassani exhaust, cold air in- take, computer chip and Eibach lowered suspension. In all Ive spent an extra 10k on extras and it was well worth it. This care simply cant sit still and its made to gun it with a mighty roar. Id only wish I would have used the 1,200 bucks for the stereo and gotten an after-market system.

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  Hit and Miss - 1996 Ford Taurus
  By Aaron - September 3 - 2:51 pm

  This car has been absolutely nothing but problems and stress. It had 131000 miles when I bought it, and now it has 134500 miles on it. The transmission is pretty much burned out, the seller told me he had it repaired 1000 miles before he put it for sale. It constantly stalls while coming to a stop. Last but certainly not least, it has a blown head gaskets, which would cost around 3000 to fix both.Im so disappointed with Ford, how they designed the engine to let the head gaskets blown after 100000. I love the shape and look of the car, but can not stand the quality of the car. Every time I get into by breaking down Taurus and look at the steering wheel, I see the Ford logo, it makes sick

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  Pavement Ripper - 2007 Ford Shelby GT500
  By matchbox - September 3 - 12:30 pm

  I love it! It is so smooth and easy to drive that you forget how fast it is until you notice the other traffic disappearing behind you. Despite its power and acceleration it gets better gas mileage than a lot of less capabile cars. The brakes are always strong and I havent caused them to fade yet. The distinctive good looks and exhust sound cause people to look at you as you cruise through the parking lot. You also get to meet a lot of new people that like cars. It seems that everyone that likes cars is drawn to the GT500.

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  Enjoyable - 2005 Ford Freestyle
  By Tony Jones - September 2 - 7:36 pm

  I have driven a Ford Explorer for several years and had a Ford Windstar as the family wagon for several years also. With 3 children, one still in a car seat, the Freestyle has plenty of room. We have as much room in it for seating as the Windstar van. Drives so much better than the van. Fuel economy has been a nice surprise. Average 22.5 or so overall, but gets around 27 to 28 on open highway at 65-70 mph. Professional reviewers thought this vehicle lacks power. Although it is not a Mustang or other sports car, it accelerates very well and moves quite briskly. I have had the Explorer V-6 in past models and found it to be quite a dog. Kids love the DVD system.

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  Best Van Made - 1997 Ford Aerostar
  By Warren - September 2 - 11:15 am

  This is my second Aerostar, 1st on had 250k. These are perfect if you need something with a lot of room that can go from a work van to a family van. They are extremely reliable. They are not stylish and todays vans have a lot more amenities. I had a Windstar that I had leased and planned to replace the Aerostar with, but the Aero is a much better van. The best part is they are so cheap to purchase. I will keep this van for as long as it will go.

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  Explorer Sport Trac - 2002 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By kzerby - September 1 - 1:36 am

  I purchased this vehicle because I am going to be having a child soon and needed something with more room. I chose the Sport Trac because of its unique ability to carry passengers and still haul items in the pickup bed. I also chose this vehicle because of the decent reviews it has gotten from most reviewers. Also I love the color (Island Blue)! So far I have 1450 miles on my Sport Trac.

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  Good Car thus Far - 2007 Ford Taurus
  By Jon - August 31 - 12:27 pm

  My wife has a 2002 Taurus and loved it. We traded it for a vehicle for my business. We had an opportunity to get another one and we love it thus far. Im sad to see this body style go. (Whatever happened to the customer always being right?) We really like the leather interior. Easy to cleanup with small kids. Lots of room in the rear seats.

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  Great performer in the long run - 1998 Ford Windstar
  By duke - August 30 - 7:54 pm

  When you compare the low maintenance cost versus the three or four times maintenance cost of imports there is no comparison. For comfort the interior design of the Windstar served as a model for the coming years to other minivans. For fuel economy nineteen to twenty miles per gallon was ahead of its time in comparison to the other minivans. And when you become aware of the fact that after ten years or more many Windstars are still on the road. Whereas the Honda Odysseys, Susuki Oasis, Toyota Siennas, and the rest of that bunch have mostly been decommissioned even though their owners spend a lot more money on them trying to keep them alive. The contest is over. Windstar is the winner