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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  Joy, Pleasure,Work,Vacation,Towing,Kids - 2001 Ford Expedition
  By 01fordeb - February 13 - 9:57 am

  190,000 miles and still rolling. Maybe $1000 worth of repairs since new. A great ride. Would definitely by another but not until this one has seen its day.

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  2011 XLT Supercab 4 cyl/manual - 2011 Ford Ranger
  By gene2 - February 12 - 9:57 am

  Traded my 2001 Ranger regular cab in for a 2010 Mustang GT. Once the novelty wore off, I missed my old Ranger so much that I traded the Mustang for a new Ranger. Nothin fancy - easy to understand/operate controls, great big windows for tremendous visibility, very stable and comfortable ride, nice turn radius for parking lot ops, and 25 MPG with only 800 miles on this new truck. Although the 4 cylinder engine wont let you win any drag races, its certainly enough power to get around town and accelerate to highway speeds safely. Great 5 speed manual transmission and clutch. Perfectly sized truck easy to get into and out of. Perfect bed height for loading/unloading cargo.

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  Weve had our problems, but I cant let her go. - 1995 Ford Thunderbird
  By kevohyuh - February 12 - 5:29 am

  I am the proud owner of a 1995 Ford Thunderbird Lx with the 4.6L V8 engine. I love this car. Its big, comfortable, and has alot of power. It hasnt exactly been the most reliable car for me though. I bought it a year ago, and its been out of order for about 6 months now. Right off the bat, it started burning oil. I later found out that this is a common problem in the 94-95 model. The suspension is what caused me to park it. It shakes so bad, that I was afraid for my life, and so was my mechanic. However, I am about to drop a new engine into it and put in all new suspension because this car is worth it. I love the looks, and the power. The 96-97 model is better though, they dont burn oil.

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  SO FAR SO GOOD! - 2011 Ford Taurus
  By saintjr - February 11 - 11:25 pm

  Enjoying riding in my 2011 Taurus Limited. Just turned over 800 miles and thus far I am a happy camper! Got it near the end of 2010. I love its size and comfortable ride. The cargo volume is huge. Every where I go I get thumbs up. The over all remark is well the Taurus has really come into its own.

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  2011 Explorer Already In the Shop - 2011 Ford Explorer
  By ford_owner1 - February 11 - 2:27 pm

  Our 2011 Explorer Limited is already in the shop with less than 1,000 miles on it. The entire MyTouch system that controls the climate control, stereo system, bluetooth, navigation and rear back up camera crashed. This is our second explorer and we also have an F-150 and I am very disappointed with the 2011 Explorer. The gas mileage improvements are not true. The best mileage I have been able to get is 16 mpg on the highway. The car does not have the power I expected and the luxury features of the Ford MyTouch were not worth the 50K price tag, especially since they dont work. I wish I had Mid-Sized SUV from another company!

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  Nice Ride - 2011 Ford Edge
  By spideygirl301 - February 11 - 10:03 am

  Ive had my Edge for about 2 months now and just hit 3k miles. I upgraded from a 2008 Equinox that was always in the shop. I love the 2011 Edge and so far would recommend it. Earlier this week, I was involved in a road rage incident where I was literally being chased by a truck on a major highway. I honestly think the only thing that saved me from a very bad encounter was the handling of the vehicle which allowed me to manuver in and out of traffic quickly and easily (even at speeds close to 100 miles an hour)

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  Lemon!...Electrical Troubles... - 2010 Ford Focus
  By frustrated84 - February 8 - 10:34 pm

  This is the 1st car Ive purchased and believe me,I will never buy another Ford.The car was great for the first year,then started having electrical troubles.This only happened on cold mornings and would go away after a minute or up to 15 minutes but the radio wouldnt work,the signal light indicators in the car didnt work,no backlighting came on,the doors didnt lock automatically,the tire pressure monitor light came on,and the e-brake light stayed on after being disengaged.The dealership has been unable to diagnose or fix the problem.Already had a new instrument cluster,radio,and smart junction box installed...rental car for 45 days. In the process of getting Ford to buy the car back.

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  2011 Mustang GT is Best Ford has built - 2011 Ford Mustang
  By mustangman308 - February 8 - 4:10 am

  I just bought my 2011 Mustang GT Premium (5.0 6M) - with Brembo Package & 3.55 gears and its by far the best stock Mustang GT ever built. The new 5.0 engine does not stop pulling and the 6 M transmission is smooth and the Brembo brakes & suspension make the car handle like its on rails. TEST DRIVE ONE and you will buy it *** its that good.

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  Very nice car for the $$$ - 2011 Ford Fusion
  By dghott - February 5 - 9:21 pm

  This is my second Fusion having "crossed over" from my Honda Accords. I upgraded to and AWD version because of the winter we have been having in MN this year. The AWD system is seamless and makes driving in snow a snap. No buttons or anything to screw around with. As with my last Fusion, I cannot recommend highly enough the sync system. I upgraded to the Nav system to get the touch screen and marvel at how high tech it is all the time. The 3.5l V6 in the sport has a lot of grunt and it is nice to have the power at your disposal, but the combination of a smaller gas tank and worse MPG is a bit of a bummer. Especially since I was getting 32-34 MPG in my 2.5l 4 cyl. It is a trade-off I guess.

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  I Loooove My Explorer - 2011 Ford Explorer
  By traveler21 - February 5 - 8:07 pm

  After driving my new Explorer Limited for over a month, I can safely say that it is one of the best cars that I have owned. It is comfortable and has more muscle than my Flex that stayed in the family although out of town. The Ford Touch takes a little getting used to but is very responsive to voice commands. We also have a new E 350 in the garage, but is has stayed parked since the Explorer showed up. The only con, we can find is the difficulty in programming the garage door opener.