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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  st - 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By nightrider55 - July 21 - 10:00 am

  love my truck,have added $1000 in after- market parts. this is the only truck ford has made and never had to advertise it has sold on looks and owners praises

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  Great Truck!! Review By Picky Car Buff - 1999 Ford Explorer
  By Gary Marchlewicz - July 21 - 10:00 am

  No problems after 54K miles. Very solid construction. My Chevys never go this long without needing repairs. I have the smaller V6. Pleanty of power, but not a racer. The ride is rough, but Its a truck! The under carriage is looking a little rusty. The paint still looks great. I am 6 4" tall. This truck is a little too cramped for me. My wife and I vacation in it every year anyway. I want to move up to an expedition, but I dont want to give up my perfectly reliable little truck. I had the Firestones replaced with Pirelli Scorpions. Awesome tires! Its only 2 wheel drive. I load up 240 Lbs of sand tubes in the winter . Cuts right through the snow!!

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  Good domestic suv - 2003 Ford Explorer
  By john 25 - July 21 - 10:00 am

  I have owned this particular vehicle for only several months, but I am very impressed with the way this vehicle handles and accelerates even though it has the 6 cyl engine. Steering is very good for a "truck", and the brakes are outstanding also. Gas mileage has improved from about 15mpg to between 18 to 20 mpg. On a recent 375 mile trip to maine the seats remained supportive and on center tracking was very good. The optional 3rd row seating stows away very nicely allowing plenty of versatility.

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  Most Reliable Car Ever - 2002 Ford Taurus
  By bill ward - July 20 - 1:58 pm

  Bought used at 27000 miles. I added 116000 mostly highway miles. The car has been flawless - I havent had to do anything except routine maintenance, with the exception of 1 inexpensive broken anti-sway bar.

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  Escape XLS 2.0 in TX - 2004 Ford Escape
  By Dave - July 20 - 7:49 am

  Pros: Surprisingly good grip around curves, nice interior design, reliable, cruise control function and nice exterior visual appeal. Cons: The clutch is grippie cold and improves at warmup doors speakers buzz too much road noise, and stiff clutch action.

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  Im selling it! - 1996 Ford Mustang
  By bordasel_1708 - July 20 - 1:19 am

  I have had my mustang for a year and 3 months. It had 89,000 miles when I bought it and it now has 99,000. Since Ive had it I had to put new spark plugs, a frame bushing ball joint, belt, a/c clutch, ignition, and also have had it aligned twice. The seats that came in it were ugly. But I put seats from a 99 Mustang in them which look really nice. I have magnaflow dual exhaust on it (which sounds great), and traded in the 15" rims for 17", got a new sonic blue paint job, custom taillights and headlights. Which have made it a good looking car that turns heads. It has been reliable and has never broken down. Overall it is a decent car.

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  Good Purchase - 1997 Ford Ranger
  By Michael - July 19 - 5:31 pm

  V6 5 speed. I bought this used in 2001 with 50,000 miles on and have put 135000 on it still running strong. Had to replace the clutch at 130000 miles. Other than that had no mechanical problems. Truck has not been babied at all. Missed oil changes, driven hard, and still always starts and runs.

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  Sold Edge - 2007 Ford Edge
  By bob - July 19 - 8:51 am

  After almost a year with the Edge we went back to a loaded 2007 Town & Country. Gas mileage is the same and the TC is 2X the size inside. The Edge is a great looking SUV but the interior build materials are simply horrible, 1 large flat hard plastic piece after another. And Ford was so cheap they painted many of the plastic interior pieces. Any time you say touch the glove box with a kids school bag or a shoe it puts a nice scratch on it. Our 18" rims were allready replaced after only 1 winter, they were all pitted out. Gas mileage is OK at 18-19 in town and 22-24 HWY, but the huge TC van gets the same. We simply couldnt live with the cheap KIA interior.

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  Not bad if you like rust. - 2001 Ford F-150
  By sebhmb - July 18 - 8:09 pm

  We bought this truck new because we had a family and needed to haul horses too. It performed great! Never any problems but at about 5 years old we noticed the doors were rusting. Since wed purchased a lifetime rust protection warranty and had it inspected yearly we returned to the dealership who said they had no responsibility and should go to the company who made the rust inhibitor, although we purchased it through Ford. Nope, nobody claimed responsibility. At our car show we spoke with Ford reps and that got some action but they all claimed that after 5 years, they had no responsibility...although the truck only had 45,000 miles and was kept inside - always!

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  Could be more - 2008 Ford Edge
  By Crashley - July 18 - 8:01 pm

  Feeling a bit let down. I see other crossovers (MDX, Acadia, Highlander) on the road and wish I had opted for one of those. The drive is nice and smooth ,and I do enjoy the Sync, nav system and power lift-gate. The airconditioning needs some help. Even on high, I keep reaching to turn it higher, and the airvents will not turn to blow directly in your face. Opening the sun-roof helps, but it is loud at higher speeds. You would think will all the hype over Sync, Ford would have invested in more speakers. 4 speakers standard and upgraded sound has only 6? Our Corolla has better sound! After 4 fillups, we are averaging 16mpg mostly city driving.