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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  Good Ride - 2008 Ford Escape
  By Jamie Karakas - May 13 - 8:56 pm

  I traded in my 2006 Ford Escape for the 2008 Ford Escape, need I say more? Awesome vehicle. New body style, gas mileage, chrome, interior/exterior design, etc.

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  Not a Ford person but love my Taurus - 2006 Ford Taurus
  By spikeman - May 13 - 3:27 pm

  This is the 2nd Taurus Ive owned and I like these cars. I have a 2006 SE and use it as a all around car my wife and I both use it(our only car) to get to work and do all our running around. The only thing I dont like about it is the lack of power but it serves its purpuse. The Taurus is a good car for the money and very safe. I have seen a few in crashes with SUVs and the driver of the Taurus walked away.

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  Great work truck - 2002 Ford Ranger
  By ARE - May 13 - 9:38 am

  Not the fastest, or the strongest out there but a good work truck that is a great value. Easy to work on, and maintain.

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  One year later. - 2003 Ford Focus
  By gukin - May 12 - 1:20 pm

  Its been a year since my SVT spent nearly 30 days in the shop getting virtually everything fixed; the dealer made good on finishing what Ford started. Ive had a lot of Fords and theyve all started off a basket case but with a lot of work & patience a Ford can be a decent car. If you can get past the depreciation & initial quality problems, the true nature of what the SVT guys were trying to do comes out. The SVTF is THE best equipped mini-sport car available below $30,000. Theyre comfortable, ride nice and are very competent. Theyre NOT drag cars, but still fast enough to be fun.

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  Ford was no help, so had to trade it in! - 2007 Ford Freestyle
  By Love2cruz - May 12 - 12:59 pm

  Bought a Freestyle limited June 2007 and almost a year later had to trade it in. From day one we had a constant gas smell. Took it in and half a tank of gas later could find no problem. Kept driving it and smell got worse. Mpg highway was around 18, City was 15 at best. Winter was terrible because it would get stuck in 1/2 inch of snow. We had the pebble leather and it reflected in the front window very badly.

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  Could be better - 2008 Ford Taurus
  By SDS - May 12 - 6:12 am

  Purchased SEL with leather and Interior Convenience Pkg. Cant understand how some reveiws state MPG at 30 or higher, at 9000 miles, best is 18-19 city, 23-24 hgy at cruise cont.65. Whats the secret? Agree wsmooth ride on highway, very nice, but city driving on roads with some rather insignificant bumps, experience loud thump in right rear and left front. Dealer tells me this is carry over from 500 model design and cant be fixed. Very disappointing. Takes away from the driving pleasure.

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  Built Ford tough! - 1997 Ford F-150
  By jim dence - May 11 - 7:32 pm

  I have owned 35 cars to date and my F- 150 is by far the best vehicle that I have owned. Turn the key and it starts every time . Best truck for overall reliability and comfort . I still get compliments on how great it looks for its age .

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  OK I guess - 2008 Ford Expedition
  By RogB - May 11 - 1:59 pm

  After 3 Explorers, decided to move up altho I didnt need the size. Probably would have stayed with Explorer if there was power lift gate available. It is very comfortable but given its size it lacks any nimbleness. Pickup is only fair and stopping distance seems excessive. Just took our first long distance drive, 800 miles r/t and got 19.1 on highway which is better than any of the Explorers got. Dont use it for local drives so dont know about mileage. Like the fact that you can buy certain options as stand-alone like rear camera.

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  Excellent Choice - 2002 Ford Ranger
  By Chris - May 11 - 9:04 am

  I purchased the 2002 Ranger Edge to replace my 1999 Mustang because my wife and I needed the cargo space. I could not be more happy with the choice. I have spent a lot of time travelling with work and lived in Japan for 3 years, so the truck has very low mileage (just went over 25k). All I have had to do is change the oil, and purchase new battery/tires when I got back from Japan. It runs like a champion.

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  I like this little guy! - 1998 Ford Contour
  By jumpingbean - May 10 - 9:10 pm

  Overall, I love this car! It gets great gas mileage (average about 26, though I have easily managed to get 30+). Its fairly attractive and pretty quick with available 2.5L 6-cyl. The only real problem I had was my air idle control went out at about 115k miles (Symptoms: Real low RPM idle that causes the car to shut off right after starting, but you can drive it if you hold in the gas constantly.) That was a pain, but after it was fixed it ran great again. The interior has some annoying features like no lumbar support, a real shallow passenger cup holder that renders it practically useless, and a lack of little helpful storage compartments. Controls are pretty smooth.