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 truck - 2000 Ford Ranger
  By jeff brown - September 22 - 5:10 am

  Second one that I have owned. Looking to buy my third. Disappointed with the 3.0 like the 4.0 better

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  My 2004 Ford Freestar Van - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By Al Hudgens - September 21 - 11:45 pm

  Always wanted a van and purchased this to help my Mom move from Calif to Washington State and it performed great on the mountain highways. Plenty of room. Scheduled services priced way lower than my experience with a Honda Accord. Road noise is my only complaint.

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  Transmmission Issues - 1999 Ford F-150
  By unikeimage - September 21 - 8:32 pm

  Ive had the truck for about 4 years. I bought the truck from my dad he bought it brand new in 99 and has always kept up with the maintenence. The truck never felt like it was shifting right. The first trans. went out at about 77k miles it has 177k know and the second trans. has gone out it was also a ford trans. installed @ a ford dealer. The truck was mainly driven by my wife and she has a light foot and is very easy on cars. The engine sounds great and other than minor things such as sensors and plugs its done a great job staying together. This will be the third transmission on this truck but now I went with a transmission expert hopefully this is the last transmission for this truck.

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  Glad I Purchased This! - 2002 Ford Focus
  By mtracy - September 21 - 12:24 pm

  I bought this car about a month ago and it was the best used car I found in all of Hampton Roads. I was really unsatisfied with other cars I looked at (too many miles, major defects with interior, bad reviews) and when I found this car I just knew it would be perfect for me. The compact size of the car is great because I am very short and found other cars were literally too big for me to drive.

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  Edge - 2005 Ford Ranger
  By Cary - September 21 - 10:35 am

  Nice little truck. The only true compact truck on the market. I am a little disappointed with the acceleration of the 3.0 V6. I took it to the drag strip. 17.80 at 76 mph. The manual shifter is a little stiff, so I replaced it with a Hurst shifter. I am pleased with the gas mileage. it matched the EPA estimate.

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  Likable SUV - 2005 Ford Escape
  By Good SUV - September 20 - 5:59 pm

  Ive never really been a Ford advocate, but I think they got it right with this vehicle. This thing does great loaded for 4 full size adults in the Rocky Mtns. As a matter of fact, it runs better in the mountains than my Mitsu Galant GTZ sports sedan. The vehicle clearance and stock tires are great for offroad. Ive had this vehicle offroad several times with no issues, and the AWD works great in the deep mud and rocky trails. The Mach Stereo is surprisingly good. Overall, I would recommend this car to a friend or family member.

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  Great Auto - 2000 Ford Explorer
  By EKF - September 20 - 12:12 pm

  I bought this Explorer new. Pulled small box trailers and boats all over the South and Southwest. Never have had any trouble. Only did regular maintenance. It has been hard on tire, but all of my other SUVs were also. It comes with the territory in these vehicles. The back wiper has never worked right, but not a big problem. Stills runs great. Uses no oil. The model has taken a lot of bad publicity, but mine has just been excellent. I would buy another.

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  Great when its running - 2001 Ford Taurus
  By celticsfan - September 20 - 10:00 am

  I have to say that this is an awesome vehicle when its running. After 400 miles the engine needed to be replaced. After that, the starter, fuel pump, several sensors too many other repairs to remember. Has been in the shop about 16 times or more and I have only had it for 18 months. The ride and comfort is better then most luxury models. This would be such a fantastic car if the reliability were better.

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  Good SUV, Bad quality control - 2003 Ford Explorer
  By JJCCC - September 20 - 10:00 am

  Had to drive back to dealer 3times in less than a week to fix small things.

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  Bought used, 75K miles later - 2003 Ford Windstar
  By Tim - September 19 - 1:52 pm

  Our 2003 Windstar Limited has been a very reliable van. We have put >75K miles on in less than 4 years of ownership. The only problems we have had is occasional flickering interior lights and the in dash CD changer that sometimes does not want to eject that we deal with. The Winstar was the last van with a removable 3rd seat rather than fold flat. This is the one thing that I dislike about the van. The rear seat is heavy and bulky to move in and out. The VCP rather than DVD based entertainment system is another drawback. Our limited is very quiet and comfortable to drive, although our typical gas mileage of 20 MPG is a little lower than what we had hoped for