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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  Worth It! - 1994 Ford Explorer
  By WeatherWoman1285 - June 2 - 10:22 am

  I bought this truck in 2005 after originally wanting an Expedition, but I absolutely love it. I am still driving it but am looking for something new. It got me through college several states from home and a huge move for a new job even more states away from home. It has been very dependable, however it is just getting old and many small annoying things are starting to go wrong with it. For spending most of its life in Midwest winters it has surprisingly little rust on the body and still looks great. I regret having to get rid of it but it has served its purpose very well and is an extremely comfortable ride. I definitely want to stick with another vehicle about the size of this.

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  Fun Car, Mostly Reliable - 2001 Ford Focus
  By Helen - June 1 - 10:31 pm

  Ive owned my Focus for 3 years now. Ive put about 20,000 miles on it, and about $3,000 in repairs. I was told that the body is German engineering, and the front suspension is by ford....which is where the majority of the problems have been. Replaced the struts, ball bearings, etc ($1600 and $300-ish), and I still think theres something wrong with the suspension. Also had a distributor problem which caused the car to run at half power (cost about $500 to repair) Recently replaced the coolant reservoir and cooling fan ($380), and am saving up for repairs for an EGR issue (check engine light is on). Car gets about 27 MPG, and is super fun to drive when...it runs well.

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  The 5.0 is back - 2011 Ford Mustang
  By L.Sanchez - June 1 - 6:14 pm

  I ordered this car months ago, 6spd coupe, Brembo Brakes, 3.73s. It was just going to be a fun commuter car and it has not disappointed. The engine pulls very strongly, especially in the upper rev ranges yet is docile in daily driving and it was TOO quiet when I bought it. I have since changed the exhaust. The ride is firm, but not brutal but handles like its on rails. I got a basic deluxe package so the interior is no frills. Dont even have a pwr driver seat. The benefit to not having the "goodies" is a light weight. At a truck weigh station it weighed 3480 lb with a quarter tank of gas. The new steering system feels great too.

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  36 gallon gas tank? - 2009 Ford F-150
  By Tom - June 1 - 6:05 pm

  Its too expensive to fill up with a 36 gallon gas tank with gas almost $3 a gallon it costs me a fortune and have to take a loan outta the bank to afford to fill it up! The stock Goodyear Wrangler tires are wearing funny, took it back to the dealer twice and they just rotated the tires. The stitching on the front seats are coming loose, cant install a seat cover cause the side air bags are in the seat. never got any better than 14.3 MPG

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  Best SUV ever built Like an Abrams tank - 2002 Ford Excursion
  By esperi - June 1 - 3:22 pm

  Want to feel safe? want to haul up to 11,000 lbs.? Want heavy duty 4wd? Want upwards of 20mpg hwy? How about heated leather, 3 zone a/c, adjustable pedals, and DVD? Unlimited modification potential? (Im getting 467 hp/800 tq on mild upgrades). Ford canceled this truck due to high price and limited buyer market. However, now that they are available for much less than $55K, there is no other vehicle like it. The 7.3 diesel is a 500k mile motor, and the only motor to ever go 1,000,000 miles without a rebuild. The frame and suspension are F250 superduty components and are also built for life. Find one under 300k miles that has been maintained and you are getting a quality vehicle.

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  Would Buy Again - 2007 Ford Expedition
  By Happy Expy Owner - June 1 - 12:46 pm

  This has been an extremely versatile, reliable, comfortable vehicle. Friends that ride in our 07 EB Expedition are simply amazed at how well it rides & the creature comforts that it includes compared to their other brand SUVs! I have hauled 1/2 cord of wood, love seat with ottoman, 2 pallets of sod and more over a tarp with the seats down. It turns on a dime and can easily go into any parking garage. Has been in shop twice for minor repairs and recall. Never left me stranded. Will replace this one eventually with another Expedition. Gas avg. is 15 city and 18 hwy but if I drop down to 65 mph can get 22 Hwy using cruise control. Does it all, 7 passengers, 5 passengers + luggage, towing, etc.

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  2005 Ford Freestyle SEL - 2005 Ford Freestyle
  By Greg - June 1 - 3:30 am

  Replaced brakes after 34,000 miles, and had the intermittent cluster display circuit board replaced at a whopping $980.00 Ive always bought Ford vehicles in the past, but this is the last time I buy anything from Ford. I dont know how Ford managed to stay away from the bailout, because their vehicles are total garbage, except for their line of Trucks.

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  love it - 1993 Ford Taurus
  By Nick - May 31 - 5:34 pm

  I purchased my 1993 Taurus GL in September of 2008 from my friends grandma. The car had only 76,000 miles on it. They had a power steering line replaced before I bought it but nothing prior except oil changes. I have had to replace the rack and pinion, and the starter, but other than that its just been routine maintenance. It has the 3.8 liter engine which I love though its sometimes difficult to work on due to size. It now has 91,000 miles on it and I still drive it on road trips and it has always done fine. It gets 21 miles to the gallon city driving!!

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  Great Car for the Money - 2010 Ford Focus
  By Truly Focussed - May 31 - 1:19 pm

  While making a decision to purchase a new vehicle to replace my 2006 Volvo S40, I needed to downgrade on price but didnt want to suffer with a stripped car or bottom of the line car. First, I have the 4-speed automatic. I shopped Honda (too expensive for all I wanted), Hyundai and Kia (better warranty, same cost, but Korean), and Chevy. This was the best buy. I dont miss my Volvo, except for its moonroof. The price, look, SYNC, and its ride made it the best decision. I do mainly in- town driving with a little highway driving. My MPG is much lower than what was stated on the sticker. The best MPG Ive gotten so far was city and highway combo of 25 mpg, but I usually end up with 22.

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  Outstanding SUV - 2010 Ford Expedition
  By spanky - May 31 - 1:02 pm

  What an unbelievable ride! This SUV is the best driving car I have ever driven. Very quiet and smooth. The sync is the absolute coolest option ever. We got the nav package and the stereo is amazing along with the ability to check the gas prices, sports scores and weather radar on the screen. I didnt buy the vehicle for the gas mileage but it is better than I thought. You need to drive a limited or king ranch before you buy a Navigator or Escalade. You will save yourself thousands!