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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  Dependable - 2005 Ford Explorer
  By P. Hardin - March 23 - 3:31 pm

  Had my Explorer for 2 years. Very dependable. Love the body style. Love leather but the 2005 Explorer leather seats are not good. Cracked and looked unkempt within the first year. Would like to see improved gas mileage. Thought it would be better on the V6 than what I am getting. The V8 does just as well. Would I buy another one? Yep, probably so. Overall I really enjoy my Explorer.

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  Focus Wagon - 2002 Ford Focus
  By don - March 23 - 2:18 pm

  This is the 4th Focus in my family. By far it is the most versatile of them all. The cargo capacity cannot be beat by any other small to mid size wagon. Even larger SUVs are lacking this amount of space. It is as reliable as "Old Faithful". While not the quietest ride, it is not the reason I bought it. I have a BMW 528i for those needs.

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  Good buy - 2008 Ford Focus
  By retto - March 23 - 9:50 am

  Excellent buy. Plenty of front seat leg room, engine peppy and 37+ mpg on highway (44mpg for one stretch). Solid/comfortable seats, interior very quiet. I wanted a Mustang, but I am very happy with the Focus and it is $13,000 cheaper. I have driven it at sea level and 10,000 ft., it handled just fine. No complaints! The transmission gearings are spaced just right to help keep RPMs down, shifting is easy.

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  I hate Fords but this car is.... - 2005 Ford Focus
  By Josh5m - March 22 - 9:50 am

  I hate Fords but this car is amazing. I love the fact that it idles smooth, rides good, and the seats are comfortable. I bought the car in Feb. of 2007 with 39,699 miles on it (roughly). Ive already put 5,000 miles on it in 6 weeks. Changing the oil is easy its nice that it is in the front. The transmission is smooth. The engine is pretty powerful for a 4 banger. The headlights arent bright at all and a lot of the interior is horribly built. but it doesnt stop how fun it is to drive.

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  Ford Edge rusty - 2007 Ford Edge
  By Alice - March 21 - 2:33 pm

  2007 Ford edge is rusting in most areas of the paint.

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  Good AND BAD - 2004 Ford Expedition
  By Rob K. - March 21 - 11:45 am

  POSITIVES: Great room for a family of 4 or 5. Plenty of luggage room for those long family trips. Eddie Bauers look great with the gold underpackage with pretty much any body color. NEGATIVES: Whats up with the brake dust? Wow, lets not skimp on quality brake pads. Also, middle seat in second row should recline with outside passenger seats. Third row seating leather has come unattached and not sure how to have it fixed. Looks crappy like that. Gas mileage is garbage but what can you expect from that large of a vehicle. The a/c fan inside the dash makes a light squealing sounds periodically and Im sure Ford wont hear it to fix it.

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  fusion - 2016 Ford Fusion
  By bill carpenter - March 20 - 2:33 pm

  The 2016 seems better to me than the 2017; the shifter on the 2017 reminds me of the disasterous early 1970" chrysler push button one; I personally prefer to have a shift handle that is easy to feel the gear the car is in.

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  *sigh* - 1996 Ford Taurus
  By blahblahblah - March 20 - 11:42 am

  Well, Im not too happy with my Taurus. Since Ive owned it (7 months) the transmission has gone out twice, the brakes have gone out, and the starter has had to be replaced. Im unsure if these problems are the faults of the previous owner or problems with the model, and I may never know. I guess I cant complain too much, as the car was a gift.

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  Good at first - 2000 Ford Explorer
  By pudd21 - March 20 - 10:11 am

  I loved my Explorer! I had no major problems until I hit 100,000 miles and then it fell apart. Had problems with the rear wiper, driver door locks, transmission, spark plugs, radio light, knocking sound in the engine and all of it happened in about three months. Its now in the shop and hope to trade for a newer model when it gets fixed.

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  Satisfied but with reservations - 2003 Ford Escape
  By JimAmIsl - March 20 - 2:00 am

  This has been a fun vehicle to drive. I wanted a small SUV for short distance driving and this has been the perfect auto for my purpose. Back passenger seats fold down easily making room for plenty of cargo. Major problem at 24,000 miles...the auto transmission started to slip between gear changes. The dealer replaced the transmission and all appears to be fine. I believe there may be a technical bulletin by Ford for transmission problems with mileage over 20,000 for problems like I was experiencing.