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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  Great car for the money - 2010 Ford Escape
  By Mark - December 3 - 8:44 pm

  comfortable, steady ride, great on the freeway.

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  Freestyle - 2005 Ford Freestyle
  By jimbo - December 3 - 6:01 pm

  I bought this Freestyle back in March. It was a demo model and it had 12,000 miles on it. Mostly I bought it for the gas mileage it gets compared to what we used to have (Dodge Durango). We are getting rid of it because we have another kid on the way and to add another child seat will make it very tight.

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  After Careful Research - 2005 Ford Escape
  By TLee - December 3 - 9:13 am

  Fun car to drive that drives like a car and not like an SUV. Much more fun to drive than the wobbly RAV-4. With the employee discount price it is hard to pass the deal up. I looked at Japanese cars mainly for the reliability but I believe the the American cars tend to be more innovative and quality has gone up. I hope to take this car for 100,000 plus miles. I look forward to driving this car home and with a piece of mind that after thorough research, this car is probably going to last long.

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  Fun, Fun, Fun - 2004 Ford Escape
  By Theresa - December 2 - 10:47 pm

  First thing I have to say is I bought the Sport model with the painted bumpers. I prefer the total look over the plastic bumpers. Next thing I did was purchased a very nice pair of chrome rims and some chrome accessories. It really did dress it up and I get a lot of compliments on the appearance of it. It does ride a little rough. Im glad to hear another reviewer mention the clunking noise with the brakes. I thought I was hearing things. Also, an option of an 8 cylinder would be nice. This is the second SUV Ive owned, but the first Ford SUV and I think Im keeping it for a long, long time. I love my Ford Escape!

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  Sufficient transportation - 2005 Ford Taurus
  By Ray - December 1 - 7:58 pm

  I just purchased a former loaner car from the dealer to replace my Grand-Am that became more of an liability than an asset. The Taurus rides smoothly and comfortably. Most people who have had this car say positive things, so I hope my experience is just as good. I originally wanted a pre-owned Focus, but when I test drove the Taurus, I fell in love with it. Hope to get a long life from it.

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  Ford Expedition Eddie Bauer - 2007 Ford Expedition
  By Stan - December 1 - 10:05 am

  I was looking for a large SUV with a flat cargo bed without any gaps such as the 2005 Tahoe. The brochure of the 2007 Expedition showed such a cargo area, but when the truck arrived, I found a large gap on the floor between the second row seats and the rest of the back when everything was folded down. I was about to void the purchase agreement, when the dealer agreed to have a custom flap fabricated to cover this gap. I am shocked that Ford would misrepresent the product in their brochure. Hence the poor rating for interior design.

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  2007 Mustang GT 5 speed manual - 2007 Ford Mustang
  By Nitro93351 - November 30 - 6:46 am

  This is my second GT, the first was a 99 GT. Specs Acceleration is good and the handling is much improved over the last model. The gear shift is located properly (finally) and the interior is quite attractive with the upgrade. I got the dark alluminum trim with a black interior, and I think it looks great. Last GT had parchment interior and showed alot more dirt and age after 5+ years than friends with black interiors. Rear seat is almost useless for anything other than a package shelf. Trunk is a nice size but the trunk opening makes placing larger items inside tricky. Very happy with my purchase.

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  One tough little truck!/Ranger Edge S. - 2003 Ford Ranger
  By Willie Blackwell - November 30 - 4:26 am

  This nice little truck is a joy to drive, very responsive handling capabilitys,and the tow package is top shelf, It seems happy to pull a loaded tandem trailer. The truck is a 2003 Ford Ranger Super PU 4x2 Edge S 3.0 L V6 Auto., Overdrive. Everything works great, Doesnt use or leak anything, the engine and undercarriage are completely dry, Well...., it does use some gas, you can expect about 19 town and 23 hyway M.P.G. Truck looks good in and out, has some fading on top of fender flares.Milage is approaching 190,000. Very well maintained ,And if thats not enough...., Its Red!!!!!!

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  2.0 SE FWD Deep Impact - 2016 Ford Fusion
  By charlie - November 29 - 11:35 pm

  Tech, NAV, and Appearance options. Overall, Id say best bang for the buck at $7800 off MSRP. Powerful 2.0 engine with great handling, and the tech package gives a better radio speaker combo. At 2100 miles worst mpg was 20mpg on the first tank; best was 31mpg all highway. One negative is a warped rear window, but Ill live with it. Storage is lacking, and although others say the car is quiet compared to what they previously owned, I cant say the same as the 18" Goodyears arent quiet. The too far forward headrests are poor for long highway trips as I sit upright instead of reclined, so a neck pillow is recommended. I find the seat bottom angled too high and my legs are sore after a long trip. The majority of my driving time is city although the majority of the miles is highway. I shopped Camry, Avalon, Charger, Legacy, Outback, F150, and Maxima. The Fusion gave me the most for the least. I had a Bluetooth hiccup once, but restarting the vehicle fixed it. Would I buy it again? Yes.

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  Ford F150 2018 XLT 2.7 Ecoboost - 2018 Ford F-150
  By Rafael - November 28 - 3:05 am

  Before shopping for this vehicle I considered some other options. The Ram 1500 had a much better lease deal, but since I wanted the option to keep the vehicle longer term I decided to lease this Ford. I am now about 3 week into it. It drives overall great, but occasionally I feel some shaking of the transmission. It does it at the lower speed, so still feel its to soon to really know what is going on. My milage was about 22mpg mixed city and highway on week one, then dropped to about 18 so I am also trying to figure out this mystery. I am still driving with the same gas tank from the dealership.