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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  Norbecks 97 SHO - 1997 Ford Taurus
  By Robert Norbeck - November 16 - 11:25 pm

  The experience you get while driving is great. I usually get tired with a vehicle after two years. Ill have this car for three in approximately three months and I havent gotten tired with it yet and I dont think I ever will. This car is a keeper!

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  Very Happy - 2004 Ford Explorer
  By socialwork2 - November 15 - 10:00 am

  I bought the AWD Explorer on July 10, 2004, and already have over 1000 mi on it. It is fun to drive, and great to look at. The ride feels like a truck, but a smooth one anyway. It feels nice to be in the drivers seat. Interior is very functional with the 3rd row seat, and it looks good too. Impressive all the way around. There is a squeek coming from the front wheels over bumps or rough roads. It sounds like defective ball joints, but the dealer was hesitant to replace them since everything is funtioning well. Im am taking it back in to get them replaced because it is annoying and still under warrenty. Nothing major by any means. Highly recommend

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  Decent, When Its Running... - 1999 Ford Taurus
  By gmercedesbenz - November 14 - 6:18 pm

  2nd owner of the car, bought off of a family member. Shes got 186,000 on her, but its one thing after another. First, the rack on the steering went. OK, then I blew a coolant line, which Ford says, requires me to replace ALL the coolant lines in the system. Definably going either Honda or Toyota. This is my 2nd car, and being a high school student, I cant afford the repairs. Would be a great car, if it wasnt for the mileage.

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  Finally giving up the ghost - 1997 Ford Escort
  By frata - November 13 - 10:45 pm

  I inherited this car from my sister when it had 95,000 miles one it. Now it has 130,000. It is the "fancy" model with power windows, power locks, keyless entry, alarm, power mirrors etc. Until now it has been absolutely reliable with no problems whatsoever. Recently the service engine soon light came on and I took it to the shop and they replaced the oxygen sensor. This solved the light for about a day until it came on again and the engine started to act like it was trying to cut out. It was a great car but it is not worth putting any money into. I would recommend this car to someone looking for a used car. Make sure it is a low mileage one though, it is an economy car and falls apart with old age, apparently.

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  I think we had a lemon. - 1997 Ford Taurus
  By denise - November 13 - 1:45 pm

  The Taurus has a great ride and is comfortable. We had many problems with the transmission beginning at 60,000 miles. Its ultimate demise came when the catalytic converter went bad on us at 70,000 miles. We drove the car until it finally stopped at 85,000 miles.

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  Freestar-Limited - 2005 Ford Freestar
  By Romeo Pierre - November 12 - 9:01 pm

  Very comfortable to drive. Excellent viewing of the road. Bright light to drive at night, very spacious cargo space, very quite on the road, not bad on gas 22 miles a gallon on highway.

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  Good car for the $$ - 2006 Ford Focus
  By Jason - November 11 - 12:32 pm

  I got this car brand new in March, I Had 3 things at the top of my want list for my new vehicle purchase. 1~ Under $15K new. 2~ averaged over 26-mpg. 3~ Good warranty. Well my 2006 Focus SE is all of that and then some. My purchase price was $12,550, that was with auto transmission, power windows/locks etc. The car drives and handles great, I am averaging 29-MPG so far, so Im happy with that. (Ive put 15,500 miles on it so far). Overall great car.

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  Great vehicle for the money! - 2000 Ford Taurus
  By Logan - November 11 - 12:19 pm

  We bought our 2000 Ford Taurus SEL in 2005. It had 86,000 miles on it and was fully loaded we paid only $5,700 from a private seller. It was in good condition and still is. Since weve only owned the car for 2 years, I cannot tell you the reliability for its lifetime, but since weve owned it, weve only had a couple of problems with it. A couple of weeks after we bought it, some sort of a spring or something broke. Not a big deal it wasnt a lot of money to have fixed. One speaker sometimes doesnt work on the Mach audio system, which we are going to try and have fixed. Overall this car is a great value for the money.

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  2007 Focus ZX5 SES - 2007 Ford Focus
  By patricki - November 11 - 12:00 am

  Purchased Oct. 2006 and have driven for about two months. Audiophile system rocks, moonroof is superb, ABS braking system is outstanding. Am getting about 26 - 35 mpg. Fun car to drive and extremely comfortable. Feel safer than ever with side airbags.

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  Cheesy Face-lift - 2006 Ford Focus
  By David - November 10 - 5:40 pm

  I wished they didnt change the exterior styling, its horrible especially for the hatchback version. Its basically the same Focus, but more refined and it handles great, very predictable and secure. The interior space is quite good for the size of the car. I enjoy all the features that came with my ZX5, like 6 CDs, moonroof, heated seats.