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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  interior fabric suck stains - 2005 Ford F-150
  By T. R. - October 11 - 12:40 am

  Driving is very good control. The interior arm rest hits your knee. The interior material stains even with water on it. I have already covered the seats.

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  Decent and fun to drive! - 2004 Ford Focus
  By Roen - October 9 - 10:25 pm

  Ive had my 2004 Focus ZX3 for a little over a year now and so far no problems. Ive heard Ford had fixed all the problems in the previous model year Foci into the 2004 models and its pretty obvious. The 2.3L PZEV engine is very torquey at low RPM ranges, around 3,000 rpms, which is practically everyday RPM ranges. Very smooth ride, nice interior, and beautiful styling. Fuel economy isnt as great for a car this size, however. I calculated an average 26 mpg city/highway driving, which is what youd expect from a larger vehicle like an SUV. But the 2004 Focus is an overall great car to drive thats actually more reliable than the previous model year Foci.

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  Nice , but not so NICE - 2004 Ford Expedition
  By WILLIAM HARDING - October 9 - 10:00 am

  what is nice it is a good looking suv. what is not nice, More power it sure needs it. the other thing that is not so nice i dont know if it is the rims ford puts on it i dont know but every Expedition I see the front rims get so so BLACK AND DIRT LOOKING Even if you wash your suv and drive around the Block it gets BLACK FAST NOT SO NICE.

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  Only had it a week... Still in love - 2004 Ford Mustang
  By KatieBumpkin - October 9 - 10:00 am

  I love my car... second Mustang.... first was a 94 V6... many maintanence problems with first model... because of extended warranty I am comfortable enough to buy another one. The service personnel at Villa Ford in Orange have been friendly. If you do buy one, stay away from the base sound system. Demand the Mach version or you will be very unhappy. Other then that, the drive is tons of fun!

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  Great SUV but check that transmission - 2004 Ford Explorer
  By Stevew - October 9 - 10:00 am

  Great SUV good ride not the best I have had but good for the price paid. Drives like a car and has the zip you need. The transmission went out after 6000 miles and had to be replaced. Seems Ford has known of this problem for a while. Ford refuses to do a recall when they know the transmissions effected.

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  Not Bad - 2007 Ford Freestyle
  By Freestylin - October 6 - 11:58 pm

  Traded in my 03 Yukon XL (lemon) and looked for a more fuel efficient wagon with 3 rows. Volvo too expensive. Pacifica close, but price/features no match. Pilot, great vehicle, but mileage like other SUVs. Since its a Ford, there is no reason why you cant get invoice pricing. Dont believe ads, its a lie, youll get about 20 to 25 mpg and there is no way youll get 500 miles to the tank, unless youre coasting downhill for that many miles. Overall, if you are looking for non SUV, non-minivan, decent room with 3 row seating, fuel economy, feature, content and price, this probably is about the only option. Too bad Toyota, Honda, Nissan had no viable option. May want to check out Mazda CX9.

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  Good American Product - 1997 Ford F-150
  By hydropump - October 6 - 9:00 pm

  Good experience, drives easily. Minor problems recently with "fault light" erratic turn on/off. No material structural problems. Normal tire wear. No alignment problems. This is my most recent Ford and much better service than 1988 and 1978 similar versions.

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  Nice Truck - 2006 Ford F-150
  By Mike - October 5 - 4:06 pm

  F-150 Lariat 4x4 is tough offroad and smooth on the highway. 5.4L V8 engine is tops and interior styling is the best I have seen on any other truck hands down. Seating is very comfortable and ergonomic. Very quiet smooth ride with plenty of interior storage.

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  Mostly good - 2008 Ford Taurus X
  By chrisptown - October 5 - 12:46 pm

  pur. new leftover 08 in 09. have 8k on it. seats are comfortable, build quality is good. Power is much improved over freestyle. Sat. radio system is excellent. cargo room matches larger vehicles. Fuel economy is fair to poor. my highway mpg =20- 21. have had issue with brakes=toomuch brake pedal travel.

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  New Expedition EL. Owner. - 2007 Ford Expedition
  By dnkal1 - October 5 - 12:22 am

  Weve owned the vehicle for about 10 days now and we have traveled from Phoenix to Flagstaff to Albuquerque to Dallas and back to Phoenix. The ride and comfort is even better than expected. The road noise is extremely low. The turning radius is very tight. The third row is the roomiest by far and I have test driven just about every full size SUV out there. This third row is not an afterthought, it is by design suited for full size adults. I traded in my Volvo XC90 for this vehicle primarily due to the cramped quarters it presented as our (4) boys are growing fast. Getting in and out is very easy with the smart fold down second row. Even these bench style 2nd row seats recline for added comfort.