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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  sexy but>>>> - 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By sportracker - March 8 - 2:00 am

  great looking vehicle,stand alone looks for price.(by the way i like black) owned a honda prior to this purchase and spent a whole $4.00 on repairs in 3 years and 100,000 miles.second trip to the gargage for brakes in 6 months on this one im still crossing my fingers because i still love it.

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  Reliability and Fuel savings - 2001 Ford Escort
  By Linda M - March 7 - 8:08 pm

  This is my second Escort. The 1st one I had (1991) finally died after 265,000 miles on it (Nnver changed engine or tranny). This one has been dependable so far, but is noisier inside. I think the interior is not as plush since it was a fleet car. So ... on long rides it can get pretty loud. But the fuel economy makes up for this.

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  05 pony - 2005 Ford Mustang
  By leedfbmcdf - March 7 - 12:00 pm

  I have had my 05 for 12 days. I traded an 02 convertible in, and the handling differance is amazing. The power,room,and over all look of this years design is just fantastic.Wait till you see one on the road,,,,youll want one too....

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  Satisfied Customer - 1998 Ford Escort
  By mto - March 7 - 10:00 am

  Have had this vehicle almost a year now. Very satisfied with performance and gas mileage. I avg. about 32 mpg driving a mixture of about 70% interstate and 30% city. Some interior improvements would make life easier (see "Suggested Improvements").

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  My Ranger - 2006 Ford Ranger
  By Doug - March 6 - 9:27 pm

  I bought my Ranger only because it was the best deal at the time. I have kind of lost the "look at me" appeal of a vehicle to the more practical side of things. I have owned just about every make of pickup on the market. Without a doubt so far my favorite has to be the one I have been driving for the last eight months. I go out of my way to compare my truck to any Toyota. Gas mileage could be better.

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  Detailed Review - 2005 Ford Freestyle
  By vicenac - March 6 - 4:20 pm

  I am moving up to this car from a 97 Accord. I see that most other buyers are scaling down from SUVs. To me, my new Freestyle drives like a truck. The suspension is stiff (but OK) and I can feel the weight of the car when turning, although I could take corners at least as fast if no faster then my Accord. I used to drive a Volvo 740 and this Ford seems to be an enlarged replica of that. Controls on dashboard are in the same place etc. Power. When I first drove it it seem with no life at all, and I wanted to give up. My wife got in the drivers seat and she found the power! It takes off slow from a standstill but after that feels very powerful. If you floor it on the freeway the CVT downshifts

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  Long-term Taurus - 1996 Ford Taurus
  By Snake Charmer - March 6 - 3:56 pm

  Car was issued to me as a company car in 1995. Aside from the catfish front end, it looked pretty good. The interior was comfortable, and everything was a bit better than expected. My ratings are based on this being a Taurus, not my Corvette. The sample defects were fixed fast (wind noise, soft shifts), and the car has been safe and dependable for 120k miles so far. Total of about $1200 in unscheduled maintenance, far better than my Hondas or Mazdas. In fact, overheating in the last Honda cost that much, and never was fixed. Good, cheap transport for a long time. Teenager drives it now, and doesnt hate it (hed rather drive the Vette).

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  Having Fun - 2006 Ford F-150
  By JDA - March 5 - 7:06 pm

  Great truck, moved up from a XLT and dont know why I didnt buy this one from the start. Do a lot of hunting and can get there most of the time with no problems. Good handling with a decent ride considering it came with the off road package. Only problem is I have a rattle on the passenger side that they havent been able to narrow down and fix.

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  great small suv - 2006 Ford Escape
  By dennis danner - March 5 - 10:41 am

  My 2006 Escape runs and handles very good for a small suv. it has plenty of power but lacks fuel mileage. it is fun to drive and was great in the snow.

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  Ford Explorer XLT - 1999 Ford Explorer
  By Peri_P_Laneta - March 4 - 5:37 pm

  Bought new in 1999 and have put on only about 40,000 miles. Has been very reliable, although it did take 6 attempts before the dealer was able to fix the rear wiper motor. Has been fairly comfortable to drive. The controls are reasonably convenient to use and the drivers seat adjustment works pretty well. Id buy it again.