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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  This stinks - 2002 Ford Windstar
  By ARTAZ - January 3 - 2:17 pm

  Just bought this two months ago. Havent drove it for 2 weeks straight without something going wrong. First check engine light ended up as spark plugs, wires and DPM sensor, now check engine is back on with cyldr 5 misfire, and now engine started knocking. had to flat bed back to MN from family trip to WI. I owe 5k on this thing, and I can afford the payment because Im to busy fixing it. costs 700.00 to fix even before I made my first payment.

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  Our 2010 Focus SES sedan - 2010 Ford Focus
  By Ford Happy - January 3 - 2:07 pm

  Purchased the SES to replace my Subaru and try an economy car from a USA maker. What a pleasant surprise. The car is well built and handles great. Moon and Tune package a fun value to own. Sync and sound system is superior to others. Mileage is on par with others. Could be better with a higher range fifth gear. On a 500 mile road trip, never once had to down shift on highway due to hills or other. Engine is very strong. Got 33 mpg. Traction control good in snow, nice safety feature as are side air curtains. Moon roof is fun as is shifter. Rear leg room limited if front seats all the way back but adequate for short trips. SES package was worth the extra. Great pricing.

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  Great Truck - 2007 Ford F-150
  By YKdriver - January 3 - 12:34 am

  I now have 81,000km on my truck which comes out to about 50,000miles. No major compalaints, had to replace the driver side window motor and a ball joint on the front suspension. Thats to be expected with the territory my truck travels on. Had a big snow storm come through a couple weeks ago, pulled out 18 people over a span of 48hrs. If anyone is looking at getting one of these, theyre a great truck, just make sure you get one that has been well maintained, this goes for any type of vehicle. (2007 F150 4WD, gold in colour, with some pieces of stainless steel here and there)

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  d@#m good truck - 1991 Ford Explorer
  By gary - January 2 - 4:33 pm

  great truck no problems. all most 400000 miles on it and going strong never had any work done to it. i bought this suv as a beater car just to hold me over but it wont quit. i drive it ever day use it to tow my boat and trailer i even towed a friends chev pickup 1 hour to his house!

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  90 festiva lx - 1990 Ford Festiva
  By chessie12 - January 2 - 3:10 pm

  i have a standard lx and man its fun just fixing it up a bit now but looking for a manifold and exhaust for it and than its in tip top shape. it has 393k kms and it still is a great car so i planed on fixing it up and it has lots of place to put in a bigger rad. but nothing but good news for this car

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  Escape from the lemon - 2010 Ford Escape
  By Sterling10 - January 2 - 11:34 am

  Do not beleive the automotive press! They complain about the exterior and interior design, as well as driving dynamics...They are wrong! The exterior looks like an SUV should. The design is bold and chunky, not soft and overly curvaceous. The interior design is pleasing to look at and touch plenty of soft touch plastic/vinyl in all the right places. The combination of colors (varying shades of tan and faux brushed aluminum) mix nicely with the overall layout and design of the instrument panel, center stack, and seating. The driving dynamics are a perfect compromise between car-like smooth and truck-like rough. Much better and quieter than my 2005 Mustang (the lemon)!

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  Escape Limited - 2010 Ford Escape
  By Ford guy - January 1 - 8:33 pm

  Just purchased a 2010 Escape Limited 4 cylinder with 6A. Enough power when needed. No trouble passing on the interstate. Sounds underpowered compared to a V-6 but doesnt handle that way. Quiet interior and smooth ride. Sync is ok but I have not fully used it yet. Would be nice to know what it will cost when the three year trial is up. Goes through snow very well. At first I was concerned about the Michelin low resistant tires in the snow but they work fine.

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  Old Reliable. - 2000 Ford Mustang
  By Truz - January 1 - 7:04 pm

  I commuted 160 miles a day in this and have 202000 on it. Engine still running great. Top is now ready to be replaced last much longer than I thought.

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  Initial Impressions - 2010 Ford Taurus
  By S-Pony - January 1 - 4:47 pm

  Have only owned mine for a few days, but drove home 2 hours from the dealership in the snow and sleet. Car handled confidently in sloppy weather. Very fun to drive! Great highway cruiser! Comfort rated a 9 due to a potential hard spot in the multi- contoured seats which caused some discomfort. Will update after more windshield time. Very fond of the interior design Sync is great and fairly intuitive as I was able to figure out most features without reading the manual. Too early to accurately rate reliability so will update later. So far, couldnt be happier with my decision to give Ford another look. Well done Ford!

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  Love my Ranger - 2007 Ford Ranger
  By bisjoe - January 1 - 12:55 pm

  Great little truck, plenty of power to pull and handle heavy loads yet decent mileage. Fun to drive, quality is good with the only warranty issue being a burned out tailite bulb in 36,000 miles.