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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  Ford Focus ZX3 Mediocre Car - 2000 Ford Focus
  By pumkin - January 24 - 8:11 pm

  The car is awful on gas, it currently leaks oil at 86000 KMs. It has its share of noises, but in the end it is reliable. Considering my 2000 Neon had bad spark plugs, broken springs, a rebuilt transmission, a new radiator and also leaked oil by the time it was 3 years old ... I cant complain. I love the little bubble design, which allows taller people to fit comfortably height-wise. The Zetec engine has enough power for its size, but mind you its no racing machine. Finally, I cant stand how Ford has recalls that state "we will only pay if you know that this is the exact cause"... either you will replace a part that has been causing problems for Focuses or you wont.

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  This is alot of truck for little price - 2004 Ford Ranger
  By Steve M - January 24 - 5:29 pm

  I bought this truck for work and have used it for work. I have hauled cars from 3000 pounds up to 6000 pounds. I have had 1800 pounds in the box and begs for more. This trucks gives 100% when it works. It loves to work. I paid $13,500 for it and I love it. I just have the 3.0 with the 5 speed auto torqueshift. I have 3.73 gears. The gas mileage hurts but what do you expect. If you want gas mileage buy a dang Honda. If you want a great truck for work buy a Ford Ranger.

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  First Time Mustang Buyer - 2005 Ford Mustang
  By Valentine - January 24 - 3:50 pm

  This is a really cool car. Love to drive it. We get a lot of stares. The color is what grabs your attention. It is a cool blue with beige interior. I think Ford would sell more of these if they would target women with the lighter interior color as oppose to the typical black. This baby takes off when needed. It reminds me of my 1981 V6 280Z. Love that car. I think the GT is really a waste of power. Where will you be able to open it up without looking over your shoulders?

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  Bang-For-Your-Buck - 2001 Ford Mustang
  By revdrluv - January 24 - 10:00 am

  It has been nearly a year now since I bought my mineral grey mustang coupe and I am very happy with it. I love the torque it has, especially when compared to other sport coupes on the market. The mustang is not the sharpest driving tool. It is an old school design, but that just gives it more character than the sometimes sterile japanese alternatives. To have fun you have to get the manual tranny in this car. I have had no reliability problems.

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  The factory didnt tighten WHAT?? - 2001 Ford Focus
  By Postmortemcowboy - January 24 - 10:00 am

  I bought my brand new 2002 ford focus on a thursday... by the following monday (only 200 miles later) i was experiencing a popping/grinding noise coming from the front right which appeared to be suspension related. So took it back to the dealer. Well it seems the factory forgot or just didnt tighten the sway arm links on the front passenger side, not only that i did find a rubber moulding that wasnt properly installed. The factory needs to employ people who dont forget to tighten up STEERING components. This could have been a fatal accident waiting to happen. Needless to say the dealership paid for the rental for a day and didnt charge me a dime to fix my car.

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  2001 Sport Trac - 2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By jlathem - January 24 - 10:00 am

  I love the truck. It is my first truck so I wasnt ready for the extreme fuel consumption. It fits my needs perfectly however. I looked at all of the competetors and chose this truck. I am not one to purchase a vehicle on impulse.It performs all of the duties that one could ask of such a vehicle. It handles and rides in an acceptable manner for a vehicle of this type. ( If you want a Caddy buy one )The build quality is excellent when compared to other mass produced vehicles.

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  So Far ... Good Vehicle - 1999 Ford Expedition
  By gp63 - January 23 - 11:34 pm

  I purchased this vehicle new in 1999. The reason I purchased it was because it was a vehicle I could use to haul the entire family and it had 4WD. It has lived up to my expectations. I have found it easy to drive not at all tiring, and it has only had limited issues since I purchased it. It does have/had two problems which seem to be the norm for FORD: 1) front brakes do not last past the first 10K miles and 2) the accelerator develops a slight stick when accelerating, which will require a few hundred dollars to have the accelerator et al. replaced. There was a minor issue with the rear wiper, which was fixed when they replaced the motor. I would definitely consider buying another.

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  Overall a great truck - 2001 Ford F-150
  By Eric1565 - January 23 - 3:11 pm

  Ive had my truck for 5 years now, and had relatively no problems. Oil change every 3-5k and been through one set of tires (40K, Generals stink!) and now getting ready to buy another set of tires @80K). Performance, well its a 6 cylinder with a 5 speed, so it is not too bad. Plenty of power for around town driving, have not done much towing of heavy stuff. Had to have the tires aligned at 80K ... not bad. The interior is designed VERY WELL. It is very comfortable, layout is very good. Overall a great truck.

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  Awesome car for the price - 2005 Ford Mustang
  By Steve - January 23 - 6:06 am

  I bought this car in the Fall/Winter so I didnt get to much seat time, so once the snow was gone, the fun began, I drove the car to Nashville and back, (roughly 1200 miles). The car drove flawlessly, handles well, stops great, mileage not too bad, 18-25mpg depending on my right foot. For the price I think it is a great car. Heated seat would be nice its a Mustang so I am not goong to whine about the interior. It is a far cry better the the past Mustangs. The IUP package is a nice touch. Very solid feel, very tight.

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  So far so good - 2005 Ford Escape
  By Daniel Allocca - January 22 - 11:45 pm

  Just bought an 05 Escape with only 12K miles. Got the XLT V6 with leather and am loving it. I considered sportier cars but decided to get 4WD and need the cargo space. Fuel mileage has been about 20mpg. Acceleration with the V6 is great. Plenty of power off of the line, and can even be fun on the highway. I fit in the car very comfortably at 6 foot 250 pounds. Overall great car. Some interior materials feel cheap, especially the door handles. Fit and finish is pretty good. My first American car purchase and am keeping my fingers crossed for long-term quality.