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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  Best Kept Secret - 2007 Ford Freestyle
  By dan allan - December 3 - 10:16 am

  Best kept secret by those dummies at Ford. Why promote one of the best vehicles out there? Im glad they dont, because I would have had to pay a lot more (supply/demand) for mine. Paid $19,200, 12k miles from a dealer. No question the best vehicle I have ever purchased. Put almost 14k miles on it. Had rear brake warranty work done, but other than that, it is flat out the best crossover vehicle out there. 28 mpg on highway. My wife gets 19 mpg in city driving and she likes to go fast. More than acceptable acceleration. If I wanted to go faster, I would have bought a Mustang. Plenty of room inside. Very comfortable to drive. There are deals out there on these. You will not be sorry.

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  Great Car - 2007 Ford Edge
  By edgy - December 2 - 9:48 pm

  I drive mostly highway to work and this vehicle is great for this. It rides great and is quite. Good pickup for a big CUV. Nav system and stereo are great.

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  First FWD Limited - 2005 Ford Freestyle
  By bruneau1 - December 2 - 7:53 pm

  Ford has nailed the crossover vehicle. Ingress/egress is perfect. I love the CVT transmission - so smooth and intelligent in keeping the engine in the correct power band. The interior is very comfortable and in good taste. Our Merlot Metallic is gorgeous. It is very well built. The FWD is faster and quieter than the AWD.

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  They dont make them like this anymore - 1997 Ford Explorer
  By Karl - December 2 - 7:50 am

  This has been a practical, fun, and very reliable vehicle, with only minimal unscheduled maintenance. Needed a brake job and tie-ins replaced at 90,000 miles, but what do you expect? The ride is not great, but its a real SUV that you can drive over fields and rough paths.

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  Worth Every Penny - 2003 Ford Explorer
  By Excited In San Diego - December 2 - 2:00 am

  I have now put on 1500 miles on my Explorer since mid February and have LOVED every mile. I just returned from a weekend in Joshua Tree and Naza- Borrego. The Explorer performed flawlessly on the 4X4 trails in Joshua Tree. The 4X4 Auto mode worked awesome, didnt ever need to put it in fulltime 4X4. The ride was supurb on the washboard trails and the suspension ate up all the bumps. The engine performs well in all aspects. (If I had anything to tow I would upgrade to the V8.) Ford did a great job with this redesign and I am quite pleased with everything to date.

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  F-150 - 2005 Ford F-150
  By TONE251 - December 1 - 5:40 pm

  AN AWESOME AND FUN TRUCK TO DRIVE. POWER AND TORQUE ARE GREAT FOR TOWING!

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  Great car, so-so mileage on AWD - 2007 Ford Freestyle
  By Brendan - December 1 - 5:08 pm

  Bought it used with 13400 miles on it. Have run two fuel tanks through it now in two weeks. Great handling for a big car. Much better than the 06 Taurus it replaced. Comfort, handling and space utilization is outstanding. 2nd and 3rd row seats dont have any legroom issues. Taller people (511"+) cant use the 3rd row headrests as they hit the headliner first if they lean back. No issues with upright seating position. Worst issue is that with an 80/20 city/highway mix Im getting about 16.5 mpg. Worse than Id expected. Dont think AWD is worth the mileage hit. Engine does get a bit noisy above 2500 rpm. A friend bought an 07 explorer same weekend. He likes mine better.

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  comfortable and silent cabin - 2016 Ford Explorer
  By Paul - November 30 - 7:18 am

  Excellent handling and comfort. Better shift quality than other available competition.

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  2006 Freestyle SE - 2006 Ford Freestyle
  By ojdash - November 29 - 4:13 pm

  Very nice car. I bought an SE for about 3k under TW on here so I am very happy about that. I like the fact that I get duel climate control and power adjustable driver seat on the base model. I couldnt ask for more with a cold-natured fiance. I am usually rougher on cars than most so leather would be a bad option for me. The ride is a bit noisy on the highway but not bad. It is very comfortable and the driving position is perfect. It has about 30k on it. No problems so far. Overall I love it!

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  1996 Eddie f-150 - 1996 Ford F-150
  By 96 eddie bauer - November 29 - 1:30 pm

  Great truck! 5.8 gets 16 mpg city & 20 hwy. 135,000 miles in michigan & no rust. The blue w/gold eddie bauer looks and rides like new still. I cant say anything bad about this truck