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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  Has never failed me - 1997 Ford Ranger
  By Kevin - November 10 - 11:19 am

  This is my first truck. I got it when I turned 17 and it has been a great car. I dont take care of it and I drive it like I stole it, but it keeps on going. Starts every time and never leaves me stranded. I even wrecked it and I still drive it today without replacing anything but the windshield. It has some problems with the gas line. There is a crack in the filler neck hose so I lose gas onto the ground every time I put gas into it and I only get 17 mpg. It idles pretty rough too. Its pretty fast for a 4 cylinder with the the aero dynamics of a brick. Overall this has been a great truck and Im content with it.

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  2nd time is better - 2010 Ford Edge
  By BC - November 10 - 10:10 am

  This is my second Edge due to not seeing a better fit for me from a price/quality/ride/space perspective. My first Edge was quiet, responsive and reliable. The exterior design was fresh and the interior was pretty nice if you overlook a few cost cutting shortcuts on trim. The broad, stable road stance and powerful engine are all still intact. Changes are subtle but important. Biggest of the changes is that the SYNC system is now available. Next the drivers window goes up automatically, better sound insulation in the cabin yields a quieter ride, and a lower handle on the rear lift gate improves leverage. All make this a better vehicle.

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  Simply Amazed! - 2005 Ford Crown Victoria
  By collegestudent21 - November 10 - 8:56 am

  I was definitely not planning on buying a crown victoria, my previous car, died a week before I was suppose to start college, i had a 2000 Toyota Camry, only had 98,000 miles and the car died. I got my 05 crown victoria from my grandmother, she bought a new 08 grand marqauis. Ive had the car for a year and a half. The reliability has been great so far, it had 18,000 miles when I got it, it has 47,000 miles as of today, has not had any problems os far. The ride is extremely smooth, car has amazing power, i catch myself speeding alot. The seats are extremely comfortable, and lastly the gas mileage is amazing, on two different trips, i got an average of 28 MPG, I was shocked.

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  A Wonderful Car - 2004 Ford Focus
  By Stuart Bernstein - November 10 - 12:02 am

  I have been totally satisfied with my 2004 Ford Focus ZTS. It is a well made, reliable, economical and fun to drive vehicle. I currently have about 85,000 miles on my car. I still have orginal brakes,clutch etc. Car has been almost problem free. Only problem has been the accelerator linkage which had to be replaced twice under warranty. Thats about it. My mileages is 27/34 with an average of 30 mpg. My only wish that it was a little quieter inside the cabin when driving high speed. Not really a problem though-only a wish. Seats are very comfortable-I have a bad back too! I traded in my 2000 ZTS for this Honey. My wife drives a 2001 Focus as well.

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  The most bang for the buck - 2010 Ford Focus
  By #1 Fan - November 9 - 9:34 pm

  This is our 3rd Focus. We bought 2 2002 Focuses and both are still on the road with 200,000+ miles each. Husband is still driving his and I passed mine on to our son and bought the 2010 and I love it. I researched and drove tons of cars and this was by far the best. The Synch is great, the shifting has improved over the 2002 model and it is just a fun car to drive. Drove 600 miles in one day to pick daughter up from college and mileage was over 40 mpg. Only minor problem is lights are dim and set too low. Ive been driving with the brights on at night and no one flashes me. If this car gives us the same quality of the 2002 model, we will be thrilled.

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  Great Little SUV - 2006 Ford Escape Hybrid
  By Boris - November 9 - 5:43 pm

  Living on a dirt road, I needed an SUV. Living out of town, I needed good mileage. I bought a base-model Escape Hybrid and I got both. This thing is getting a combined city/hwy mileage of over 30mpg. Amazing for an SUV. Even the base model comes with lots of features. 6-disc CD changer (with MP3 capability), electric driver seat, 110V power outlet and all sorts of little bells and whistles. I only got about 26 mpg on a long trip for 800 miles, but the city mileage in the high 30s made up for that very quickly.

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  This car is a keeper! - 1995 Ford Taurus
  By Duane - November 9 - 3:02 pm

  I bought my 1995 Taurus in 2003, having been very impressed with the lumbar back support of a rental Taurus. The mileage was 57,500 - very low for an eight year old car. Within the first year, it developed a water leak and some other minor problems. Other than that, the car has performed nearly flawlessly since then with only routine maintenance.

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  Hard to beat - 1994 Ford Aerostar
  By Lapoot - November 9 - 2:57 pm

  Bought used with 80000. Issues: spark plug wires replace once at 110,000. Shift lever loose at 145,000. Mileage: 22 on the highway, 15 in town. Very comfortable ride , even for large people. SOLID, DEPENDABLE. I regularly have the tranny flushed, and filled with AMS oil.

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  Very unhappy with vehicle - 2010 Ford Expedition
  By Disallusioned - November 9 - 1:07 pm

  Bought vehicle, took it home, next morning, computer malfunction - ABS disabled, no directional signals, navigation detected system fault, dealer still has it and wont be ready until Thursday - one week in service. Brand new never driven condition. Not a good experience at all. Third ford for me.

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  Good truck - 1998 Ford Explorer
  By Paul Piellusch - November 9 - 10:00 am

  Good truck no maintenance 70K kilometres