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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  wont start - 2009 Ford F-150
  By MADATFORD - October 25 - 7:41 am

  Bought a 2009 ford f150 two weeks ago. stop at a store get somethings got back into the truck and would not start, called roadside assistance and they sent someone to jump start it. did not work, has some electrical problem, pretty sad for a new truck with the dealer tags still on the truck. i would not recommend a ford truck if you want to get from point a to point b. the worst truck i have ever driven. my 2004 dodge was a much more reliable truck than ford, never had a problem with dodge

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  Great Anti SUV - 2005 Ford Freestyle
  By SteveO255 - October 24 - 10:56 pm

  Very nice Car... or Suv.... Or Wagon. What ever you call it it is a jack of all trades. It does everything well! Weekend road trip 350 miles and Avg 26mpg

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  Love My Car - 2010 Ford Mustang
  By Black Bull - October 24 - 9:22 pm

  Ive had my car for three weeks, V6 convertible Black on Black. I have never gotten so many looks and compliments about a car before. The styling is great the ride is fun, this is my first Mustang. Looked at other convertibles, but this one I had to have.

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  Worth postponing early retirement! - 2017 Ford Edge
  By Lynnda - October 24 - 12:24 pm

  I have been looking at all the different SUVs on the road for the past year and decided that I really liked the body style of the Edge. Once I actually got inside & took it for a test drive there was no going back. I absolutely love my car. It is above & beyond what I expected.

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  Great muscle car for the price....! - 2016 Ford Mustang
  By Lynn - October 24 - 12:12 am

  I had a 2010 Mustang GT I bought new, and was ready for a new car. Looked seriously at the highly rated Camaro SS, and also considered the Challenger RT. Really was in the mood for a change, instead of another Mustang GT. That said, found a great deal on a new 16 bright red GT, paying almost $9,000 less than I would have paid for the base Camaro SS. I know the SS is rated a little higher, is a little faster, etc, but for the price I paid, I am very pleased with the new GT. It has changed significantly from the 2010 model I traded in.... handles better, is quicker, looks cool, is much more planted on the road, and gets better gas mileage, even after adding 100 plus additional hp. For the price, I am very happy with the car. Its fun, looks great, drives great, and is way faster than I need to go!

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  Commercial Sold Me - 2009 Ford Flex
  By Carol A. - October 24 - 12:05 am

  I agree with other rerviews. Car is a head turner. I am frequently asked how I like the car & if they can peek inside. I had to have the two-tone cinnamon & white after seeing how sharp it looked on the commercial. Love interior space & have taken road trips with passengers in 2nd row who loved leg room. Headrests are uncomfortable because they tilt forward too much, but it could be because I am not that tall, (5ft. 3in.). Transmission shifts rough in lower speeds & car jerks forward when shifting. Havent read that problem in other reviews so I dont know if it is just my car. After 2 mo. passenger door lock started giving problems does not always open. Inconvenient for driver to reach over

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  Runs great especially for the price!!!!! - 1995 Ford Explorer
  By $300.00 holla - October 23 - 11:43 pm

  So far so good. I bought it with over 200,000 miles on it. Had to clean the whole interior out(I mean I stripped it down to bare metal).It had been sitting for 6 months, or so, full of trash(this rig had not been taken care of at all)! But I got in it,turned the key,and wah-la she purred like a kitten (a kitten with hairballs,but I was still amazed). Anyway, on to the good part. This thing runs great! 4x4 still works good, the tranny slips just at first,but what can I expect. Im babying it for awhile until I can have the tranny worked on! Anything that can take the abuse that the last owners put this thing thru and still run is a good ride. Props on the 95 eddie bauer its a tough truck!

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  fantastic vehicle - 2006 Ford Explorer
  By jarrad - October 23 - 10:31 pm

  I have had alot of vehicles before, this has been one of the best. I was scared at first of buying a ford so I bought a service contact for repairs. I have not had one thing go wrong in the vehcle. I would buy another one again.

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  This is my first Ford ever...Love it. - 2008 Ford Taurus X
  By nottafordguy - October 23 - 10:13 pm

  Just bought with 110k. Well I got rid of my mid-life crisis mobile (a Crossfire) to accomodate a dog and clients. I have a large boxer. She hates bucket seats so this vehicle didnt help in that regard (all six seats are buckets)...but heres an easy fix! I folded the rear seats down. I then duct-taped foam to three planks I got from walmart and wrapped in blanket material to match the vehicle interior. The planks fit over the ridge (where the cupholders are) so they are perfectly flat and sit without moving. I ran three planks across the width of the vehicle, covered them with a blanket and voila - dog bed. She has the most comfortable ride in the vehicle. This is a good ride all around!

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  5 speed wins over automatic - 1995 Ford Aspire
  By gotitan - October 23 - 9:59 pm

  I have 96 automatic @ 32 mpg and a 1995 5 speed @ tops 44 mpg....with the back seat out I can haul a full sized gas dryer with the hatch down.