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:

• 

  Great Rig - 2007 Ford Expedition
  By Josh - October 14 - 8:02 am

  This is the fourth Expedition that we have owned, and it is the best one yet. Love the improvements in steering, and the six speed tranny is silky smooth. Who cares about fuel mileage, buy a hybrid if you are concerned with that, me, I will take the extra space, comfort and safety any day. Love the standard safety features. I have four kids, and the Expedition is the best.

• 

  Excellent value - 2007 Ford Fusion
  By clement - October 13 - 11:19 pm

  I was hesitating to buy a Audi Quattro A4 or the Ford Fusion V6 AWD. The Fusion costs $10,000 less and has better reliability. Therefore I bought a Fusion (and put an additional $10K for retirment). I like this car very much, specifically the body stiffness in sharp turns. I also like the "straight forward-no gimmick" Ford style.

• 

  Good Solid Truck - 2007 Ford Ranger
  By Dave - October 13 - 3:25 am

  I needed a new vehicle for driving to work and back and decided to get a lower cost pickup so I could haul stuff if I needed to. This little truck feels bigger than it is and runs great. I have averaged 29 mpg just driving it around the area and to work and back and have gotten as high as 36 mpg on longer highway/freeway trips. I cant complain about anything in this vehicle.

• 

  Fords Stealth Steal! - 2007 Ford Freestyle
  By prairie dog - October 12 - 2:10 pm

  I really searched and researched before I bought this car. I wanted a car that would do everything and I got it! It carries people and cargo like a champ. (Even my mountain bike without having to take off the front wheel!) It handles great and I love the CVT - really great on hills, stop and go traffic whatever you hand it. Plenty of Power. I love the cargo well in the back and the way I can flip and realign everything in a flash, on the go, no matter whatever, or whomever, comes up. The versatility is the best I have seen. This car replaces a full sized van and a Taurus and does it with style. We still have the Explorer, but more and more, we keep taking the Freebie. I love this car!

• 

  2006 Expedition - 2006 Ford Expedition
  By Mark - October 12 - 1:13 pm

  We bought a Mercedes GL thinking it would be a good replacement for the Expedition and are glad we didnt get rid of the Expedition. The chassis are much better sorted out in the Expedition which is suprising since the GL has air springs. Steel springs on the Expo win the ride comparison and the Expo has as good or better noise isolation. The GL is one awesome machine, but the Expo is actually a better full sized SUV.

• 

  Great Car - 2006 Ford Fusion
  By hillbillyJoe - October 12 - 10:56 am

  This car has been put through a serious road test, including an 9K mile round trip journey to Alaska and back. It has performed flawlessly.

• 

  The switch from SUV to Sedan - 2006 Ford Five Hundred
  By Sandy - October 12 - 7:20 am

  I was reluctant to buy a sedan since I drove 3 Explorers prior to this car. Now that I have, I can honestly say that the Ford 500 is much more comfortable than an SUV and with the price of gas going up again, it is also more economical. Not that I wouldnt ever want another Explorer, but the 500 has been a pleasant surprise. The Limited that I drive has a lot of luxury car features.

• 

  Smart little car - 2008 Ford Focus
  By Jo - October 11 - 3:30 pm

  I drive 50/50 city and the highway, and I average 32 mpg after 2 months. Its quick and responsive for a 4 cylinder, and I love all the technology gadgets. Didnt think Id love Sync or Sirius so much. It is nice and quiet so I can hear them both well. I tested small cars from Toyota and Honda, but both are uncomfortable cars for big and tall people (Toyota is terrible for long legs and Honda is terrible for head room). I can see my car from my office window, and to my surprise, this car turns a lot of heads. I think the leg room could still be better, but Im glad I bought this car.

• 

  Bring it back - 1994 Ford Probe
  By all for it ! - October 11 - 3:27 pm

  I bought my GT almost 2 years ago. Been in love ever since. Was a daily driver till just recently, now IÂ’m putting some time and money into the improvement of it. Its got a real good base for performance. And if youÂ’ve got the time and money they can be super fast. So far with just the basics headers, exhaust, cold air intake, pcm IÂ’m around 200hp! There is just something about getting behind the wheel of this car.

• 

  No comparison - 2005 Ford Excursion
  By BlackWidowDiesel - October 11 - 11:51 am

  Believe it or not we traded in our 2004 BMW 745i for this beast, I also have a 2003 F350 Crewcab LB 4X4 Powerstroke and love it even though it has a rough ride, my wife wanted something more practical that we can use to tow our tow hauler. I did add most of the amenties the BMW had and then some, like DVD surround sound, Bluetooth hands free set up, Ipod adapter and Pioneer nav system. This thing rides plush and has tons of power. I had a Suburban for years and it was too soft for towing. Not to mention horrible torsion bar front suspension that had constant alignment problems and bad brakes. Sub also had fuelpump problems. This monster does it all in luxury and comfort with decent MPG-Diesel