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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  Turns Heads - 1993 Ford Mustang
  By Jim - March 24 - 5:37 pm

  One of the best looking convertibles around. The 5.0 engine performs great and has a very satisfying growl. Ive been asked if I want to sell it several times. The ride is concrete and the interior is noisy even with the top up, but thats not why you would buy this car. A ride on the highway with the top down will convince you.

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  Car Persons Review. - 2005 Ford Ranger
  By Michael - March 24 - 12:39 pm

  The ranger is a nice truck for certain people. I like the truck but really did not fall in love with it like I thought. I should have stuck with a car or looked around more. The truck has a lot of interior room and a lot of power, great sound system, great high seating compared to other trucks I seen on the road. If you want to stick out though I would not get this.

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  My Ford Taurus - 2001 Ford Taurus
  By murray - March 24 - 1:46 am

  Gas mileage is not good. Car behaves well, has really not been a problem except that "Service Engine" light comes on because gas gauge goes wacky. This is probably due to having used poor gas sometimes. Seems to be sensitive to this. No noticeable knocks or pings, however.

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  Good looking,reliable, gets the job done - 1998 Ford Escort
  By Drive it to the bone - March 23 - 9:12 pm

  I got this car after high school graduation and had it throughout college. My dad used it to drive pretty far to work everyday while I was away, and this whole time nothing bad has gone wrong. Besides the usual wear and tear, the worst thing that happened was the horror that was installing my CD deck over the old trim. I would change some small things, but overall, its a fun, reliable and good looking vehicle considering some factors.

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  WHAT A DEAL - 2002 Ford Taurus
  By Les - March 23 - 3:13 pm

  I bought my Taurus used, 1.5 years old, with warranty, for less than half the price of a new one. The biggest surprise was decent handling, even better than my 00 Acura TL (before I changed springs). Lots of room inside, good fuel economy with smaller engine. Something of rarity these days, no ABS, I love it, especially on snow. For some reason there are no aftermarket parts, like lower springs, better shocks, but stock is not so bad. No ridiculous gap between fenders and wheels. My recommendation - get a used one from rental fleet, youll save tons of money. With 65,000 miles on it, all Ive changed was brake pads (twice), tires (3 sets), and ball joints. The car is driven hard and fast, almost problem free.

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  OK Car for the Money - 1999 Ford Taurus
  By emf - March 23 - 12:30 pm

  It is an okay car for the money we spent. We have had some repairs at 72,000. The biggest thing, and something we would have liked to know before we purchased the car, is that the Taurus has problems with the heater core and the heater going out. Were working on the second time of backflushing the heater core in order to avoid having to replace it. It is very expensive (and cold)! It is a comfortable, powerful, and roomy car - good for road trips, camping, and trips to the hardware store. A very nice back seat - for people and our large dog. I would recommend buying one, just know that there are some flaws associated with the Taurus Wagon.

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  Goodbye Honda! - 2004 Ford Crown Victoria
  By T. Everhamn - March 23 - 9:56 am

  Traded a Honda Accord which had problem after problem for the Crown Victoria after having rented one on a business trip. I will say I did hear a few comments from the family after doing so. But I now have a reliable and very safe car. Truly the most overlooked vehicle on the road.

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  Soid and Reliable - 1999 Ford Taurus
  By Ken - March 23 - 9:22 am

  This car has served us well for almost 6 years. It feels solid and substantial, and the price was right when we bought it new. I would definitely do it all over again!

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  A great bargin with lots of character. - 2001 Ford Crown Victoria
  By fieldtd - March 23 - 5:19 am

  This review is for the Police Interceptor model of the Crown Vic. I bought mine at a bargain price with low mileage, but some work needed, almost immediately after it was decommissioned from a metro police department. More than a year and several repairs later, I can say that this car was still a great deal: its fairly reliable, comfortable, gets decent gas millage for a 2-ton car: about 19 city 25 highway if driven with a light foot (driving like Mad Max nets something closer to 15/20) and is very fun to drive. It also has a lot of character: there really arent many other contemporary cars like it on the road. If Ford still made them, the first car Id buy new would be another Crown Vic.

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  Nice So Far - 2003 Ford Windstar
  By Mom Of 3 - March 22 - 5:26 pm

  We recently purchased this minivan in the place of a Ford Taurus because we have 3 children, 2 in booster seats and one in an infant carrier. We looked at just about every minivan there is and after 3 months of looking went with the 2003 Windstar. I believe you get the most for what you pay for with this van. The others seemed way over priced for the same features as the Windstar. It drives smooth and I dont think the emgine is loud at all. We really enjoy all of the room for passengers, but we dont have much room in the back after loading up the baby gear. I have to put my groceries between the front seats and second row seats. We still havent figured out how to remove the third row seats.