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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  Love my Stang - 2014 Ford Mustang
  By Wayne Dick - September 29 - 5:15 am

  Wanted a "newer" mustang for quite a while. Found the perfect car for me. Right color, deep impact blue, convertible a lot of bells and whistles. Price was very good for a low mileage, spotless car.

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  Love my Stang - 2014 Ford Mustang
  By Wayne Dick - September 29 - 5:11 am

  Wanted a "newer" mustang for quite a while. Found the perfect car for me. Right color, deep impact blue, convertible a lot of bells and whistles. Price was very good for a low mileage, spotless car.

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  Pleasently surprised - 2010 Ford Taurus
  By watashi - September 28 - 3:31 pm

  I ordered my Taurus Sel last June and received delivery on September 22. the SEL is very well equipped as is. The only thing I added was leather interior. I am very impressed with the handling qualities and the suspension.The ride almost has a sport feel. It is firm yet not harsh. The engine does an excellent job pulling it along with little effort despite the 4,000 pound weight. The 6 speed transmission is very smooth shifting through the gears. You wouldnt know it was shifting if you werent watching the tach. With the cruise control set, the transmission will down shift on steep descents in order to maintain the set speed. I also like the manual overide feature.

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  So close, but with annoying flaws - 2009 Ford Taurus
  By Ted in NH - September 28 - 12:40 pm

  Driving position is one of worst I have had, pedals too close, steering wheel too far, lack of seat side support, low beams are terrible, bad torque steer, subject to wind gusts, noisy engine under acceleration, whiny transmission shifts that passengers ask about, radio display disappears unless you have the dash display up full, cant rest arms on rests and reach steering wheel but cant reach the 10 and 2 wheel positions because wheel is so far away, you end up leaning forward to reach the top of the wheel to turn, pushing the wiper sqirter can turn on signal lights or brights, most anoying is the intrusion of the front wheel wells into the foot wells - uncomfortable

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  CHEWING UP MY TIRES. - 2008 Ford Focus
  By Hawkeye597 - September 28 - 12:17 pm

  I love this car, but it is chewing up the tires. At 30,000 miles I put on a new set of tires. Now 12,000 miles later it appears I need to replace more tires. I have them rotated at every oil change. But I can now see obvious wear and it appears that the car is out of alignment, since it has a wicked shake at around 65 mph. Car is great but it is eating up the tires.

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  Soccer Dad - 2005 Ford Freestyle
  By Joe Donoghue - September 28 - 11:33 am

  Ive driven the Ford Freestyle AWD SE model for 6 months now. I originally was looking for a small truck with a rear seat. I looked at the Ranger and with two young daughters that are still growing, I had an epiphany. I could only think of a few occasions that the truck would really be practical. Having come from driving a Jeep Cherokee and Toyota Tacoma4WD and Saab sedans I knew what all the different types of vehicles had to offer, first hand. Other than giving up the gas mileage of my Saab, Ive come to appreciate the roominess of the Freestyle even when, just last weekend I had me, my wife and two daughters, and three girlfriends, all were seated comfortably. Im happy with it.

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  Travel in Comfort for a Change - 2007 Ford Five Hundred
  By Galaxie 500 - September 28 - 2:10 am

  I travel in work all the time. The mark of a great car is not the racy numbers but how well do you feel after a lengthy trip? How comfortable were you along the way? Is there enough room to "take it with you?" How is the interior laid out? I can tell you that taking a trip in a Five Hundred sedan will be an experience unmatched by anything else in its price class.

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  Love It! - 2006 Ford Freestyle
  By carnaby - September 28 - 1:55 am

  Had our 2006 Freestyle 2wd for a year now. Bought used in 2008. Very reliable after driving it from 24k miles to 46k miles. Takes the family everywhere in comfort without being so bulky as a minivan. Second row seats 6+ adults very comfortably. Third row offers plenty of leg room, and seats 58" adults comfortably. Decent in snow, in spite of being 2wd. Nimble enough off road. Rugged compared to crossover SUVs. Excellent vehicle, would recommend.

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  First Impression - 2006 Ford Fusion
  By TCB - September 28 - 12:46 am

  Recently purchased the 06 Ford Fusion SEL V6 6-speed and im impressed with the interior and the exterior is so-so. I plan to add ground effects and replace the grille to an aftermarket "net-looking" grille. Has power and handling is great. Bought it with 46k miles and hope to get another 46k without a major repair. Not as responsive as I would like. I went to pass a truck on the interstate and it took 3 seconds or more for the car to downshift and pickup, but when it did it passed the truck without any problems. Ive heard great things about the reliability of the fusions and that is what my rating is based on. After 25k+ miles I will update the post with hopefully good things.

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  7 years w/few issues - 2002 Ford Explorer
  By Tolland Mc Murray - September 27 - 10:28 pm

  On the hole, this has been a decent family truckster for seven plus years. Major issues have been the leaking rear differntial and an alternator that quit on the freeway during rush hour. Transmission now starting to slip a bit at 87000 miles. Has been great in the snow and on other lnog-distance trips, good combination of passenger room and stuff hauling ability. I have been very pleased with my Explorer, look forward to having it for many more years.