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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  Good, reliable truck - 2002 Ford Ranger
  By 2002 Ranger Owner - August 13 - 10:32 pm

  I purchased my Ford Ranger SuperCab (4- cylinder with a manual transmission) new in 2002. It has been 100% reliable with no problems ever. I am extremely pleased with its reliability, quality of Ford workmanship, and most of all the gas mileage performance. Before I purchased my Ranger, I test drove the Chevy S-10, Nissan Frontier, and Toyota Tacoma. I decided on the Ford Ranger because of its price and the cab size seemed to me to be larger than the other trucks. It is a great truck, fun to drive, and it has been 100% reliable. Preventative maintenance is easy.

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  Who says you cant go back? - 2006 Ford Mustang
  By Mike - August 13 - 3:44 pm

  Purchased the car privately about 6 weeks ago, and have had a blast with it since! A few road trips, taken my 2 boys and their friends for rides, just a real fun experience. Ive had about a dozen cars (and even a few trucks) revving engines and wanting to race. Also had lots of comments on the "nice ride", one fellow with a PT cruiser convertable even made an offer to buy it at a stop light! I had a 77 Cobra back when, and I have to admit you really can go back with this car. If you want to have fun, you cant really go wrong with this ride.

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  Great Family Car - 2007 Ford Freestyle
  By 5XY2XX - August 13 - 2:33 pm

  We have five children under the age of 9. This car is fantastic. It has more usable space than our Expedition, it drives like a luxury sedan and gets better mileage than a minivan. Why Ford does not promote this car more is beyond me.

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  I love my Explorer! - 2004 Ford Explorer
  By Christina - August 13 - 1:54 pm

  For an SUV the mileage is pretty good. Had a recall issue about six months in, but they fixed it without a problem and have had no problems since. I put a lot of miles on my car and it has held up well with nothing but general maintenance. I would recommend an Explorer to anyone.

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  Great car - 1991 Ford Probe
  By jones - August 13 - 8:36 am

  When I bought this car, it had 111,000 mi. on it. Eight years later its still going with over 205,000 mi. and no major repairs other than a timing belt and water pump. I would buy it again in a second.

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  Escape Delivers - 2016 Ford Escape
  By Bill Wolverton - August 13 - 2:05 am

  This is my second Escape and again, I was not disappointed. The car looks good, handles great and is a nice value. The size is perfect for me. It holds what I need in the cargo area (golf clubs, shoes, etc.) and is easy to maneuver. I got the 2.0L engine and it accelerates quite nicely. All in all, am delighted.

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  Love it, Drive it, Beat it, Race it. - 2005 Ford Mustang
  By 300HPGT - August 13 - 1:28 am

  I have now owned my 2005 Mustang GT Coupe for 2 1/2 years and have put 91,000 miles on it. I bought it brand new and I love this car. I drive it extremely hard and the only things that have had to be replaced on the car were because of my driving habbits. I race the car on weekends and power shift daily. I am on my second transmission and 4th clutch because I am so hard on it. 1st trans warranty replaced. The alternators stink on this car. Had one replaced under warranty. Need another. It causes a cam shaft sensor problem but oh well I still love the car. Overall I give it a 10 and love driving the car 100 miles every day for work and for pleasure on the weekends. Its built Ford tough!

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  Nice! - 2006 Ford Mustang
  By John - August 12 - 7:26 pm

  I really liked this car. Great handling, good HP, good torque, comfortable, sounds great and its pretty good on gas. No real complaints here.

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  Best car ever - 2015 Ford Fusion
  By Ethan - August 12 - 1:17 pm

  Before buying a fusion, I went and test drove everything the midsize sedan market had to offer. The fusion is BY FAR the best car in the class. I did some comparing between the three motor options. The 2.5l isnt enough, the 1.5l is about right, and the 2.0l is tons of fun to drive. I shopped around and found a 1 year old rental vehicle with the 2.0 in it. By far the best thing Ive ever driven. I would even venture to say it feels sportier than a mustang. The car is fairly roomy. The roof is a little on the short side. Im 60 with most of my height in my torso. If I was an inch or two taller, I might have issues fitting in under the roof. The trunk has tons of room in it. The only thing I can complain about is it takes the fan a while to kick on after starting a car, which is annoying when its hot, but its not too big of an issue. Bottom line: this is the best car in the midsize sedan class, as long as you get it with the 2.0l ecoboost.

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  What a Car! - 2006 Ford Fusion
  By Mike - August 12 - 8:10 am

  I bought this car last year when I changed jobs. I needed a dependable car because my job requires a lot of windshield time. I have had the car for 1 year now and I have put on 25000 miles on it and this car is fantastic. No squeaks, no rattles. The ride is as tight as the day I bought it. All I have needed to do is the scheduled maint. The ride is fantastic and the handling is tight and respponsive. I reccomend this car to anyone who does a lot of driving. I average 27mpg which definitely helps with keeping the costs down. I would buy this car again and probably will.