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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  ranger - 1997 Ford Ranger
  By KFRASER - July 11 - 2:00 am

  I love this truck.

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  Great Vehicle for large families - 2002 Ford Excursion
  By SUVman1 - July 11 - 2:00 am

  This truck has never let me down. 7 trips to FLA from NJ... and still runing great.

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  Excersion Review - 2004 Ford Excursion
  By Jim Barron - July 11 - 2:00 am

  This is a very nice car. I hope they can improve it, though I do not think that it needs many improvments.

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  just o.k. - 2003 Ford Expedition
  By quiglebee - July 11 - 2:00 am

  This is my 4th suv. It drives like a box on wheels. The brake dust is really bad on the front wheels. You really have to punch it to get going from a dead stop and the gas mileage is poor especially when using the A/C. I have had it in the shop once already for the air conditioner.

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  Good reliable car - 1997 Ford Contour
  By yanks27 - July 11 - 2:00 am

  The Ford Contour is a good driving car for driving to work and back. It wont turn any heads, but you will get to where you want to go, and when it comes down to it, that is all a car is suppose to do.

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  Front Wheel Drive blows. - 2016 Ford Fiesta
  By Gavin - July 10 - 6:26 am

  Considering this is a FWD car it handles great and is a drivers FWD car. Unfortunately though, its still FWD. The car torque steers all over the road if there is any kind of rut or standing water. The 17 inch rims are too big for the car and it gives the car poor ride quality, handling and makes road noise unbearable. The acceleration is pleasantly surprising. There is very little turbo lag which is nice for me personally because I have driven N/A V8 mustangs and pickups my whole life. The handling will surprise you and the car responds well to throttle burping/modulation while in the center of the corner as long as you dont enter too fast. Sometimes the back end will try to step out if you dive too hard after a Scandinavian flick, in my experience I have found this a somewhat typical trait of FWD cars. The rear wheels have no purpose and are therefore just along for the ride. One feature that often goes overlooked is the hill assist. For an experienced manual transmission driver this is the bees knees. I drove this car somewhere between 10,000 and 20,000 miles (sorry Im not doing that math lol) for Lyft in San Francisco and never once smelt burning clutch. Generally I never even rolled back and it blew American customers minds (they mustve owned a prius). European tourists never gave it a second thought that I was driving a manual and some who had ridden with other drivers around the bay were relieved to see an American driving stick. The manual transmission is the selling point in this car, it is crisp and over built for the equipped 1.6L engine as it is the same 6spd found in the Focus ST which has over 50 more horsepower. The main reason I chose this car over other "Hot Hatch" vehicles is that there is no automatic transmission option so I knew going to the dealership I wouldnt have to search for a car with a stick. Storage space is an issue; however, I never had to turn an airport customer away for luggage although I did have some suitcase induced blind spots from time to time. Visibility in this car is great and I love how there is no backup camera. One of the best things about this car is that you can tell it was designed by a driver, not by a guy in a suit. The little corner mirrors within the side mirrors can easily be adjusted to eliminate blindspots. The sync 3 system is too much for me so I have nothing but great things to say about it. I didnt want or need sync 3, but I got it and I use it. The exterior design is very appealing and the kona blue color is stunning. Overall the car is impressive for what it is. If you drive it right you can hit a high 14 second quarter mile then drive home at 40mpg. I will say this though, you have to drive very conservatively to achieve 40mpg. Ive done it with 3 tanks, the highest of those 3 being approximately 42mpg(92 octane ethanol free, 40.2mpg was my best on crumby California 91 octane). If you arent that patient its pretty easy to get over 35mpg despite the window sticker claiming only 33mpg highway and that is why manual transmissions are the best. I took the car to autocross one time and that was enough for me because Im used to autocrossing my Foxbody mustang, the FWD is just lame and uninspiring. There is no way around it, FWD sucks. Id also like to notate that I always turn off the traction and stability control for two reasons; 1: better driving feel, 2: better fuel economy(less friction, better economy). Driving position is great for visibility but my right knee gets banged up during hard cornering.

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  Useful truck - 1999 Ford Ranger
  By Lkcalwood - July 10 - 2:00 am

  I have used this truck both in town, in the woods and on long highway trips. My only complaint is the under powered engine. Even with a 5 speed, it lacks power at highway speeds over 70 which is why I am buying a new one with the bigger 4.0 engine. I recommend it to anyone not needing the added hauling capacity of a full size truck. It never stranded me and has had very little problems. Aside from oil changes and tires, I probably have spent less than $200 in total on repairs.

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  great car - 2002 Ford Taurus
  By holly695822 - July 10 - 2:00 am

  My 2002 Taurus is a great fun, reliable car to drive. It is very comfortable and dependable. No problems so far.

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  I love it - 2002 Ford Taurus
  By boochy - July 10 - 2:00 am

  The Taurus is a fun, reliable car to drive. It has get up and go when needed and is very comfortable.

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  Damn Asphalt - 1997 Ford Escort
  By zipzow319 - July 10 - 2:00 am

  My 97 Escort was a fun little car w/just enough character to make me look like I was having fun. The highway miles were impecable, and the city miles werent bad either. I made an average of two trips to Mn. from K.C. a year, and the car got me there and back w/no problems. Last time in Mn. I hit a piece of construction asphalt on the highway and totaled the car. All in all though, the car did me well and I had to shed a tear when the insurance company took it away from me.