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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  Nice, but.... - 2005 Ford Mustang
  By John - June 8 - 5:50 pm

  I took delivery of this ordered Mustang in February 2005. I did test drive it and love the ride, but I must say now that I have had it awhile and have put 3,000 miles on it Ford could do better. The interior plastics feel cheap and I have had a few problems already. First the window on this car edges up a 1/4 inch or so when you shut the door; mine stopped working and leaked. The speaker cover fell off on my drivers door. Why did Ford not put vanity lights in the mirrors? The gas milage even driving easy stinks. Im averaging 14 mpg.

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  good little car - 1990 Ford Escort
  By Rogerman - June 8 - 2:00 am

  I have had this car for almost a year now and its never had any problems altough sometimes it shifts into 2nd kind of hard.

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  good value for the money - 2006 Ford Focus
  By lbjailer - June 7 - 11:40 am

  For the price this car is a good choice. This car is established since this model has been around a while. The ST can keep up with the flow of traffic on the fast and furious freeways of southern California, and when you are the only one on the road it will cruise all day long.

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  Still fun after all these years - 1996 Ford Mustang
  By Big Red One - June 6 - 2:00 am

  Bought new, gets comments eight years later. Red paint glistens. Blew the intake manifold at 55 k, Ford covered repair even though out of warranty! Differential leak at about 90,000. Ended up paying for a new rear end. My fault...fixing the leak would have been much less costly. Clutch went at 110,000, but got the repair for $600 by avoiding the dealer. Ran too hot for a summer. Replaced radiator at 120k which fixed the problem ($400). Now runs cool even in 100 degree heat with the a/c blasting. Tires good for no more than 45 k. Im now running my third set. At about $900 per, thats not cheap. But man, those meats look good.

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  Great Truck - 2007 Ford F-150
  By TOYO - June 5 - 9:50 pm

  Great truck, fun to drive, and very reliable. Overall F-150 is the reason Ford is the #1 truck seller in the nation.

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  Realistic Review - 2001 Ford Explorer Sport
  By Aniketos - June 5 - 10:00 am

  The drive is really good and very comfortable, tons of space in the back especially with the seats down. Winter is a joke for for it. Interior is nothing special. exterior looks like a regular suv. Gas on it is so so. Power on it is just beast,

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  2003 GT Conv. - 2003 Ford Mustang
  By DeRosaBob - June 5 - 2:00 am

  Other than expected chassis flex this has been a zero defect car.Standard radio/6 CD changer is very good even at freeway speeds with the top down. Top fits much better than my 1986 GT Conv. There is very little tire road inside the cabin -- even less than a friends 2004 Accord. Surprisingly quiet ride with top up. Fuel economy (18.4 mpg) is nothing to brag about but then my foot can be very heavy at times. At least it uses 89 octane. It is not as fast as my WRX but then "chicks dig it." If this is an example of current Ford quality then I can recommend it wholeheartedly!

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  wonderful car - 2000 Ford Mustang
  By jonathan h - June 4 - 2:00 am

  this has been a great car thus far. no problems. it is a blast to be able to drop the hammer at crusing speed when some slow putz in front of you cant seem to get out of 2nd gear on the hiway. and they know you are unimpressed with their driving when they hear the uproarious thunder of the 4.6L v-8 as you stretch the 260 horses for all theyre worth. or course, with the current gas prices, and my predilection for lead-footedness, it has been an expensive love affair. i average, with my driving an hour the work on mostly hiways, 17mpg. i have squeezed 27 mpg, but i dont like squeezing.

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  94 Probe GT 5-speed - 1994 Ford Probe
  By Mark5 - June 4 - 2:00 am

  First off, FYI, Probes share the same chassis and driveline as a Mazda MX-6, but Probes resale values are much less. The V6 is so smooth, way more refined than any other V6 Ive driven. The gearbox is good and reliable. I have about 148,000 miles on the original clutch. This car handles great also. On 93-95 models the ignitor and coil seem to fail quite often. I installed an MSD system and its been reliable ever since. I have power everthing on mine and everything still works fine. The exterior has the bad Ford red paint which fades badly. If they still made the Probe, I would buy another.

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  Expedition Transmission - 2000 Ford Expedition
  By Bruce Thomas - June 4 - 2:00 am

  2 transmissions in 36000 miles. thank god for extended warranties. Otherwise the truck is great.