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:

• 

  i love it!!!!!!!!!!!! - 1998 Ford Explorer
  By C. Marks - December 20 - 2:00 am

  bought it used with 84000 mi on it, drove it to NC and back with no problems at all!!! all my friends love it. love the "on the fly" 4wd. the only thing i wish was for better gas milage...thats about it. great SUV.

• 

  superior - 2003 Ford Excursion
  By marie sanchez - December 20 - 2:00 am

  i love my 2003 excursion. the only negative comment i can think of is its bad in gas. other then that the ride is nice the appearnace is there.

• 

  moody lone ranger - 1999 Ford Ranger
  By CPMOFLO - December 20 - 2:00 am

  My 1999 Ranger has been a reliable work horse. It has never let me down, unlike the 3 different Ford dealers that have worked on it. It took them 3 years to fix a problem with the CPU that was causing power loss and terrible pinging in the motor while accelerating. Other than that aggravating problem I would recommend this truck to anyone who has a job to do and needs a truck that can do it.

• 

  brians 1999 Ranger XLT - 1999 Ford Ranger
  By bri719 - December 20 - 2:00 am

  Good engine(2.5L) for gas usage and reliable with 5-speed. Console handy. Like interior and exterior. Tires nothing special, but able to get 60k out of them. ABS a + but got serviced one time (warranty). Suspension, front shocks not holding up for more than 40k. Manual trans. could be better shifting a little stiffer and the clutchs ability to grab lags a bit. Front seats a pain to adj. back into pos. Driver seat springs worn and needs to be replaced after 70k miles, fabric held up well. New models better front susp. Truck a solid overall value. I had a few ext. warranty repairs, small stuff. I suggest the later models esp., 4L engine and 4-door a +

• 

  Mustang GT Impressions - 2001 Ford Mustang
  By MachZ2871 - December 20 - 2:00 am

  I leased the GT, the ending up with it over a Chevy Z-28 in a decision of economics (The Z-28 was $5K more). Having traded in a 1997 V-6. I had some expectations. I expected the 4.6 litre V8 to perform better than the Chevy V6, but I really had to rev it up because the low-end torque wasnt there, which in turn exposed the laziness of the 4-speed automatic when commanded to downshift (even manually!). Overall, the GT was a good American muscle car, but lacked some of the really hard-core attributes, road-handling felt soft and and sometimes not sure-footed when pressed hard. Casual drivers would get a kick out of it.

• 

  Wish I bought 4x4 - 2004 Ford F-150
  By japple - December 19 - 3:56 pm

  Not too many complaints about the vehicle. Very quiet ride and smooth at that. Have a water leak in the cabin which has been quite a hassle. Cant seem to get it taken care of. Overall good looks, okay performance.

• 

  CALIF 2003 Ford Ranger Base XL 5 spd - 2003 Ford Ranger
  By sfnative1955 - December 19 - 10:00 am

  Vehicle has been a decent set of wheels. Pros - feels solid, full instrumentation (would like numbers on the gauges though), $9800 price after rebates T&L and 30 mpg (60-65 mph). Cons - vinyl seats that are not contoured, middle seat belt cant be hidden when not used, slow acceleration requiring freq downshifts, antenna gets in the way of the wiper when cleaning the windshield and the bed height (depth) is too shallow. Overall, you get a decent truck for light duty use which I had intended. Does have enough power to haul more than a half ton slowly (close to one ton).

• 

  Well all get old someday . . . - 1998 Ford Explorer
  By Fred M - December 19 - 10:00 am

  Well, I still love the dumb thing, and its all been fun and for the most reliable. I had a power steering hose problem when I got it, and after a few visits, the repair dealer in Torrington Connecticut finally remembered to order the damn part After that, ran great.But like Little Big Man, she kept losing parts. Rear door stopped unlocking drivers side. Reach in and around. No problemo. Then the climate control system crashed, and for $1000, ill keep manually controlling the temp. Then the front door lock started acting up around 100,000 miles so getting in and out is strictly dukes of hazard. Getting a new car, keeping this to trash.

• 

  Focus Fun to Drive - 2006 Ford Focus
  By Don Arthur - December 19 - 8:13 am

  So far have a bit over 1,000 on the odometer, but so far its been just great. Mine has the 4-speed automatic and the acceleration is fantastic for a 2 liter 4 cylinder with only 136hp. Took one trip and got 31 mpg driving at Interstate speeds of 60-75 mph most of the way. Realize EPA ratings are most unrealistic anyway. Rides good and handles like a dream. Just the right size for my needs. Only complaint: PDLs are NOISY. They "clunk" when activated. Mine does not have tilt wheel, and wish I had that option because wheel is not in ideal position for me on long drives.

• 

  Discouraged - 1998 Ford F-150
  By Why me - December 18 - 2:00 am

  Tires went at 35000, new brakes about the same time. U-joints replaced at 40000, and 10000 later the rear-end needed new gears and spline replacement. The backend feels like it is going to drop out during normal acceleration at stop lights. The rear window doesnt seal well and dust is a problem along with water. Not giving up the ghost yet...Thank God for the extended warranty.