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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  NO MORE ST - 2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By NO MORE SPORT TRAC - April 26 - 10:00 am

  BRAKES AND ROTORS HAS TO BE CHANGED LIKE OIL. NO GAS MILEAGE. STEERING NEEDES IMPROVEMENT, ALSO, HANDLING. BLACK PAINT CRACKING AT 1 YR. OLD, MANUFACTURER WILL NO NOTIFY CONSUMERS OF THIS DEFFECT. A FRIEND OF THE FAMILY TOLD US THAT WORKS AT THE BODY SHOP. SO, IF YOUR TRUCK IS BLACK, HAVE IT PAINTED BEFORE END OF WARRANTY

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  Freestyle Fiasco - 2005 Ford Freestyle
  By Nancy Triner - April 24 - 1:06 am

  Dumb me! Didnt take a 24 hour test drive. New engineers needed at Ford. Horrible road noise, very loud turn signals and windshield wipers, blind spots, vibration in pedals when braking, rear seats rattle, very sensitive steering. What a mistake!

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  Never ending money pit - 2000 Ford Windstar
  By wbazinau - April 23 - 12:10 pm

  Bought this van in 2005 with 100,000. Miles. I had it checked at local Ford dealer before purchase and they said it was perfect? since, then new transmission, brakes, lots of rust, shocks, struts, check engine light wont stay off, interior lights go on when they want and wipers only work when they want.

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  2002 Ford Sport Track 4WD - Disastrous - 2002 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By mworthi - April 23 - 12:53 am

  We purchased a used Sport Trac from CarMax with approx 48,000 miles. Got a great price on the vehicle. Vehicle in great condition at time of purchase. Within 2 years, had to replace the engine in the truck. (Replaced with a case engine, not new.) Today, (08/06/08) the transmission is smoking and appears to be shot. The vehicle is squirrely to drive. Would not recommend this vehicle to anyone. CarMax was great, but Ford was not in the situation. I have an F-150 with almost 200,000 miles, and would not trade it for anything, but Ford really missed it with the Sport Trac! Buyer beware!

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  Worst Car Ever - 2001 Ford Focus
  By Focus SE - April 23 - 12:30 am

  I bought my 2001 Focus in 2002, and have had nothing but problems. I had to have three fuel pumps replaced, which Ford covered the first two for free, and then charged me for the third. The letter I received regarding the recall states they had not yet found a fuel pump that fits in this model, and 7 years later...they still havent. I had to replace three windows due to faulty parts. The final straw was my timing belt and water pump went, which caused the engine to seize up. My Focus is dead at 147,000 miles and the best part is I had just taken it into the Ford dealership two weeks ago, due to it starting rough and stalling, and they couldnt find anything wrong with it!

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  Never Again - 2006 Ford Focus
  By Theresa Bradburn - April 19 - 10:23 am

  I will never buy another one of these. We got it because my husband needed something reliable to drive to a not so good neighborhood for work. Over the last two years the brakes have just fell apart. The door handles stick like no tomorrow, and the fuel mileage is awful. It was also at ford for three days with some started problem that we never did figure out for sure. Just that after six changed parts it quit doing it. So like I said never again.

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  money trap - 1995 Ford Taurus
  By deryk - April 19 - 7:21 am

  I bought this car a year ago it had 120,000 miles on it since I got it Ive had to replace all the struts all the brakes, rear main seal, radiator thermostat, water pump, a/c hose assym, power steering pump, and brake pedal switch. And the trans is starting to slip obscenely. Ive put more into the car then I paid for it which was 700 dollars. I got it from an old lady who was the original owner and had it maintained by dealership. All in all this car sucks and I wish I had the money to get a truck.

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  New in 2009 - 2008 Ford Taurus X
  By ww6stl - April 19 - 12:32 am

  My wife & I got this new in 2009 as we have 4 kids to transport, at the time from 16 down to 6 and sports from soccer to cheerleading. As of August 2012 it has 125000 miles. If I were on a budget, this is not a car to rack up miles. The radio has never worked properly and was replaced by dealer 2 times; the transmission was replaced at our cost for $3.8K 2 months ago (I have since learned the tranny is an issue on these vehicles); the power steering is on its way out and if I do everything myself it will be another $500 and if I dont $1000. I am on 3rd set of tires (average quality from Sams) on 3rd set of brakes. Mileage on highway between 22.2 and 24.1 even now.

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  Dont Buy unless you have lots of money! - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By Honda 4 Me - April 14 - 12:48 pm

  Well when buying this hellish nightmare called a freestar I thought I was going to be getting a good vehicle. Was I so wrong! About 30,000 km in I started to get a wheel noise brought back to dealer 3xs they couldnt hear it. I asked the mechanic and he said they know what it was but couldnt replace both. I was a bit peeve and now out of warranty I am more peeved! I have 85,000 km and now paint is peeling so I called to Ford today and asked what they are going to do about it and there response is it is your problem. It is a well know fact the primer on these Ford vans is no good! Also went to trade it in and only worth get ready for it $4,000 wow after shelling out $17,000 2 years ago!

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  Why I will never buy from Ford again. - 2000 Ford Windstar
  By supremecourt101 - April 13 - 9:21 pm

  Overall, this is a terrible car. The brakes are bad and the car is so heavy that it takes a long time to stop. The interior is uncomfortable and looks cheap, and everything breaks. I have had to spend over 15,000 dollars on repairs.