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:

• 

  Tarusse - 2004 Ford Taurus
  By Gal.220 - July 21 - 2:00 am

  I enjoy driving this car. Have driven Ford autos forover 40 years.From the same dealership. I can reccomend a Tarus to anyone who wants room for several,convienence(elec. seats,windows all controls visable at night etc)Very good car but my 1995 was a little better on fuel.Excellent dealership.

• 

  Love it - 2006 Ford Escape
  By Melissa - July 20 - 7:38 pm

  The Ford Escape is a small suv with lots of room. You can carry tons of stuff and feel like you have an SUV while at the same time feeling like you are driving a car. The car is cute, young and fun and it looks nice! I am amazed at the gas mileage. I live in Coral springs and was able to go to Orlando and back on one tank of gas - like 290 miles on the highway! Love this car. It is actually my company car. I drive a lot for work and spend over five hours per day in this car. I always feel comfortable and the inside is spacious.

• 

  Ford Focus wagon - 2006 Ford Focus
  By percy abols - July 20 - 12:32 pm

  Went to look at the new Fusion and ended getting the Focus - on impulse. What attracted us was the exterior design and the comfortable interior. Following a brief test drive, we found the car peppy and fun to drive. One can quickly exceed the speed limit without noticing it. The car is my wifes city run about. The only problem we had was with the AC. Turns out that one cable was improperly connected at the factory - hence the problem. It has been corrected and all is well. Should have gotten cruise - perhaps we will get it installed at a later date though the expense gives one pause for thought.

• 

  Great, Better than Suburban/Yukon/Denali - 2003 Ford Expedition
  By Bob Franco - July 20 - 10:00 am

  Very fun to drive, I like it alot better than my 1998 Expedition that I traded in.

• 

  Cant beat it for the price - 2000 Ford Mustang
  By albert - July 20 - 10:00 am

  This is the best deal you can get for the price. I am sure that a Carrera or a is more ergonomic and makes better turns, but come on !!! I paid just $16K for mine !!! You would have to spend easily over 60K to get an european or japanese car with a similar performance. Of course they are better and have many other features, but they cost 50 THOUSAND MORE. Plus you can still beat them at the light, and they will never sound like the Mustang. A friend of mine spent almost 50k on his 4.2l Audi. It is a much better car, lots of nice features, but there is also quite a difference from 16K to 50K. (plus, I beat him BY FAR at the traffic light ;-)

• 

  380 hp and 450 ft-lbs of torque! - 2001 Ford F-150
  By SVT380450 - July 20 - 10:00 am

  awesome performance--and Im still blown away that this is a pickup truck. I have what I finally need in a performance vehicle: power, high handling levels, great brakes, tastful but stylist exterior and interior design, exclusivity, and I can still haul items that I bought at Home Depot.

• 

  Wow! - 2007 Ford Mustang
  By redhead - July 20 - 12:00 am

  What a great raw muscle car. Fast throaty acceleration. Easy to use controls. Drawbacks are the lumbar (or lack of) support and the slight interior noise from the mini window on the drivers side.

• 

  XLT is for Me - 2001 Ford Explorer
  By FordFan - July 19 - 4:16 pm

  Bought my Explorer brand new in 2001. At exactly the 5 year marker (to the day) I pushed it past 100,000 miles. Love it, Love it, Love it! Ford rebuilt the transmission after 6 months ownership and no issues thereafter. Extremely reliable and great for long drives. V6 saves lots of money over the V8 and has just as much bhp.

• 

  GT500 07 - 2007 Ford Shelby GT500
  By Hans - July 19 - 8:06 am

  I have owned this Shelby since Nov 06. I just love to drive it and hear the whine of the supercharger. I have a cold air kit and tune installed and it really woke up the performance of this car. Ive also had it on track in Sebring Florida drivers school. It was a blast to drive.I get 16 MPG in town and 21 HWY at eighty. Had some clutch issues that Ford fixed. So far this is the most fun car I have ever owned. There are plenty of aftermarket parts to dress up your pony car the way you like it. And if you want more power, add a different supercharger.

• 

  From Explorer to 500 in under 2.8 second - 2006 Ford Five Hundred
  By fivehundredpa - July 19 - 2:00 am

  Overall, I am very impressed with the car. Ive only had it for over a month but so far it feels solid. After spending an entire year searching for a car to trade into from and SUV, this one had the best consumer reviews. Youd be amazed how many cars have horrible transmission problems. Got a 4 year bumper to bumper to help with Fords here and there reliability. The car feels nice on the road, handles snow decently. The stock tires I would throw into the sun if I could. Punch it and shell take off or just baby it and shell tug along. As for some folks complaint about power, its adequate and if you want pure performance then should have looked at a car with those specs.