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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  I love my Festiva - 1992 Ford Festiva
  By tpmillerusa - September 4 - 2:00 am

  180K miles and still going strong. WOuld be happier with the 5-speed, but I still cant kick about the MPG!

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  SATISFIED - 1996 Ford Windstar
  By SATISFIED - September 4 - 2:00 am

  THE VAN HAS 107,000 MILES ON. DROVE IT TO CALIFORNIA TWICE AND TWICE TO ORLANDO NO PROBLEM. NEVER BEEN TO A DEALER FOR MAJOR REPAIR. I DO MY OWN REGULAR OIL, TRANS FLUID MAINT AND OTHER MINOR MAINT. I THINK IT WOUD LAST FOR ANOTHER 100,000 MILES

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  Going from like to love - 2001 Ford Excursion
  By biggest of em all - September 4 - 2:00 am

  My wife and I purchased a 2001 Ford Excursion in April of 2002. no ac AND TO FIX IT WOULD BE A TUNE OF $950.00. Then in May I ran into something different, A HOLE IN THE CYLINDER BLOCK WHICH WOULD HAVE COST OVER $7,200. FOR PARTS AND LABOR BUT WAS ONLY $100.00

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  Ford, work on the interior - 2005 Ford Mustang
  By buster95 - September 3 - 9:36 pm

  The fourth Mustang Ive owned, and by far the fastest and most comfortable. The 300hp engine does ok on gas if you keep your foot out of it, but when you wanna GO, hold on! Ford, as usual, has designed a cheap and lousy interior. While the seats are comfortable black leather, the fit and finish of the remainder of the cabin is horrendous. A seam cuts across the burnished aluminum dash. The auto shifter has a cheap seam across the top. The sides of the seats are easily scratched by the back adjustment lever. The plastic chrome on the dash air vents should have been made of real metal. The cars a great driving experience, with stellar performance, but the interior is shoddy.

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  Best car value - 1997 Ford Crown Victoria
  By racinchef - September 3 - 3:00 pm

  When I first saw this car I passed it by, but after looking at a few other cars on the lot the dealer pointed it out to me, so I looked at it more closely; from that point on this car has grown on me. The car is super reliable, gets good gas mileage on the highway, and rides very comfortably. A/C is awesome too! Replaced headliner, ball joint and upgraded OEM stereo. Also had all windows tinted except windshield. Great value car, I love it!

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  Great car for the money - 2007 Ford Five Hundred
  By Guy - September 3 - 5:13 am

  I really like the car. I wish that it had more power. I drive 110 miles a day and this car is perfect because i never have to worry about it breaking down on me. It really seems to be built good also.

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  Harley Truck Experience - 2002 Ford F-150
  By patshark - September 3 - 2:00 am

  No mechanical or other warranty needs at all. Excellent quality. Superb performance. Exhaust is a little too loud. Hauls heavy trailers with ease, runs smooth as glass.

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  Bang For the Buck - 2003 Ford Ranger
  By Christopher Dunham - September 3 - 2:00 am

  This is the third Ranger I have had and they just keep getting better. Good performance,comfortable and fun styling. I have NOT had one problem with any of the Rangers to date. They are solid and reliable. I have compared them to other trucks, for ex: Toyata Tacoma and the quality in craftmanship and the solidness of the vehicle is superior to that of the Tacoma which was really tinny sounding. To date I have not come across a truck in its class that can truly give you more bang for the buck.

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  NEVER AGAIN - 2001 Ford Taurus
  By tapdog - September 3 - 2:00 am

  This is my 5th Ford and I say never again. this car has been in the repair shop so many times I have lost count ford has always fix it under warienty.Recently it has stalled on then freeway in heavy traffic and been in the shop 2 times for the transmision.The best part is that Ford says thier computer can not find a problem for either and they can not duplicate the problem. Anyway I say never again. This car is not dependable.

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  Everything breaks but it keeps on going! - 1992 Ford Tempo
  By 6 yr Tempo - September 2 - 2:00 am

  I purchased this car back in Spring 1997, at the time the car had only 26,000 miles. Since then I have had no major problems with the vehicle. I put over 100,000 miles on this car in a 5 year period. What has gone wrong is the AC has been out for 3 years, 2 alternators, 2 starters, engine mounts dont seem to last (2 are broken now), the front struts are bad, the interior leaks in several places, the rear defroster has about 3lines still working, and finally the power mirrors never have worked. Besides these things, the I feel the engine can reach 200,000 miles. I just took it on a 1800 mile trip and it performed just fine!