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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  Love the Taurus - 1994 Ford Taurus
  By Stouder - July 27 - 2:00 am

  I do love my 94 Taurus, sure it had its problems, but being handy under the hood, I could fix it all. Thats about the best thing about the car, easy to fix. Every sensor is easy to get to, the radiator went on it a few weeks ago and I changed it out easily, as well. As fo looks, the older, original Taurus is stately and a very attractive car.

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  My opinion - 1991 Ford Tempo
  By Scott02 - July 27 - 2:00 am

  Car runs fine, but the transmission went out at 165000 then I replaced it now still runs fine. but trying to sell it now do to lack of space ware I live.

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  my car - 1993 Ford Thunderbird
  By musket - July 26 - 2:00 am

  this car has been a very good transportation vehicle, very good road handling characteristics, only drawback is no cupholders

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  Love it! Ill be sorry to have to sell. - 1994 Ford Thunderbird
  By homebizhosting.com - July 26 - 2:00 am

  I was pleasantly surprised, especially with the power of a V-8! My T-bird has always been a bit "rough" when shifting from first into second gear. But Ive only had a few problems with it over the last 4 years. My worst problems have been: having to replace a battery every year, because I neglect to clean off the battery poles of corrosion. Other worst problem is there was some sort of oil pan funnel or gasket or something that was leaking a lot of oil. Mechanic was reluctant to troubleshoot....but I insisted. Once he took a look, he replaced the faulty connection and Ive had zero oil leaks since! Reliable car and the parts are cheap!

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  Better than youd expect - 1996 Ford Probe
  By Zahmorri - July 26 - 2:00 am

  I have driven the life out of my car (10500/6 years), and it has been fairly good to me. It looks faster than it is, but it will give you its best, however loudly. Is extremely fun to drive is best with a manual transmission, however. Looks great, especially with tinted windows. Mix of Mazda/Ford parts is a pain modifications also difficult due to cramped engine space. Yet has great fuel efficiency (in non-extreme conditions).

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  2202 ford expl - 2002 Ford Explorer
  By jws - July 26 - 2:00 am

  Fun to drive. Have taken 3 long trips very comfortable, smooth ride but solid. Strong engine (V8) but am slightly disappointed in fuel econ 14.5 town 18 highw . Like the interior appointments easy to read insturment panel. Will buy another

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  go anywhere - 2004 Ford F-150
  By kevk - July 26 - 2:00 am

  Bought this truck for myself as a late christmas present. Its bright yellow so noone can miss it. The cab interior is quite large, and the airliner seats which my wife calls them are very roomy and comfy. Havent done very much off roading with it yet, but lve towed my snowmobiles and my wifes horses with it, and it still has loads of power. youd never know you have a trailer hooked up to it.

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  Just a few problems - 2000 Ford Focus
  By Orlando - July 26 - 2:00 am

  I owned this vehicle for just under four years and 85,000 miles. The recalls were annoying and I stopped getting them corrected, which actually led to one problem. The tires wear out quickly, as do the brakes. Ford did replace all the brakes free of charge after one year. I had the rear left wheel bearing break at about 70K miles. I think this was a recall issue. I had several problems with a bad battery cable causing the car not to start (or die in traffic). I think the car juiced batteries. I went through 3 in four years. Other than tires/brakes/wheel bearing, the only other problem was a broken air hose (about $125 repair).

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  new owner - 2005 Ford Focus
  By Denise - July 25 - 1:50 pm

  I just downsized to my new Ford Focus from -- get this -- an Expedition. What a change. The gas mileage is fantastic and the car is very roomy. I have 3 (bigger) kids to tote around town from school to appointments and the little Focus gets the job done for a fraction of the cost. It is peppy and very fun to drive. It fits in so many small spaces. I have owned it for 1 month now and would recommend it to anyone.

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  They should have done better - 2006 Ford Fusion
  By EeeZee - July 24 - 3:33 pm

  Styling aside, it seems like an earnest attempt by Ford to build a solid and practical car for comfortable urban driving. Unfortunately, they are not paying attention to the fine points that their competition thrives on such as exterior finish and attention to detail -- points that have been the downfall of most domestic manufacturers since the imports started eroding their market share. Call it sloppiness or inattention, the car has obvious defects easily seen by any sighted person. Picked a new Fusion SEL two weeks ago with bad paint on the hood, an obviously deformed interior door handle, and misfit or misaligned exterior parts.