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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  My Thoughts - 2001 Ford Mustang
  By jonathon - July 5 - 2:00 am

  Overall, the Mustang is a wonderful car. My only wish is-i should have purchased the GT. The V-6 model is very sluggish and still gets bad gas mileage. I love the looks, but not impressed with everything else.

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  A very well built appliance, comfortable, solid, but not fun to drive - 2015 Ford Fusion Hybrid
  By barton - July 4 - 9:08 pm

  I have only 500 miles so far on the car, and I intend to update this over time. So far I am getting 42.5 MPG in mixed driving. I have rented 2014 Nissan Altimas, several Priuss, and lots of Camrys.The Fusion Hybrid (2015 model) is better built, quieter, more refined, far more comfortable, and more sure-handling on corners than any of those cars-and it is not even close. But where the Fusion falls down, and perhaps all hybrids do, is in driving fun. My comparison in test driving, and for making the Fusion decision, was the VW Passat TDI (Diesel). I have heard that car gets a legitimate 38-40 MPG. And the Passat is a lot more fun to drive. But I picked the Fusion for higher reliability.

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  SHO me the way - 1999 Ford Taurus
  By regfootball - July 4 - 2:00 am

  55,000 miles. Fast if you step on it. In need of brakes tires struts. Car feels beat up, but its a Ford over 50k miles I should expect that. Radio stinks, no in dash CD. More sound deadening would be nice. Front seats are way comfy. Engine sounds awesome. Slow off the line, above 3500 rpm it starts to kick it. Trunk could be larger. Paint, body still good. Harsh ride over bumps doesnt help. Steering and handling very good when tires were newer. Excellent touring car passing power awesome. Tranny kicks down slow. Be aware: design defect with v8 SHOs and camshaft design. Ford trying to hide it. Ford should fix this for ticked off owners. V8sho dot com.

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  1996 Ford Explorer - 1996 Ford Explorer
  By Michael Scott - July 2 - 2:00 am

  Bought the vehicle for winter trips over the Sierra Nevada Mountains (I-80). Chains are often required. 4x4s are exempt. I have driven this vehicle through several bad snow storms and it has never broken loose. Snow performance is excellent.

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  Great car for the price! - 2005 Ford Focus
  By David - July 1 - 2:33 pm

  I just bought this vehicle and I love it. The price was great in part to the new family pricing the plan. The interior is larger than it appears. Great car!

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  SO far, I like it - 2002 Ford Explorer
  By Patnshan - July 1 - 10:00 am

  I bought my 02 XLT a couple weeks ago. It was a rental truck and looked and smelled new. 19,000 miles. Very poor resale value as I got it for 20k! It is dumb to buy one of these new! It feels quite solid all around. Drives very smooth. Other than the height and minimal road noise, feels like a car. I hope I stay this happy. Could use more power. I also would like slightly bigger tires. Stereo is a little weak, but I like the tape and CD feature. 3rd seat is great feature. Rear air is necessary, as the back heats up and the front blowers are not that powerful.

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  Fun Little SUV - 2004 Ford Escape
  By TerriJo - July 1 - 10:00 am

  This SUV is fun to drive. It is spunky with plenty of power. The interior is nicely laid out, with more room than you would think. The seats are stiff, but hopefully they will soften up a bit after some use. I can fit plenty of things in the back. A stroller, a golf bag, plenty of groceries, and even my sons little bike. For the money this vehicle is a great deal.

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  Free Car - 2003 Ford Taurus
  By Company Car Driver - July 1 - 10:00 am

  Its a company car given to me but I still love it. With all the driving I do, a flaw comes through quickly and this is one of the best all around cars for the money. Its roomy, quiet, safe and does everything well, although nothing exceptionally. Very good in snow. Head and shoulders above Dodge Stratus but probably not as relaible long term as Accord or Camry. We trade the cars at 80,000 and previous company Taruases have run well.

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  2003 Taurus Wagon ride characteristics. - 2003 Ford Taurus
  By Shermg - July 1 - 10:00 am

  It rides like a tank. Every ridge in the road from tar to slight indentations becomes a loud bump. Inhigh speed expressway driving it is excellent until the road has cracks in it and it is very annoying going bump - bump-bump. Ive had it checked and everything is as it should be. It still rides poorer than any car Ive had. I traded a 1997 Escort wagon with 70000 miles for it. It has 15000 miles on it. The escort rode like a dream compared to this Taurus wagon

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  love it - 1998 Ford Taurus
  By rma672 - July 1 - 2:00 am

  My 98 taurus is my first new to me car, and i love it. Bought it with 57000 miles on it, and just turned 68000 miles with no major problems. The only things that have gone wrong, is that my day time running lights went and my power locks were a little weird. Overall i love it, its a great car, very dependable and lots of power for just the 3.0 v6.