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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  Great value ! - 2004 Ford Explorer
  By MIKE E. - March 14 - 7:56 am

  Bought in jan.2008.The only issue was a recall on transmission clunking in reverse...dealer fixed over a year ago for free, no problems since.For the price you get a lot of features and room to haul a lot of stuff on vacation, or a trip to the home improvement center.Excellent in snow even with the cheap tires I have on it right now... a lot of other vehicles were getting stuck this winter while I drove right around them no problem!Not as good as Toyota/Honda but I hear that the new Edge and Flex are now on par with them.Great overall truck for thousands less than the competitors...just do the maintenance and you should have no problems.

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  Muscle Car Returns - 2004 Ford Mustang
  By Steve - March 14 - 7:50 am

  I grew up during the muscle car era when they ruled main streets all over America. With the mid- 70s oil crisis muscle cars slowly faded away. Finally, John Coletti, another baby boomer finally resurrected the power and feel of a muscle car. With a 2004 Mustang GT, I had to shift down to 3rd gear to get decent torque and yet feel more power in 6th gear on the highway for passing in the SVT Cobra, making highway driving a dream! The SN95 is the ultimate aerodynamic body style ever made for the Mustang and from the front, nothing beats the 03-04 SVT Cobra fascia. Compared to all other performance cars this is the ONLY one you could get new for under $40,000.

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  Should be a bestseller - 2017 Ford Fusion Energi
  By New Englander - March 14 - 5:40 am

  Two generations ago Ford Fusion was basically a modernized K Car. It was solid, but boring. Last gen featured the curvy new Aston Martin design. Big step up, comfortable, nice ride, Sync and Sync 2 was a disaster. With this latest refresh and Sync 3 they really nailed it. There are so many thoughtful touches like the door unlocks by touching the handle and there are lights underneath the side view mirrors so that you can see where you are stepping out. The ride is Lexus quiet, and I would argue the powertrain is smoother. With the Energi you guve up trunk space, so if this is your only car, it probably wont work for you. But as a second car or commuter car, its pretty perfect. You only get about 14-20 miles per charge but thats still good enough for around town driving before the engine kicks in. With holiday incentives and the fed credit it came out the same price as the standard hybrid model, so I went with this for the extra gas savings. Check it out, you wont be disappointed.

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  Never Again - 1995 Ford Contour
  By rjones - March 13 - 11:00 pm

  I bought the car in 2000 with only 30,000 miles on it and only one owner. 3 years later when it reached around 50,000 miles there have been nothing but issues. Transmission went out, all electrical has to be replaced, suspension replaced, constant alignments, $3,000 worth of work to fix a stalling issue. The list goes on. I will never own another contour again.

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  1998 Best by Far for Ford - 1998 Ford F-150
  By Ford Man - March 13 - 7:58 pm

  I have a 1998 Ford F-150 4.6L 2wd. This truck has been through thick and thin as a farm truck. I have pulled my round bailer with ease. I still have the truck and plan on giving it to my son soon. This truck still has some get up and go and can still jump when you press the pedal to the floor. I think I forgot to mention that it has 375,419 miles on it. I havent had to swap or do anything at all to the engine or the transmission, and it doesnt look like I will have to anytime soon either. I have had Chevys but they do not have near as much as my Ford right now. I will tell you right now that 1998 must have been a good year for Ford. The only thing I have had to change is the oil, & tires.

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  freestlye - 2005 Ford Freestyle
  By j dolby - March 13 - 5:44 pm

  bought new have had nothing but trouble with and the dealer did nothing for us brakes went bad at just over 10000 miles dealer said nothing they can do. did the job my self after going on the internet to find rotors that were 35.00 cheaper then the dealers and have lasted for along time.funny part about this when i talked with the dealer he told me i didnt know what i was talking about.but yet i work for the plant that builds the axle and knew first hand what was wrong.

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  LOVE IT! - 1991 Ford Escort
  By xxchrist_rockerxx - March 13 - 5:40 pm

  LOVE this car, bought it with 80,000 miles on it in 2005, fresh out of high school. in less than 4 years ive more than tripled the mileage, and its sitting at 261,000 miles right now and still running strong! EASILY gets 32mpg city, 35 highway...i would recommend this car to ANYONE, but not mine because its not for sale! If you get one, take care of it...it will last you forever!

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  Great car for the price - 2008 Ford Focus
  By BLM - March 13 - 12:14 pm

  Replaced my 2005 Escape which I loved - but needed better gas mileage. Boy did I get my moneys worth! I have gotten as high as 42 mpg on a long trip, and even regular commute nets anywhere from 35 mpg to 39 mpg depending on how fast highway traffic is moving. I got the 5-speed standard - its less expensive and way more fun to drive - you can really take off in a hurry when you need to. Loved my Escape - but this little gem is really winning me over - Id replace it with another Focus in a heartbeat when the time comes!

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  Good car, few faults - 2000 Ford Explorer
  By Scott - March 13 - 12:11 pm

  I bought this car 2 months ago, and have had nothing but problems. The next morning after i bought it, somehow there was a hole in the exhaust and i needed a completely new one. Dealer replaced it after much arguing, and now my check engine and check suspension light are on, I believe i need a new mass air flow sensor and a ball joint. On top of this, my ABS sensor failed, and it doesnt work. Apparently this truck passed safety, but it definitely shouldnt have.

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  Loving the C/Max Energi - 2013 Ford C-Max Energi
  By 1stpev - March 13 - 8:01 am

  Just purchased the new C/MAX Energi. I wanted the fuel economy, but was concerned whether it would provide the power I wanted. I wasnt disappointed. Nicely appointed, this car drives like a dream. But be careful, no road noise leads you to go a little faster than you think. Had it to 85 on the highway today, thinking I was doing about 60. Seats are extremely comfortable with great lumbar support. Smooth ride, excellent acceleration - but very little storage space for long trips. You can go about 100 miles for the same cost of a gallon of gas, depending on where you live. The only downside - they are hard to find! If are lucky to find one at your dealer, grab it before its gone.