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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  Loving my Expedition - 2005 Ford Expedition
  By Jennleo5 - March 9 - 7:25 pm

  I barely got this car when a coil went out. That was a bad thing, but since that was repaired it runs wonderful. I test drove a couple different large S.U.V.s and have to say that the Expedition drives better than anything I drove that day. I went from driving a small car to this and I thought parking and things like that would be a hassle, but not with this S.U.V. I can park it, reverse it just like I was driving my little car. The interior is nice and roomy, and the 3rd row is like anyother normal seat. Overall this is my favorite besides the rattling back window.

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  Too Awesome of a car! TOTALLY WORTH IT! - 2007 Ford Focus
  By Jarrett - March 9 - 6:54 pm

  I wrote a review on here not too long ago and I have read some of the reviews on here. Im sorry to hear that some people had problems with Pirelli tires. I didnt have to replace 2 of them until I was just over 45,000 miles on my car, and thats after my driving like a bat out of hell . Besides regular maintenance, I only had to replace a tail light bulb. The performance of the car is awesome- I can outrun many cars when I need to! Its always fun to drive, especially fast! With all of this, Im getting on average 30 to 32mpg and when I chill out from going fast I get as much as 38mpg. Totally worth the purchase! Im not planning to buy another car anytime soon. I made a great choice.

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  1999 Ford Windstar SEL - 1999 Ford Windstar
  By MotorStreet - March 9 - 6:25 pm

  The Windstar isnt a good car. The engine is noisy and rough. The transmission in our car had to be replaced after 13000 miles and made rough shifts. The ride is pretty good and the seats are good. There is also a lot of space in the back as well as the cargo area. The problem is that the all the very heavy rear seats have to be removed. The V6 engine is fairly powerful, but it isnt fast at all. The wind noise is the most annoying part of this minivan. The Windstar should get good gas mileage, but ours averaged 14 mpg with a roof rack. The Windstar is a good used buy, but if I were able to make the purchase again I would have chosen the Honda Odyssey.

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  the best money I have ever spent - 1995 Ford Thunderbird
  By emann - March 9 - 2:14 pm

  I purchased a 1995 Ford Thunderbird LX and its the best money I have ever spent on a car. Im the third owner, and the other two owners live across the street. it has very good pick up, the transmission shifts smooth, the interior is very comfortable, the seats feel like they form around you. It feels like your sitting in a cockpit of an airplane.

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  Mechanically, its like a rock. - 1993 Ford Escort
  By John - March 9 - 11:27 am

  I got the steal of the century when I picked up my 93 Escort of an elderly woman who could no longer drive. I got it in 04 with 14k (no joke) miles on it for just under $2000. Since then, I delivered pizza in it for 3 years, and have driven it as a city commuter for the last 2. Its solid as a rock mechanically speaking. Ive changed brake pads, oil, belts and the outer tie rod ends it just keeps on trucking. However, my interior is falling apart. Also, whats up with the cup holders that are like 2cm deep? Ive had countless numbers of drinks spill while making turns. Great car reliability speaking, but this isnt much more than a mode of BASIC transportation.

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  my red focus - 2005 Ford Focus
  By Berenice - March 9 - 8:33 am

  when i first bought the car i was like its nice it looks cool its cheap , then i took it for a test drive it was a very smooth i liked it a lot

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  My 2006 Ford Fusion SEL V6 - 2006 Ford Fusion
  By XMan - March 9 - 4:30 am

  A great fun-to-drive car for the price. It has been so comfortable for me as I travel a lot for school and work. The styling is very nice and stands in a class of its own.

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  great truck - 1990 Ford Ranger
  By joeb. - March 8 - 10:54 pm

  Well i bought this truck last summer for 2500 with about 158,000 miles on it. i am just about to pass 165k but it is actually running better now then it was when i got it, i take the thing off roading pretty much every weekend and get stuck very rarely only because of the low front dana 35, but i pulled out a 98 chevy silverado extended cab with a 6 in lift and 35 inch tires. the truck was buried to the frame and i pulled the giant out. It is my daily driver and i love the thing to death even though i had the fuel pump relay go out and had to pay 200 dollars for a tow and had to have a new alternator, but will probably drive the truck till it runs no more

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  Great suprise - 2005 Ford Crown Victoria
  By great car - March 8 - 8:13 pm

  Suprisingly great ride, handling, economy, and dependability. The v-8 delivers a significant amount of power and consistantly averages over 22 mpg. Although a good looking car, the style is becoming a little outdated. I have put over 40k miles with absolutely no problems with the vehicle. I strongly recommend; comparability equal to luxury sedans costing thousands more.

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  found on road dead - 2000 Ford Expedition
  By kbajza - March 8 - 7:07 pm

  I bought this car new, and a year into owning it, the 5 disk cd player broke, and wasnt covered under the warrenty. After six years, one of the coils had to be replaced, and 6 months later, another one had to be replaced. both times the repair bill was over $500. 6 months later an O ring had to be replaced and because they had to remove the gas tank to figure that out, the bill was about $600 (the o ring literally cost 25 bucks). Just last year, the transmission blew. Thankfully my mechanic felt like being creative and replaced the solenoid pack and that worked but again, over $500 in repairs. All in all, Ive spent over 4000 replacing and repairing. Not worth buying.