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 my GT even more daily - 2016 Ford Mustang
  By Alex - January 22 - 1:31 am

  This is my first Mustang ever as well as my first convertible. I never had a family member to own one or a close friend. I had "friends" in high school that did, but never rode in one. I rented this vehicle in August of this year and loved it from the start. The feeling of being in a convertible is like no other driving experience I have ever had. I also had never driven a V8 before either. It was a pure endorphin/adrenaline rush. During my car research I looked also looked at the Camaro 2SS, while it was truly a great car it was just too expensive. Another deciding factor in choosing the Mustang was that I had watched "A Faster Horse" on Netflix. For those who havent watched the documentary it is a great film on how they designed and made the new 2015 model as well as how the original come to be. I just felt more of a connection to the Mustang and honestly Chevy had burned me before on a 98 Malibu I bought new. Biggest piece of crap I have ever owned. So it was an uphill battle for them anyway. So the car itself....biggest pro to me is the look of the car. I just stare at it in my garage and when I walk up to it at the grocery store. It is a race red black top GT and it is gorgeous in my opinion. Some folks dont like the new design, but I would not have considered this car without the new design. The other biggest pro is the power. Why you would buy an Ecoboost or a V6 in a Mustang is beyond me. Yes the gas mileage sucks, but man that car rumbles and has sooooo much character that you just dont get in the other smaller engines. It makes me smile every time I push the start button. Finally, the other pluses is all the technology in the car. This thing has got it all....I wont list them here as you can check it out yourself, but a hidden gem I found is that you can program your key so that the car wont go over a certain speed and the radio wont go over a certain level. It also tracks the miles put on the car with that key. So if I want my son, who is 16 and gets giddy every time I let him drive it (Im in the car with him), to drive it without me at least it is the realm of a discussion to be considered. The biggest downside to this car is the ride. It is bumpy and I mean BUMPY. You feel every divot in the road. I know this isnt a luxury car....I got that and I wasnt expecting a BMW cloud feeling, but for the first time ever I got slightly car sick after a 5 hour drive to see my family for the holidays. We had to stop so I could get rid of the motion headache I had. So, that is a big bummer. I feel that if they could have made the "Normal" mode just a bit smoother on the suspension that they would have a perfect car. Now I own it and I am sure I will get used to it. It does not diminish how I feel about the car overall. I love driving it around town, but wont be taking it on any long trips without at least a half a Bonine in my system. I do look forward to taking it to the beach...I mean.....its a convertible...that is a requirement. The gas mileage is what you would expect from a V8....not very good. However, I was getting 27mpg on the interstate with cruise control on, but city is 18 to 19. A few other things to note before I close is that the feel of the steering wheel is great and adjustable with the steering mode. I keep it on Comfortable while driving around town, but kick it back to sport when I want to push it. The SYNC system is great, but I am still fighting the voice command a bit as she doesnt always understand me. A bit more work could go into that aspect of the software. The biggest thing here is that the car is just fun to drive. I didnt go for practical, I went for fun and if you want a fun car.... get the Mustang GT, and if you are feeling really spirited...make it a convertible.

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  Used car purchase - 2010 Ford Explorer
  By David Stewart - January 21 - 6:15 am

  We received a good deal, not great but OK.

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  Best truck - 1996 Ford F-350
  By Ken Reames - January 21 - 2:00 am

  I love the way it drives. Inteiar comfort is great. Looks awsome. Pulls trealer great.

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  Fun2Drive - 1999 Ford Mustang
  By CrusinInThe60s - January 21 - 2:00 am

  I like the way the car looks-inside and out. I like the way feels inside, and the way that it handles. The power drivers seat has so many adjustments that if my wife drives the car, it takes quite a while to get the seat readjusted properly. It has a nice suspension, where you dont feel every seam in the pavement-on local roads, or on the highway.PlentyOfPower. I bought the car with 39,000 miles on it. The power top works great. It would be nice if the cover for the top fit better. If you snap it in place, it pops back out. I scrapped the cheap material seat covers for new leather ones. Big improvement.

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  Bills Windstar SE Review - 2001 Ford Windstar
  By Bill Hughes - January 21 - 2:00 am

  The Windstar is a very utilitarian vehicle. It has a great safety rating and seems to be a very solidly built vehicle. The motor is quite powerful with the 3.8 V-6, however the transmission/ shifting seems to be a little rough at times. I got the 0% financing for 60 months - that helped close the deal. I am also a Ford man. I dont like most GM vehicles and I dont trust Chrysler/ Dodge reliability. (Caravans used to have a reputation for early transmission failures.)

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  Still Goin Strong - 1994 Ford Explorer
  By morfman - January 21 - 2:00 am

  This baby has 130,000+ miles and runs as good as the day I bought it. Nary a speck of rust for being exposed to road salt every winter. Mostly rides like a truck, but handles nice. V-6 runs smooth, but sluggish on hills. Replaced both radial arm bushings, breaks, shocks. Manual trany leaks a little oil. Im keeping it a while longer. I hate new car payments.

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  ENERGISER CAR! - 1990 Ford Festiva
  By TEEJAY - January 20 - 2:00 am

  I RELUCTANTLY BOUGHT THIS LITTLE CAR WITH 182,000 MILES. I THOUGHT THAT I MIGHT GET ANOTHER 10,000 BEFORE IT DIED WELL ITS GOT 234,000 AND JUST LIKE THE BUNNY. IT KEEPS GOING AND GOING AND GOING!LOOK OUT IT MIGHT OUT LAST MY TOYOTA CAMRY WITH 130,000. GO FESTIVA!!

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  Been a good car - 1998 Ford Taurus
  By mbistoocool - January 20 - 2:00 am

  No major repairs since new now has over 77 thousand miles. 24V engine is very nice. Only a few things about the car that needs addressed. First of all the transmission, since day one, when you put the pedal down to pass someone the transmission is like "What?" and seems confused as whether to downshift or remain in the same gear. Then it jerks after it figures out what to do and finally downshifts. Secondly, it takes about 10 minutes upon initial startup before botton on the gear shift lever will push in. Lastly the bubble design makes rear head room tight and the trunk small. Other than these issues it has been a great car.

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  Good potential if not for the bugs - 2006 Ford Explorer
  By Ed - January 19 - 9:30 am

  Bought a year and a half ago now with 30k miles. Beautiful riding truck, quiet, handles well, very comfortable. Traction control works seamlessly. Have had lots of problems with 6 speed tranny (bangs into gear really hard). Ford reprogrammed module with no improvement. Basically told thats the way it is. I am afraid that rather than fixing it, they are just sticking a band aid on the problem with the knowledge that by the time it falls off it will be off warranty. Have looked into trading in but the resale value is so poor Im not willing to take the loss. Some quirky interior features (door releases) but you know this going in. Would love this truck if not for the seemingly unfixable transmission.

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  Work Horse - 1991 Ford F-250
  By mb - January 19 - 2:00 am

  Ive owned my 1991 F250HD for 12 years now. I use it primarily for hauling building supplies & firewood, and winter (snow) driving. I take this work horse back on the logging trails deep within the forest in the mountainous regions of the Sierra Nevadas. The engine is so powerful you dont realize you have an extremely heavy load. The brakes are undersized for this capacity, especially if you are decending from the higher elevations and using the brakes regularly.