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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  1996 Windstar 3.8 L - 1996 Ford Windstar
  By boxinbox - December 24 - 2:00 am

  Lots of power. What a amazing engine!! very comfortable to drive. Smoth and easy to park. Did I say how fun 200 HP on a small van is??

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  Be Careful - 2002 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By Chris - December 23 - 5:33 pm

  I bought this truck with under 65,000 miles on it, and never had a problem. As soon as I turned it over to 90,000 miles a lower rod broke in my engine and a couple thousand dollars later, here I sit. I had loved this truck, but am very reluctant to buy Ford again. I changed oil every 3000 miles and get up maintenance.

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  Excellent for the money - 2002 Ford Escape
  By Mike of Detroit - December 23 - 10:00 am

  In 1 year I have had 3 engine problems (nothing major but still inconvenient). Performance wise, the vehicle is excellent. The acceleration is quick and it handles like a dream! The cargo room is adequate. The back seats fold down with little effort, its great. However, I do worry about the vehicles thin, light-weight doors in an accident. They dont seem very safe. You must get the center console, without it it feels as though you are going to fall out of the drivers seat.

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  Love this Bronc - 1994 Ford Bronco
  By bronc - December 23 - 2:00 am

  I have a 94 Bronco Eddie Bauer, and have not been dissapointed. 351W, with the E40D tranny has been a good combination with this truck too. I have 33" tires, and there is no noticeable power decrease due to the diameter change. Wide enough for a sheet of plywood, but short enough to pull a U-turn on most residential streets. The only beef I have with this machine is the overall braun of the parts. My old 85 Bronco was beaten twice as hard as the 94, yet the 94 seems to break more. For the money, especially comparing to new SUVs, a good used Bronco is the way to go. DO NOT BUY A K-5 BLAZER

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  so far so good - 1995 Ford Taurus
  By r_erickson - December 23 - 2:00 am

  Picked up the tauras from an older lady with 75k, currently have a 100k. She broke it in gently, and Ive been driving it like a racecar. No major probs other than the rear power windows dont function. Horror stories about tranny failures after 100k make me a little leary, especially with the hard driving I give it. Im staying on top of preventive maintenance and its never hiccupped yet.

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  Good Car - 2006 Ford Fusion
  By Martin - December 23 - 12:06 am

  Ive had the car since March 2006. It drives great and I really like it. There are a few problems but the dealership is happy to fix them for me. I had a bad door seal, which made a whistling sound while driving and my lumber support in my seat broke and my door lock. The dealership fixed all those things quickly. Overall, it is a great car and I would recommend it.

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  "Im king of the ranch!" - 2016 Ford F-150
  By Richard Cronkwright Jr - December 22 - 7:50 am

  My 2016 Ford F150 Supercrew FX4 King Ranch has all the bells and whistles a man could ask for. The safety features really come in handy, especially the adaptive cruise control on the highway. The massaging and air conditioned seats are very helpful on long drives. The 3.5L EcoBoost engine is not as fuel efficient as one might expect, however, the horsepower and torque curve feel endless. The prices one pays for these trucks(the sticker price on mine was almost $70,000) are high, but that is to be expected when you cross an F150 with a Lincoln.

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  Best for what it is - 1996 Ford Aerostar
  By sbmackie - December 22 - 2:00 am

  Which is a family hauler par excellence. Cant find a new one that holds as much. Family transpo chief wouldnt go for one of the newer, "prettier" vans...had to be an Aerostar. Got 196K out of our 89 (did a tranny at 165k, but who cares?)and was still tight when we sold it. It is a Ford--when it does break, it is more expensive to fix then GM products. However, it is much more pleasurable to drive then the Safari/Astro (IMHO). Like alot of other Aerostar owners, I wish I could buy a 2003...

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  XLT is worth it - 1993 Ford Explorer
  By Matt Parker - December 22 - 2:00 am

  I found it to be very clean running, fuel efficiant (13 miles per gallon) with manual five-speed, and a 4.0 Liter V6 Engine. The engine has never given me problems. All I ever get is compliments on how confortable and smooth the ride was from passengers. Cargo space, the rear seats fold down which gives out about 6+ feet of room. Although the seats do not fold down all the way, leaving you with a bed that slants at 10 degrees. The paint fades. So, a wax job is needed after cleaning the truck at least every week. The truck is small enough to fit tigh spaces and has a tight turning radius. While still having tons of room for cargo and passengers.

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  Great Car but MPG? - 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid
  By dbrower6 - December 21 - 9:19 pm

  Ive had my C Max for about 2 months. I think the design of the car is good but the gas milage on the highway is a pipe dream. I can see where you could get 47 MPG in the city under certain conditions but no way will it ever get 47 on the highway. A more realistic gas milage would be around 37 MPG at 75 MPH, 38.5 MPH at 70. if your lucky you can get around 40 MPG at 65MPH basicly the same as a none hybrid car. I now have 4500 miles on the car a just came back from the first trip with the car. I could have done with out the SYNC it just dont work well. I have had one issure where all four windows came down and the car unlocked its self. Fortunately I caught it before the rain got it.