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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  Fun & Reliable "Z" - 2000 Ford Escort
  By "ZMAN" - November 2 - 2:00 am

  Bought the vehilce brand new and very pleased ! I have not noticed any of the problems other have mentioned with my Z, however before purchasing I test drove 3 others, and they seemed to have loose steering. My car performs well, is comfortable ( Keep in mind I am 5- 8" about 250, so perhaps if I was any larger that may not be the case ), gets good gas mileage. So over all I am pleased. However I do agree power windows and locks would have been nice to have !

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  They fixed the transmission perfectly on these. - 2016 Ford Focus
  By Bruce Cummings - November 1 - 10:29 am

  No more off-line hesitancy or stuttering from the automatic transmissions of these new Focuses. Ford FINALLY fixed that multi-year problem for good. The new one here is silky-smooth. Of course the rest of the car was already competitive, and a great value during rebate time. Watch for aggressive small-car promotions from Ford to maintain their corporate average fuel economy in light of their booming truck and SUV sales. Theyre GIVING away Focuses and Fiestas.

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  Some win some lose - 1999 Ford Mustang
  By Hoosierdaddy - November 1 - 2:00 am

  When buying a used car, or any car, some people get good ones some get bad. I know several people who are happy with their mustang (v6) and dont have any problems. I however had problems. The exhaust manifolds went bad twice, but were covered under warranty. After the warranty expired, at about 45,000 miles the transmission started slipping when you tried to accelerate hard, and the valves started to make noise. The dealership told me that the valve problem is common with the V6. It cost around $500 to fix. The top did make some noise around 48,000 miles but it was an easy fix.

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  2005 Escape XLT Sport - 2005 Ford Escape
  By Holly - October 31 - 12:56 pm

  Poor gas mileage, about 250 miles per tank. Tank is only 16.5 gallons. That is the only complaint I have.

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  Old Fashioned Pickup - 1995 Ford F-150
  By marky2 - October 31 - 2:00 am

  I bought mine new in 1995 and it still looks as good today as it did when new. I still get a lot of compliments on it. Strong runner but some things happened to it that I didnt expect: oil pan rusted out (fixed under warranty), rear axle seal leaked, power steering hoses started leaking. Otherwise, its been a great truck and just as comfortable as you could want. (still has the original battery and exhaust system). As one saleman said to me when he looked it over: "its a keeper".

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  This is one tough truck. - 1997 Ford F-250
  By justin - October 30 - 2:00 am

  This truck is a 3/4 ton ford f-250 light duty. It has a peppy engine good its size. This same engine (5.4l) is not any good for the full size f-250. This truck has no prblem doing most any job u dish out.

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  This is one tough truck. - 1997 Ford F-250
  By Justin - October 30 - 2:00 am

  This truck is a 3/4 ton ford f-250 light duty. It has a peppy engine good its size. This same engine (5.4l) is not any good for the full size f-250. This truck has no prblem doing most any job u dish out.

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  good cheap ride - 1992 Ford Festiva
  By navstud02 - October 30 - 2:00 am

  this car is very easy to repair and maintain. The parts are of the highest quaility. many miles now just hit 345,000 original starter altinater.

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  Love the truck - 2005 Ford F-150
  By brent - October 29 - 8:13 am

  I have only had this truck for three months now, and so far, I can say that I am in love with it. The ride is great and the comfort is top notch. The only quirks I have about it are the noise I hear in the steering wheel (like a clicking noise when going around corners). Other than that, great truck.

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  Im ready for a new one - 1994 Ford Taurus
  By snellville - October 29 - 2:00 am

  I bought my 94 taurus in 97 with 45,000 miles on her, I fell in love with her from day 1. From the smooth and extremely powerful 3.0 liter v6 to her beautiful looks on the outside I cant decide which is better. Other similiar cars such as the mercury sable are slower than the taurus Ive raced a few. Getting back to the title of my review, I cant wait to buy a new taurus, just think of all the advancements they must have made in 8 years to an almost already perfect car, its definately gonna be my next car purchase since my 94 has over 100,000 miles on her with no major problems just routine maintence.