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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  Awesome - 2005 Ford Mustang
  By christian - December 10 - 10:16 pm

  I bought the GT Premium with all the upgrades. The 1000 watt System is awesome, although the 6 disk is a little confusing to load. The horsepower is great and I find it hard not to want to really hit. The interior is very nice, although my leg tends to hit the center column and I am a small person. The trunk is very large, even with the Speaker box. I love this car and have owned a 1967 fastback, 1990 convertible and now a 2005 and the 2005 is the best yet. Hope you enjoy........

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  Not a very good buy - 2002 Ford Explorer
  By bigrobrown - December 10 - 8:30 pm

  Really regret buying this car. It was my first purchase and I was extremely excited about it and didnt think to ask many important questions. To be a V6 it got really bad gas mileage and maintance is insane. Have had it in the shop for serious repairs like two days after the warranty expired. It does look nice in my opinion but thats all this car has. Keep your money and buy something else

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  Mixed Results - 2007 Ford Mustang
  By somebode2002 - December 10 - 7:20 pm

  Ive had the car for 9 months. I was never a big stang guy but gave it a shot. The car is for people who want to give a kid who is a auto amatuer who has the time/money to tend to. After 10,000 miles had to get rear brake pads replaced and they still squeak! Plastic interior rattles at times, the auto shifter is cheap. The engine is solid. Keep getting misfiring pistons at start up, even after tune up and new spark plugs. Engine is very reliable, steering is excellent. Dont expect to be able to do any improvements since itll violate warranty. Struts and shocks are wearing down at 53,000 miles, unlike the Berreta, Toyota, and Pontiac Grand Am I had which had these problems occur at 70,000+

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  Junk - 2004 Ford Explorer
  By John - December 10 - 2:25 pm

  I purchased this car new. It is now December of 2008 and this car has seen the dealership more than my driveway. Ford has put a bad car out on this one. I love my dealership, they have done everything possible to make me happy but the product that Ford put out will make me go onto to GMC or other.

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  3 Year Review - 2004 Ford Expedition
  By Mr. Rick - December 10 - 2:11 pm

  I have owned this Expedition for 3 yrs and it now has 61k. Overall I am happy with my Expedition especially when the weather here in Michigan get rough. The biggest improvement I did was replacing the OEM Continental TRs with Michelin LTX A/Ts a few thousand miles ago. I wished I did this years ago. It makes the Expedition ride like a completely better vehicle. I would also definitely recommend buying a extended warranty for any issue that creeps up. Ive had to have the rear end rebuilt (whining), a brake caliper replaced, a transfer case leak fixed, lower ball joints replaced, & an idler pulley replaced. These were small nuisances but Ive seen worst from other makes and models.

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  This car is great - 2007 Ford Fusion
  By AARON - December 10 - 12:27 pm

  When my wife and I went shopping for a new vehicle for her, we were open minded, we spent the summer looking at just about every vehicle in our price range. We couldnt agree on anything, as goes with pretty much everything else. When we took a Ford Fusion out for a test drive, we both liked it. We did take a few other cars out for test drives, and nothing compared to the Fusion, and I knew we wouldnt be happy with anything else. We settled with the 4cyl, because she mainly drives around town. But I was shocked when our family went to visit relatives 200 miles away, and with our boys, 6 and 15 years old, who didnt once complain about being cramped, and a trunk load. still averaged 28.5 MPG.

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  Awesome - 2008 Ford Focus
  By Sagar - December 10 - 10:08 am

  I must say that Ford has improved in building the vehicles. The ride is very comfortable and it gives the right gas mileage. The looks are cool and interior lights are awesome. The engine is very quiet compared to the older models of Focus. I chose Ford over Toyota and Nissan.

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  Decent car if you got money to fix it - 1996 Ford Probe
  By myname2617 - December 9 - 6:50 pm

  I bought my SE 2 years ago and it has been burning oil ever since. Fortunately by adding about a quart a week Ive been able to keep it running. It is very very fun to drive. I work at a Nissan dealer so Ive gotten to drive a 350Z, and I think my Probe handles better. It does have an upgraded suspension and has been lowered by 2 inches, so that helps. I have also always put high performance all season tires on it. Im not given enough letters to explain all the things Ive had to, or that I need to do. I think itll be cheaper to get a V6 and transmission rather than trying to replace everything under the hood thats going bad. Overall its a great car if you are prepared to fix it all the time.

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  Surprised by How Great This Explorer Is - 2017 Ford Explorer
  By New Explorer Fan - December 9 - 12:38 pm

  After an intense road trip....... Dallas to Austin to Houston to Dallas in 3 days...in the rain along the way.... I have fallen in love with my Ford Explorer. Rides great....which is saying a lot considering I was driving a Cadillac. It also drives great.

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  Surprised by How Great This Explorer Is - 2017 Ford Explorer
  By New Explorer Fan - December 9 - 12:37 pm

  After an intense road trip....... Dallas to Austin to Houston to Dallas in 3 days...in the rain along the way.... I have fallen in love with my Ford Explorer. Rides great....which is saying a lot considering I was driving a Cadillac. It also drives great.