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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  Not for the tall - 2007 Ford Focus
  By Tone - April 17 - 8:21 pm

  I like this car. I bought it used with 17k on it. Im 62" and its cramped inside a little. This is definitely a little person car. There a no power amenities. Reminds me of my old Ford Escort. It seems like the same size but I put on weight about 50 lbs, so this car is gonna make me skinny again. Overall a steal for under 15 thou. Good gas milage, handles well. But they need to do a factory recall on the gas cap. Almost every review I read about this car complaims about the smell of gas. I had to take mine back to the dealer and he tightened it up and reset the codes.

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  SKIP THE F-150 - 2004 Ford F-150
  By hillbilly - April 17 - 11:36 am

  I bought this truck with 40,000 miles on it. It is a nice looking truck but looks are deceiving. It drives nice and rides good but the motor went out at 86,000 miles. The 32 valve 5.4 triton is a total disaster V-8 design. The overhead cam wore a keeper off of a valve and it fell into the cylinder ruining the motor. I opted to buy a used engine and still spent over $3,000 getting it back on the road. Also, the rear suspension is soft for hauling heavy loads. Truck now has 107,000 miles on it and Im keeping my fingers crossed. Another thing the front end brake rotors are garbage. I finally went to a salvage yard and got a set off a 07 model and so far are much better quality.

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  good but bad - 2004 Ford Taurus
  By dacardocta - April 17 - 2:00 am

  My mom owned this car let me tell you it is a great car when you get all the top features but the back seat is absolutely terrible you WILL get carsick after sitting back there for awhile. If you buy this car i suggest it to a two person family but when you have 3 or four people it is a terrible family car.

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  STAY AWAY FROM THIS WITH 5.4L TRITON V8 - 2002 Ford Expedition
  By smileeeintiffin - April 14 - 7:27 pm

  I loved my expedition up until it left me stranded on a major highway due to a spark plug popping out!! And it is not an easy fix let alone how costly it is. Ford is aware of the major defect in these transmissions but will not correct the problem. To correct the problem the entire head must come off. Also if it is #4 spark plug than you must remove front of vehicle body to get to it properly. What a Joke!! Stay away from these vehicles. It will happen to you. They say the average mileage when this happens is 95000 miles. Mine has 94500. Imagine that. It is junk! Buyer Be Ware!

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  Transmission issue while towing - 2008 Ford Escape
  By NICHOLAS - April 5 - 8:48 pm

  Last week, I was carrying 1100 lbs of household goods from Vandenberg AFB, Lompoc, CA to Malstrom AFB, Great Falls, MT, when I experienced major transmission problems. The Transmission Cooler sprung a leak, causing 5 qts of tran. fluid to leak out. The gears wouldnt shift correctly from first to second gear and the car was stalling at every stop light. After a $900 bill, I thought the issue was the weight, but the car could tow over 3500 lbs, according to the manual. If I were you, I wouldnt buy this car or you will eventually have the same problems. The car is under powered and Fords manufacturing quality is still poor.

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  PTU defect - 2008 Ford Edge
  By lastfordIwillown - April 3 - 8:46 pm

  Our SEL Ford Edge awd has been fixed 4 times and I smell burning oil again.They replaced seals and whole unit and it still leaks!!! Ford needs to let us Edge owners know how and when they can solve this problem.

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  Disappointed - 2003 Ford Taurus
  By Disappointed - April 1 - 12:22 pm

  I purchased this vehicle with only 8000 miles...after 1 yr it started having problems that dealership doesnt know who to fix. Now it getting dangerous. It stalls out & start back up...all electrical comes on with a loud pop, the car dies and starts back up. I almost had a wreak because the steering shuts down during this time and I was not able to complete the turn. Reviewing the web others have had this problems too. I took it to the dealership many times but they could not find out what was causing it. This is the last Ford I will buy.

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  Bought Used, Traded-in after 6.5 years - 2001 Ford Taurus
  By tt - March 30 - 2:11 am

  I bought my 2001 Taurus SES used at 10K miles from a KS dealership. CARFAX reported car was a former rental in Hawaii. Had no probs until within last 2 yrs--the heater completely stopped working (bad heater core), the fuel gage shows max all the time, two light bulbs burned out behind the speedometer, cruise ctrl OFF button wont work, and check engine light that will not go out. The heater core is a $700 fix. I also had hail damage. I traded it in at 96k miles for a brand- new car. Got $1700 for it. The buying dealer didnt know about the heater being broke, nor about the hail dmg...I traded it in during an ice storm the ice covered up the damages :)

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  A car that makes style statement! - 2008 Ford Mustang
  By OFiroz - March 28 - 4:32 pm

  I imported my 2008 Black Mustang Convertible pony package from US to UAE (United Arab Emirates) being a sports car lover for years, it was my dream come true, but from the first day itself I was disappointed as far as comfy, quality and power are concerned. I thought Dodge Charger is more refined and comfortable, mustang behaved like my 1997 Ford Explorer though I thought Explorer is better in comfortability. But the moment I drop down the top it became totally different species all together. I became the center attraction, and it was fun to drive around in neighbor hood with loud music on. Better than my 1999 Camaro Convertible. All complaints are vanished!

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  Its Cold Back Here - 2002 Ford Explorer
  By Webslingah - March 28 - 2:00 am

  I recently took a 1400-mile trip and the second row seat is incredibly uncomfortable after about 500miles. Second, climate control, the driver sweats while the second row passengers freeze. I cant see the digital compass when driving. After about 5000miles the floor compartment handles are very flimsy, Ive already broken one. Its roomy, and comfy for the regular about town drive. The buying experience was horrible. There was a mistake in the incentives and I actually received an extra $500 off the price. When the finance guy realized it, he called me up,insulted me, and threatened to sue me if I didnt write him a check. Jerk!