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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  Ford Fun - 2002 Ford Ranger
  By Deez - August 16 - 10:00 am

  We just bought a 4WD 4.0L 5M Ranger and absolutely love it. It has already accumulated 10000 miles! Power is great and probably the best feature of the truck. Sound system is good with the upgraded MP3 player. Complaints, a few: there is a lot of plastic in this truck, the cheesy plastic bedrails need to go (though they are useful in protecting the bed of the truck) and the most annoying thing has to be the speed limiter at 93 MPH. Ford gets a thumbs up for great value and a truck that can smoke the Toyota.

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  Great Truck New - 1997 Ford F-150
  By JerryT - August 16 - 10:00 am

  This vehicle I purchased was a great truck till about 85000 miles, then the transmission started acting up. I suggest, if you buy a ford truck to trade it in around 80000 if you plan on keeping it for a while. Whereas transmissions can be repaired, once they start acting up they will never be the same again and reliability will never be above 65% on a rebuilt transmission.

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  Great Car, Poor Reliability - 1999 Ford Contour
  By Love to Drive - August 16 - 2:00 am

  This is our second Contour. Our first Contour was 2 years old when we bought it and found that it had some reliabiltiy problems. We loved the car so decided to buy a brand new Contour thinking that proper maintenance and care would eliminate the reliability problems. It didnt. Our new car has been in the shop many times since we bought it. The starter went out after 5 months, the engine blew at 22k miles, the dash warped, the emergency brake mechanism has had to be replaced, and the trunk developed a major leak that required 5 visits to the dealership to fix. Still, this car looks great and is a lot of fun to drive as a family car.

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  Hard to Part w/ A Wonderful Truck - 1997 Ford Ranger
  By StanFurlow - August 16 - 2:00 am

  One ownerGood Ride (use 70lb sand bag in bed/3 for snow=4WD)Once you find a good seat position its OK (heated/vibrating seat cushion-long rides)70,000K milesGreat paint-willow green (has purple metallic in it)front of stepside catches rocks/sandUse rubber bedliner and leave long on all sides + tailgate rubberHave removable kayak/lumber carrier on bed sides- doesnt allow cap/locking topBit notchey in shiftVery, very few minor probsDome light fixed w/switchRegular oil changes4cyl but wish for V6 at timesOnly on 2nd set of tiresA/C bogs down engine however w/o A/C is worse

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  Bad apple, but I still like Ford - 1997 Ford Windstar
  By Fatherkey - August 16 - 2:00 am

  Bought this van at the dealership I worked at. Sold a few of them before I bought mine and everyone said that it was great and no problems. Bought mine and have had nothing but headaches. In the 26 months that I have had it, it has spent at least 6 of them in the shop. Pretty much every system of the vehicle has had work done to it, repairs totalling about $15,000. Fortunately I bought the extended warranty that covered all of it. When it runs it runs great, but it wont last more than a month or so before something else happens.

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  Excellent Small P/U - 1997 Ford Ranger
  By Jordan Murphy - August 15 - 2:00 am

  Excellent small Pickup. No problems in 1.5 years--bought used. Poor fuel economy w/4.0L V6 (14/15 MPG). However, great in snow, and sporty.

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  I LOVE MY CAR!!!! :) - 1995 Ford Escort
  By chikinblack - August 15 - 2:00 am

  This is an awesome car. Hands down. I was fairly worried when I first bought her, I love to travel and she was already at 54,000 miles, which gave me doubts to how long shed last. Im now at 88,000 miles and the only thing Ive done to her is change the timing belt. The engine is great, you hit the pedal and youre gone. And 340 miles later you have to fill the tank. What more could you want? Ive had no exterior/interior problems other than the belt, and I would recommend this car to anyone who wants something peppy, reliable, gas efficient, and a LOT of fun :) Two thumbs WAY up. Why did Ford have to take them away? :(

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  Ford Expedition Eddie Bauer - 1997 Ford Expedition
  By yodabos - August 15 - 2:00 am

  My Ford Expedition, bought new in 1997, has been an overall excellent car. The only negative is the somewhat squirrely steering and the fact that it once scared me silly when I thought it was going to roll over when I had to make a sudden sideways move at night on the highway.

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  4th Mustang Now - 2002 Ford Mustang
  By mkenagy - August 13 - 11:03 pm

  Yes, you could say Im a mustang buff. Ive had V6s, GTs, convertibles, and a cobra. My current car is a fully loaded 2000 mustang gt. Completely a blast to drive, and looks good when its clean. If youre buying this car for ride quality, forget about it. Solid rear axle muscle cars arent meant to feel like youre riding on a cloud--theyre meant to tear up the pavement as fast as you can drive them. Get in, step on the gas, and have fun racing some camaros.

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  Still Goin - 1993 Ford Thunderbird
  By Tanner S - August 13 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car in 1998 with 80,000 miles and I now have 125,000 on its 3.8 liter engine. I have had no major problems but have dealt with minor things: rear brakes ($230 labor included),fog-light switch, wiper motor ($100), mass air-flow sensor($130), inner tie rods ($40, both sides), tie- rod end ($30?), and a broken fuel line ($200 w/ labor). This is my first car that I bought when I was 16 and of the few problems, I have been able to fix them all myself (except the fuel line & brakes). I still have good power even after 125,000 miles. It does burn about 3/4 quart of oil in-between changes however.