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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  Windstar: More Strengths or Weaknesses? - 2002 Ford Windstar
  By johnpetson - July 29 - 2:00 am

  The Windstar is overall pretty average. The excellent crash test scores, and the standard powerful engine, are all big and important advantages. However, the Windstar has many fairly important and annoying disadvantages, like the noisy engine, poor handling and components, and slightly-too-frequent trips to the dealer, which make it fairly better than average. What makes it perfectly average is the lack of the cruise control option on the Base LX I spent about $3000 to upgrade to the Standard LX just for this, since the other extra features are pretty useless. I feel that it is cheap of Ford to do this, and perhaps it makes them lose customers.

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  Recommend - 2003 Ford Ranger
  By ucf6515 - July 29 - 2:00 am

  I would definitely recommend this truck. The seats are uncomfortable if you are traveling long distances. The truck is fun to drive, although I would opt for the 4.0 if I could afford it. The 5 speed manual shifts easily, but the clutch took a day or two to get used too.

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  MY wifes mid life crisis 2 - 1997 Ford Mustang
  By jlevando - July 28 - 2:00 am

  My wife wanted to get out of her van and into a sporty little car. we looked at miatas and camaros but the mustang beat them hands down. Its fast and fun to drive. She beat two teeny boppers the first week and they ended up with tickets.

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  1997 Escort - 1997 Ford Escort
  By Dueffert - July 28 - 2:00 am

  Very reliable, great gas mileage (about 34mpg. Easy to replace parts.

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  2007 Explorer SportTrac - 2007 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By Dr. Dana Miller - July 27 - 9:03 pm

  Have owned this vehicle for about a month now. Looked at other vehicles but decided on this one for several reasons. The V-8 is O.K. but could use more bottom end torque. Runs good up high but should pull better down low. Mileage is disappointing even considering the type of vehicle it is. Good transmission. Quite comfortable. Wish I would have got the reverse sensing. Not easy to back up. Pulls 4200 lb. boat quite well. Overall a good vehicle, but the low first gear in the transmission doesnt make up for the relatively poor low end torque. The 5.4 litre motor would be a better choice if was available. Mileage would be about the same. Still the 4.6 is better than V6.

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  Love (d) my bird - 1996 Ford Thunderbird
  By Loved my bird - July 27 - 2:00 am

  Just sold my bird after three years of driving fun. The V8 is smooth, but I think that Ford could have done a little more to peak the performance. The car rode very well, and is a nice alternative to a mustang or the camaro, other V8 2-door cars. It will save you a pile on insurance over those two as well. Hated to sell it, but family commitments ruled.

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  Good for the price paid - 2006 Ford Focus
  By Scott - July 27 - 1:33 am

  I have only had the Focus for 1 month and 1000 miles, so my experience is still limited. I cant speak to its long term durability. However, I can say that the car drives and handles very securely. The 2.0 engine and 5 speed transmission make for relatively fun driving. Acceleration is more than adequate, braking is excellent with good feel, and it is quiet for this class. I bought the car because of the low price and hatchback. It replaced a Honda coupe that was not nearly as practical. Overall, I am more and more pleased with the car as time passes. It seems Ford made some decent upgrades for the 2005-plus models. This car has been around so long it seems to rely on low price to sell.

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  Ford needs to do better - 2000 Ford F-150
  By Jim Angle - July 26 - 2:00 am

  Transmission went out and replaced at 64000 miles. Fuel economy is average at best.

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  1992 FORD RANGER XLT LB EXPERIENCE - 1992 Ford Ranger
  By JAMES BLIZZARD - July 26 - 2:00 am

  1. OIL PAN HAD BEEN DROPPED AND NEW GASKET INSTALLED WITH EXCESS GASKET SEALANT WHICH WAS SUCKED UP INTO THE OIL PUMP WHICH REQUIRED A NEW ENGINE AT APPROX 10000 MILES. 2. REPAIR AND REPAINTING OF ONE SQUARE FOOT AREA WITH PAINT THAT DID NOT MATCH CAUSING EYESORE. 3. INSUFFICIENT POWER OF BIG 4-CYLINDER ENGINE MAKES IT UNSAFE FOR PASSING.

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  Teal 5.0 - 1993 Ford Mustang
  By hurst - July 26 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle is really fun to drive and is a real muscle pony. The last year of the fox chassis and body style, which I think is the best looking mustang body style and espeacially in a convertible. My certified 93 rare teal, 5.0 LX-convertible is my first car I bought and am only the 2nd owner, Im still smiling a year 3months later after buying from ford dealership.