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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  Great ride - 2008 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By ryan - November 4 - 7:56 pm

  I came out of a 2003 4x4 F250 w/ the V10. I loved th truck but needed a vehicle with a lower payment and lower fuel bill. The Sport Trac did both. I have really enjoyed the ST. I think the 4.0 v6 handles it better than the 4.6 v8 handles the F150. Fuel mileage is avg. about 17, and, with the tailgate down, my Honda Foreman 4wheeler will fit in the back(the side tie downs come in very handy for this. Would definately recommend this vehicle.

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  They need to see their competition - 2008 Ford Ranger
  By ROLM - November 4 - 3:42 pm

  I was an engineer at Chrysler. My father at GM. I drive for a living. Quality: First USA car with no manufacturing defects. Looks great. Handles Highway: the worst I have ever driven. Printed dangerous handling warning on visor. Best mileage: small 6 with the gas efficient rear end. Best handling: same. Interior: They fired their engineers 30 years ago. I could write pages on their lack of cab engineering. Everything is in the wrong place, works the wrong way, is the wrong size, whatever. E.G. try changing a fuse if you are not an anorexic 8-year old (need flashlight). Try getting groceries out of the back seat. No fan switch off. Center knob: Off(1),vent(1),AC(6).

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  Ford is overlooked - 2009 Ford Fusion
  By Greg - November 4 - 3:06 pm

  Low wide and fun to drive, SEL 6/6 speed auto smokestone, leather, moon/tunes pkg. Highly recommmend driving the Fusion before any mid size sedan purchase, 0% 60 months wow

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  Problems from day 1 - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By LynnK - November 4 - 2:52 pm

  I purchased it as a Ford Certified vehicle and the front end has always "smoked", my door locks dont work every time, the side mirrors do not work electronically now, the car has always had intermittent "jerking" at around 45 mph, replacing brakes was a chore, caliper would not compress, now my power steering is having issues, cant remove rear captains chairs. When I took it in because of a transmission leaked early on, they told me nothing is wrong, only replaced seals. Did not fix problem. Gas mileage horrible, also have an Avalanche and that gets better gas mileage. Traded in Mustang for this? I do not expect a 4 year old vehicle to have this many problems.

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  Still the best little trucks made! - 2008 Ford Ranger
  By Gordo16 - November 4 - 12:41 pm

  I have had my latest Ranger for 11 months, now. Averages about 31 MPG on highway trips even going through all of the traffic-jams on I-95 through CT, NY and NJ. My last Ranger was a 1993, which I gave to my son and he is still using it to haul heating-wood. The other brands are more luxurious, but if you need a tough little truck ( not a car with a box stuck on the back) Ford still builds the best. Its probably why the Ranger Plant is staying open, a while longer. Good luck finding another pickup that actually gets over 30 MPG.

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  Perfect - 2005 Ford Five Hundred
  By Dazziegirly - November 4 - 12:20 pm

  I traded in my 2004 Expedition due to gas prices. I drove the 500 and it was amazing. Feels like I am still riding high. Plenty of room for my sams club shopping. I feel like I am driving a very expensive car. I lowered my payments over $100 a month.

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  First Ford - 2003 Ford Taurus
  By jeffry hesler - November 4 - 12:09 pm

  Ive had the vehicle for a year now. I started with 89,000 miles on it. It now has 98,000. I love to drive. I have had only problems with the brakes. The line broke and the disk or something like that on the wheel broke cause I pressed on the brake too hard. So I rate the brakes really good. The car overall is very big on the inside. Ive been into 2 wrecks with the car one with a deer and the other was I went under a semi trailer and the rear wheel hit the stands for the trailer. Each time Ive never gotten hurt cause the air bags have worked each time. I dont know if its supposed to but all the air bags went off in every case. It even went off when I hit the deer.

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  Dont bother - 2004 Ford Freestar
  By Jennifer - November 3 - 10:32 pm

  We have had several problems with our Freestar. It was in the shop for over 3 weeks for the brake, ABS and battery light being on. It had a leak on the front passenger floor, they claim the fire wall was not sealed correctly. It is still leaking, as well as some where in the back, maybe the rear door, and out of nowhere the oil is leaking. Been keeping an eye on it while we find a reliable mechanic other than the dealership where we bought it. I drove it earlier to run errands and it was fine. My husband went to take it to run to the store and there oil is all over the driveway and it is making a weird noise that it shouldnt be making. I am a dedicated Ford owner but I will have to rethink it.

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  American Value! - 2002 Ford Windstar
  By Johann - November 3 - 5:13 pm

  Purchased this vehicle used nearly 2 years ago, with 50,000 miles. No problems at all with this van. 20mpg, powerful engine and tows our folding camper with ease. The kids love it and we all appreciate how comfortable it is to drive, for short or long trips. Test drove the Sienna, but when we asked about its ability to tow our large folding camper, the toyota salesmen told us not to buy the Sienna. We have considered buying a new SUV, but we cant justify it. This van does everything well and costs nothing to own. Best value out there and solidly built. Way to go Ford!

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  I love this Crossover! SYNC! - 2008 Ford Edge
  By yardiegirl - November 3 - 12:26 pm

  This is just too cool! I really like the exterior design. I chose the cloth interior. Its not as soft or nice as it could be but, it looks durable and they are comfortable. I would recommend the interior/exterior insurance package if you get the cloth seats. Im loving the SYNC! It was easy to program and it downloaded phonebook from my cell in less than a minute. It was easy to plug my Ipod in and it charges. The Sirius satellite is nice but, I dont really need it. The sound system is great! The space is great. The drivers side window is auto up and down. Parking is too easy with the Reverse Sensing System. I love this crossover!