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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  Driving an SUV - 2005 Ford Escape
  By Violet Brooks - October 16 - 5:16 am

  I like the size of the SUV, the gas mileage and it is SO MUCH fun to drive

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  SVT time - 2001 Ford Mustang
  By cobraetti - October 15 - 8:35 pm

  I have owned one for over a year and am pleased. They are "finiky" and require a close eye (oil level) but seem to have a solid base. I am proud to be one of the few SVT owners! andrew

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  Great performance - 2007 Ford Escape
  By Grizzly - October 15 - 7:39 pm

  I run a fleet of Ford SUVs. I just bought numbers 14-15-16 of the Ford Escape in the last 6 yrs. I put about 100,000 miles a yr on my cars & run them 3 yrs before I trade them in. And the Escape performance and quality is 2nd to none. I also have 2 Ford Expeditions, also very reliable vehicles, however for the price differance & fuel mileage differance I rather the Escape. Have very minimal amount of "shop time" on them considering the amount of miles I put on my vehicles. So most definitely 2 thumbs up.

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  2004 E-350 has been built F-Tuf - 2004 Ford Econoline Wagon
  By russ evans - October 15 - 2:33 am

  The 04 E-350 is the perfect family lodge-on-rubber. For long trips, it is spacious and RVish. Plenty of power, great driver visibility, decent interstate mpg (18) and stout as a...well a Ford truck! No pot hole can hurt it, and its only refinement could be softer seats. Godspeed to the Ford Motor Co. for sticking with (forever, it seems) such a timeless, supertuff and trustworthy giant. I love my friendly Ford.

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  Id do it again - 2002 Ford Focus
  By In a ZTS - October 14 - 8:13 pm

  I bought my car new in 2002 and Id do it again. It has pep and rides and drives great. The controls are easy to operate and the overall comfort is nice on trips. The few minor issues were corrected within warranty. Maintenance has been easy and thats a lot said at 100K miles. I have considered trading recently, but with the economy being so volatile I am quite comfortable staying in my Focus. I have every confidence in it getting me where I need to go. The mileage is OK: 26 average in town and 29- 31 on the hwy. Ive had 2 fairly major accidents and feel confident in the safety of the car.

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  Great fast car - 2007 Ford Mustang
  By luckydawg003 - October 14 - 4:21 pm

  I bought my GT back in 07. After adding some mods to it, like a cold air intake and a tune. It is truly a fast car. I ran a best of a 13.6 at 103mph in the 1/4 mile track. I get horrible gas mileage, about 14-16mpg. Mostly city driving, and I race my car everywhere. Its just to fun, not to speed in this car. Ive had a lot of good races, and smoked a lot of fast cars. The only thing that is bad is the resale value of this car. I prob. lost $10k if I tried to trade it in today. But it has a great exterior, and the interior is nice to.

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  Great Kid Car - 2002 Ford Escape
  By MIKEH - October 14 - 12:36 pm

  I bought a fully loaded all Black XLT as my daughters first car. The car had 60K miles, and had one owner who obviously took good care of it. My daughter loves her first car and I feel secure that she has some size around her. While the gas mileage isnt great it is far from awful (about 18mpg). We havent had any issues with the car. Bottom line, no complaints from either of us.

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  2005 Ford Five Hundred Limited, FWD - 2005 Ford Five Hundred
  By KPG - October 14 - 11:40 am

  I have had the Five Hundred for about a month and have 4500 miles on it so far. I have found it to be a very comfortable road car with many creature comforts. I travel 25-30k per year for work and the Five Hundred is a good looking sedan with TONS of room in the rear seat and trunk.

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  Disappointed overall - 1999 Ford Explorer
  By Ex-explorer owner - October 14 - 10:00 am

  Bought this vehicle with 9,800 miles on it at the end of the model year. It has had six recalls including Firestone tires, faulty airbag wire harness, faulty wiper wiring (wipers would turn on without warning), and two reprogrammings of control modules. Ford had to replace lower front ball- joints at 28,000 mi. under warranty. Fuel system sensor went out at 37,000 miles (car cut-off repeatedly at road speed) and Ford would not cover that. Combined with poor gas mileage in town, this is a TERRIBLE vehicle. Consumer Reports rates the 1999 Explorer as Do Not Buy because of reliability problems.

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  Excellent redesign - 2003 Ford Expedition
  By paulb - October 14 - 10:00 am

  As close you are going to get to a luxury sedan ride in an SUV. The independant rear suspension really helps the handling and ride along with allowing them to come up with best designed third row seat in any SUV. I owned a Durango previously and once my son grew over 4.5 feet he outgrew "his" 3rd row, which was an innovation at that time. After the first year Ford should put some more thought into the interior features. Have not tested the off road performance...yet.