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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  93 GT - 1993 Ford Mustang
  By demonspeed - April 1 - 2:00 am

  I bought my 93 GT with 77K miles after I sold my 89 Camaro IROC-Z. Stock, the Mustang was on par with my Camaro, but with the 5 speed, and now with a few basic bolt-ons, there is no doubt it would better it. The gears are pretty close, which makes driving very fun, although top end isnt near the Camaro. Braking is behind as well, with rear drums, and the suspension is a bit sloppy with excessive roll. The only bad things IÂ’ve dealt with in the 7K miles IÂ’ve owned this, is that the sunroof leaks a bit and it seems to be leaking oil down near the crank pulley, but with 84K miles on a car such as this, I find these problems to be bearable.

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  FAST and FUN - 1993 Ford Taurus
  By jasarisi - April 1 - 2:00 am

  I owned a 1993 Ford Taurus SHO white with matching white wheels and tan leather interior. This was my dream car! It has excellent design, an extremely powerful Yamaha 220hp engine that screams. A very fun to drive car. Its only downfall is reliability. I spent thosands in repairs on it, but every dime was worth it. This is an excellent car if your preferences are speed, looks, and fun. Your relationship with this car is a love/hate. You love it but curse after the multiple repair bills. This is an awesome car--but buy it when you have a full wallet!!!

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  Im glad I didnt pay for this - 2007 Ford Five Hundred
  By Kris - March 31 - 8:30 am

  I am an insurance adjuster and this is my company car and I drive it hard. I currently have about 67000 miles on it and have had numerous problems with it mechanically. At 30K the trans began shifting hard, took it to the dealer and had the throttlebody replaced. At 50K the steering was loose and was pulling hard, had the left lower ball joint (which only came with the control arm) and the steering gear replaced. At 65K the same trans problem and they again replaced the throttlebody. Another adjuster has had similar problems with the steering/suspension. Also, 3.0 is not that powerful. You might have better luck as an everyday commuter instead of a workhorse like me.

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  Dr. Tooths Review - 1993 Ford Taurus
  By drtooth - March 31 - 2:00 am

  This car has plenty of power and the 5spd tranny is real fun to drive. The car supposedly has a sport suspension, but the heavy weight of the vehicle makes it far from sports car handling. Its fast and comfortable but a pain to do any work yourself on the car and very expensive to fix.

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  Still luv it... - 2002 Ford Expedition
  By Glen&Deb - March 31 - 2:00 am

  We had a 97 XLT Expedition and liked it so much that we got an 02 Eddie Bauer. The kids love the rear entertainment center for movies and PS2 games. The leather is attractive and comfortable and just like our prior model, we plan to drive across country. The reverse sensors have helped my wife tremendously in parking lots also. I do however think the 03 model is beautiful and wish we had waited.

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  Good car / Bad manufacturer - 2003 Ford Explorer
  By First Ford - March 30 - 10:00 am

  Brand new explorder-EB -> Good looking and smooth acceleration -> Having 3rd row seat is good but, when folded, it doesnt go flat -> When seats are folded, youll need cargo organizer. There are a lot of small holes. -> Expect a few trips to dealer to get the car manufacturing done. They dont seem to finish it at the factory.

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  1998 Contour SE - 1998 Ford Contour
  By Fixxer - March 30 - 2:00 am

  I have owned this car for a since Feb. 2002, and its been reliable and fun to drive. This contour has the 2.5 V6, which is a fast, high-performance engine. Handles well, brakes great and most of all, it passes cars on the freeway with ease.

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  94 Taurus GL Sedan - 1994 Ford Taurus
  By Philip - March 30 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car a while back because we needed a cheap second car for the daily commute. While it is cheaper than similar vehicles of other brands that are about this old, it is definitely not cheap to maintain. Repair bills in 6 months have been about equal to the purchase price, although I fear this may in part have to do with the previous owner not maintaining the car as he should have (still had original heater hoses on it - at 140,000 miles). Nevertheless, I think the car is still good value for the money, and gets me from A to B in a fairly comfortable manner.

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  108K and Still going strong - 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid
  By jas74 - March 29 - 4:15 pm

  I purchased my 2009 escape hybrid from my company fleet department. It was driven by a colleague of mine for 99K. I took it to Ford for the 100k service, all it needed was spark plugs, cabin filters and Oil Change! Are you kidding me? She said the hybrids have less wear and tear than a normal ICE (Internal Combustion Engine). Yeah the handling and performance is not of a BMW X5, but how about that reliability! and 33-35MPG that I get consistently. Oh and the 100k service $400 bucks at the dealer. Not bad

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  Poor Gas Mileage - 2005 Ford Escape
  By Mike - March 29 - 10:46 am

  This vehicle has great comfort and exterior style. I find it hard to believe that FORD could not design this vehicle with better gas mileage. I am only getting 20 miles per gallon either in city or highway. This perhaps would lead me to a foreign vehicle for next purchase. FORD can do better. I come from a FORD family, and do enjoy this vehicle, but am utterly concerned with the gas mileage.