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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  Mustang LX 5.0 - 1990 Ford Mustang
  By rm2285 - March 25 - 2:00 am

  Excellent vehicle. Very fun to drive. Well built, pretty fast.

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  great truck - 2005 Ford F-150
  By jasen - March 24 - 3:16 pm

  This is my first truck to own out of college and I love it. My family has owned F-150s for all my life and this is the best yet. Best looking truck inside and out. My dad bought a new Nissan Titan; great truck also, but the interior quality of my Ford is way better. Other than engine performance, Ford rules the truck world. (5.4L is a very reliable engine)

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  WONDERFUL THUNDERBIRD, EXCEPT TRANS. - 1994 Ford Thunderbird
  By JOE SACK - March 24 - 2:00 am

  LOVE THE CAR BUT HAVE WORRIED ABOUT TRANSMISSION SINCE 60000 MILES. FORD DEALER SAYS IT IS FINE. MANY REPORTS ON INTERNET ABOUT TRANSMISSION DEFECTS. I JUST CHANGE FLUID EVERY 30000 MILES AND IT IS STILL GOING AT 107000. NOT GETTING ANY WORSE.

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  97 SHO Hi Mileage - 1997 Ford Taurus
  By donmont - March 24 - 2:00 am

  After 4 1/2 years I still love this car. It runs great, is decent on gas and performs way better than a standard Taurus. Regular maintenance keeps it running well with 110K miles and no end in sight.

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  1995 aspire - 1995 Ford Aspire
  By joe kossuth - March 24 - 2:00 am

  we bought this aspire new in summer of 1995 for about 10k. we have now driven it for 7 years and has been the most reliable and trouble free car we have ever owned (owned about 20 cars over 30 years). the only thing that went wrong with it has been the water pump which needed to be replaced twice. the dealership-installed airconditioning needed repair also. other than that we only did maintenance on the car. no rust at all, engine oil usage is minimal, temp gauge never goes above normal and we live in the desert southwest. our next car will be a kia for sure (aspire built by kia). we absolutely loved this car and plan on keeping it until it dies.

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  GOOD CAR IF YOU HAVE SIMPLE TASTES - 1995 Ford Contour
  By RPM - March 23 - 8:17 pm

  I PURCHASED MY 95 CONTOUR LX IN OCTOBER 01 WITH 60,000 MILES ON IT. BEST CAR IN THE NEVER LET YOU DOWN CATERGORY, I HAVE SINCE JUST CHANGED THE OIL, TIRES,BRAKES,YOU KNOW NORMAL THINGS. THE CAR NOW HAS 81,000 MILES ON IT AND STARTED IN SUB-ZERO TEMPS WHEN OUR 95 ACCORD WITH THE SAME MILES JUST CRANKED I FOUND THAT TO BE FUNNY, (NOT MY WIFE THOUGH). VERY SMOOOOOOTH ENGIN ITS A V6.

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  Fun with UNCOMFORTABLE SEATS - 2002 Ford Escort
  By d57 - March 23 - 2:00 am

  Overall a good buy, a nice balance of performance and economy for the dollar. The seats are miserably uncomfortable (way too soft, like sitting on a sponge)... I had to remove the 2002 seats and replace them with the seats from my old 1995 Escort...

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  Worth the money - 2002 Ford Explorer
  By firsttimeford - March 23 - 2:00 am

  I bought mine when they first came out around 7/01. Have 20K miles on it now. At first, there were many squeeks and rattles around the drivers door. Dealership "fixed" 7 times. Theyve gone away now. Comfortable ride and good handling. V6 adequete. Likes to shift to 5th gear too easily. Worth a test drive. Paid 26100 for XLT Leather, third row, V6, premium sound.

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  Good - 2000 Ford F-150
  By redneckhunter122 - March 23 - 2:00 am

  IT is very good. IT took me everywhere i needed to go. All around it is a very good automobile.

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  Best buy for the money - 2003 Ford Ranger
  By MyFirstFord - March 23 - 2:00 am

  I have only had this truck 3 months, but I have put almost 10Kmiles on it already, and no problems. I was looking for some cheap transportation, and I needed a truck. I got a good deal on a brand new Base Ranger XL (no options) for $8,890. For what I paid for this truck, it has so far out performed all my expectations. Great gas mileage with the 4cylinder, not fast, but goes pretty good. I really have nothing bad to say yet. If I had paid $20K for this truck I would be a little upset, but I would say this is the best Bang for the buck I could have gotten as long as I dont have future problems down the line.