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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  Fabulously Reliable - 2001 Ford Explorer Sport
  By Jared - September 2 - 2:00 am

  I bought my 2WD EX Sport 5 years ago with 70K miles. It now has 127,000. It has been a fabulously reliable vehicle-- but I do a lot of preventative maintenance on my vehicles. There are a few rattles and it rides a bit rough on bumpy roads. Only seats 4. The fabric seats look brand new. Excellent quality. Much lighter than a 4 door 4WD Explorer and is quite peppy. The silver painted finish on the console chips easily. I Average 18 MPG. 22 on the FWY. Idles a bit rough, but runs smoothly. Actually does pretty well in the snow for a 2 WD vehicle.

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  Fun to drive! - 2014 Ford Fusion
  By Bill C - August 30 - 4:34 am

  I bought my Fusion new and have owned it for close to two years (22,000 miles). Love the styling inside and out. My main complaint is activating the navigation system with voice commands. I believe it should work seamlessly like Google Maps - "..directions to 123 S Main St, CityName". Not even close. I have demoed this to friends and it is so awful to engage the navigation - it is comical. It will not accept a generic command and forces you though the questions it needs. Takes way too long and frequently does not even work. The Sync voice command interface is inconsistent as well. I average about 27.3 mpg with mostly highway commuter driving conditions. I am pleased with this given the level of performance this car delivers. The car is a bit jerky at low speeds. Seems like a transmission design issue. This is not a huge distraction, but I hope Ford addresses it in the future. Huge trunk - seats fold down easily for additional storage when needed. Love the Rudy Red paint. Get lots of compliments. Overall, I am very pleased.

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  Almost Perfect Car For The Price. - 2004 Ford Mustang
  By Ireland - August 30 - 2:00 am

  This is a great vehicle. There are definitly more pros then cons. This car is great for nicer weather. And has a great look to it. Definitly a bang for your buck. Back wheels do not grip well in rain and poor road conditions and can fish tail easily if your not careful.

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  More trips to the shop than I expected - 2002 Ford Explorer
  By DML - August 30 - 2:00 am

  In two years I have been in for service many times.Every 2 months it just wont start until the 3rd time and has even died while in drive a couple times-no fix yet,had the A/C blender replaced-it was either really hot or cold,backdoor child lock was stuck on lock-couldnÂ’t get out from inside- replaced,rear window motor went out (maybe used 10 times)-replaced, and I just had the half shaft replaced.I buy new to avoid trips to the mechanic, but that really has not worked this time.

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  ford escape - 2004 Ford Escape
  By aperr - August 30 - 2:00 am

  Easy to drive Plenty of room for me,wife,two kids,stuff Good acceleration Good braking Rear seats confortable Front seats very stiff feeling More control knobs should be lighted Gear shift is awkward Overall, would recommend

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  great hauler - 2004 Ford F-150
  By j oberbroeckling - August 30 - 2:00 am

  good truck,looks good,rides alittle ruff on bumpie roads & with the 4-11 rear end gets poor gas milelage[12-15]

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  real performer - 2003 Ford Focus
  By inahurry - August 30 - 2:00 am

  The SVT Focus is a true performance car (see stats in Consumer Reports, which say, among other things, that the SVT is about equal to a Porche 911 with respect to its handling). Ford makes available lots of great extras that others dont, at least for the price (HID headlamps, audiophile sound, heated seats, etc.). I still think, like the other reviews, that more low end power is ironically missing. Still, the car is very, very well balanced and responsive. The 6-speed transmission is nice.

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  impressions of the explorer - 2004 Ford Explorer
  By A plan jim - August 30 - 2:00 am

  test drove previous model, did not like the choppy ride. test drove current XLT and Eddie Bauer in current model thorougly impressed with Eddie Bauer compared with a fleet managers limited explorer. A plan pricing drove me to the new vehicle. I love the vehicle, no problems on the mountain, love the ride and ambiance of the vehicle considerably better looking than the Chevy Trailblazer and roomier than the 4runner. Wife has since appropriated the Explorer for herself.

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  Its.....all right. - 2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By bobs66 - August 28 - 11:10 pm

  This is a great truck/SUVcombo for the single person. When you add in two kids and two car seats, you run out of room very quickly.

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  Found - 2008 Ford Taurus X
  By Randy - August 28 - 10:16 pm

  I heard the Taurus was back. It is one sweet ride! The engine has good power & the ride is comfortable. A bit heavy on fuel, but it is a heavy vehicle. One pet peeve: The keypad mastercode is NOT user changable! It is permanent! Protect this code or one may face a security risk. Even if you program another code, the master code still works. Thieves may not be able to steal your car, but can steal what ever is inside. Ford needs to make the mastercode user changable and resetable in the event one forgets the programmed master code. You can change the module to get another code, but it costs around $700 cdn.