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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  Base Ranger, Great Value - 2002 Ford Ranger
  By CA Ranger - October 28 - 10:00 am

  2002 base Ranger a GREAT value. $8,988 sale price at Hayward Ford, Hayward CA ($13,175 sticker - 1,600 dealer discount -2,500 Ford rebate) $10,150 out the door. If its reliable, should be a good deal.

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  the beast - 2005 Ford Focus
  By bryan - October 27 - 4:20 am

  Over all I love this car. ItÂ’s faster than I thought great on gas. DonÂ’t know about more than 2 people as I always drive alone.

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  explorer vs. escape - 2004 Ford Explorer
  By Jarl Peltonen - October 24 - 10:00 am

  I recently traded a 2002 Escape for the Explorer XLS. My initial impressions were for the added cargo space and handling. The 2004 Explorer has improved handling with a little swaying in turns, but overall much improved. The blind spots are almost non existent due to the door pillar being further back. The cabin is quiet at high speeds vs. the Escape which was very noisy. For the price this is a perfect vehicle for my needs.

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  review - 2004 Ford Explorer
  By chipaplo - October 19 - 10:00 am

  i like it a lot.

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  Still a great SUV - 2004 Ford Expedition
  By roonie young - October 19 - 10:00 am

  Been driving Expeditions for 7 yrs. great product, great reliability. I will definately buy another one when the time comes. Tride and true Ford product!

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  Performance - 2004 Ford F-150
  By Michael - October 14 - 5:06 pm

  My FX4 has the 5.4 motor and 373 rear end. Its a real slug from a standing start. Does anyone else have a similar complaint? I have a 1998 F-150 with the 5.4 motor (2 wheel drive) and it has much better pick up. I only have 400 miles on the truck. Im going to go by and talk to the service dept where I purchsed it to see if there is something wrong with my truck.

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  WALLET - 2007 Ford F-150
  By jks - October 13 - 8:53 pm

  Now that I own the 5.4 liter, FLEX FUEL VEHICLE, F-150 4x4, I am realizing a very poor "gasoline" fuel economy of about 10 MPG highway which is much less than the 18 MPG that was posted on the window sticker. E85 is much worse. The non-adjustable seat bottom revealed itself as a rear end problem after the first 200 miles. I am not sure what the engineers at Ford were thinking when an adjustable seat bottom was not added to the lower lines of pickups. I would have been happy with even a manual adjustment. I dont think that these problems are going to disappear as my wallet gets much thinner.

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  From C5 vette fo 05 Explorer - 2005 Ford Explorer
  By pathfinder - October 11 - 6:56 pm

  Living in the Texas Hill Country made driving my C 5 Corvette a lot of fun, but I got tired of being surrounded by huge SUVs and pickups. A base Explorer seemed to be the safe, not too big and not too expensive, choice. Making an SUV attractive is sort of like putting earrings on a hog. You can only hide so much ugly, but Ford did a commendable job with the Explorer.

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  Big, Roomy and feels like it - 2003 Ford Expedition
  By Spyglass - October 10 - 2:00 am

  Admitted Ford fan with a strong bias towards Ford products. Though not the strongest engine (5.4) on the market, still very competent and solid performer. I own a 2000 F-150 and am amazed how much better the turning radius is on the Eddie Bauer Expedition. Sound system is superb. Heated and air conditioned seats give a new meaning to comfort. Appears to be well built with not a single problem found in the first 4 months (knock on wood).

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  Taurus X - good car but - 2009 Ford Taurus X
  By Rae - October 7 - 8:13 am

  Feels solid, comfortable, flexible, enough muscle for family care, very safe, fair mileage (18 mpg), nice ride, low wide stance very attractive. Found reliability problems with battery dying, trans computer malfunctioned disconnected trans while running, front end strut connectors poor quality. Been driving Fords since early 70s. Not as reliable now. Wish Ford focused on reliability longevity and had more comfortable steering wheel (bigger diameter please with thinner ring).