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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  Connect to Travel - 2010 Ford Transit Connect
  By moknows - September 26 - 12:43 am

  This wagon not only holds the grandkids, but all of the toys too. Built a box in the back to hold camping/travel gear. We can fold down rear seats and set up air mattress for unscheduled sleepovers.

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  fun - 2006 Ford Focus
  By otto tringle - September 24 - 1:30 pm

  The suspension is tight, and with the five speed it is very nice in traffic. Now youre not going to beat a hemi but if youre on the stick youre going to jump ahead of those not paying attention. As far as size, it is not for large people, but fits me with room.

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  Pros & Cons - 2001 Ford Focus
  By atomicbri - September 22 - 2:00 am

  My Ford Focus ZX3 is a fun to drive car. It handles excellently and has a bit of European flair in its hatchback design. I can also load all kinds of stuff in it. However the reliability is sketchy.Numerous recalls, recalls that were fixed seem to have the same problem creep up again(Battery cable was changed only to melt again). The brand new ones now come with 10/100,000 Powertrain warranty, but I wish mine had that because I think the new ones have the bugs worked out while mine still has the bugs. A shame since this car is truely a joy to drive and its versitility is great!

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  Fun to Drive - 2003 Ford Mustang
  By gkyg4567 - September 22 - 2:00 am

  After driving SUVs and sedans for over 15 years and reaching close to 40 and enjoying my Camaro in 1994, I wanted to go back to an inexpensive sport vehicle. I Love the ride and comments about my mustang and my 17 year old daughter loves to practice her driving in it also.

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  1996 GTS... Awesome Ride - 2002 Ford Mustang
  By NASCARFAN186 - September 21 - 10:00 am

  I had nothing but fun with this ride. I regret ever getting rid of it (for a truck). In the process of saving for a Saleen but, this 96 GTS was a total blast to drive... ran head-to-head with Camaro/Firebirds and just stomped all over the older "5.0s".

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  Great Car, Great Value - 1998 Ford Explorer
  By Chris 2 - September 21 - 10:00 am

  I bought my Eddie Bauer new back in 1998 over an XLT Explorer. The body styling on the Eddie Bauer is 10 times better than the XLT. I rarely see another Eddie Bauer on the road. I used to have concerns about reliability of American cars but my Explorer has never given me any problems whatsoever. There were some annoying recalls but nothing critical. Its super cheap to maintain and I love the acceleration. Sure it wont beat a Ferrari, but its fast for a car its size. I absolutly love this car except for a few things such as the gas mileage, handling on corners, and seating capacity. But overall, its a great car.

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  2001 explorer sport Z2 - 2001 Ford Explorer Sport
  By Frisco - September 20 - 2:00 am

  Great vehicle for a teenager. Not a great vehicle for a young couple.

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  Enjoy the Pony - 2004 Ford Mustang
  By Beach - September 16 - 2:00 am

  Quick off the line, too big of gap between 4th & 5th gear. Shifter could use some work. Could use nicer wheels

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  Midclass at a high class price - 2016 Ford Explorer
  By Esther - September 15 - 6:12 am

  Love the car BUT the 2016 has less standard options than my 2014 Explorer. 2014 purchase price was the same but much more luxurious drive. Im sorry we traded in the 2014 prematurely.

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  Good Deal over 2 years into it - 2002 Ford Focus
  By pastorgadget - September 12 - 10:00 am

  We bought this car as a second car then our larger oldsmobile died. It is now our primary car for our family of four. We put alot of miles on it and do alot of city driving. It has run well, only problem was with the battery cable. It handles well, as fun as it did when we first bought it. We have driven many long trips with the car and have no problems. We purchased a car top carrier from Sears and a rack to hold it from thule. That has worked great. For the money this is a great car. Would I buy another one, yep without a doubt. I love the economy of it.