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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  Whats Mineral Grey? - 2005 Ford Mustang
  By G MANS 99 - July 19 - 7:20 am

  This is my second Mustang, and I hope it this one last forever! I traded my 99 v6 for a used 05 GT with 11K miles. I love the 300hp engine on the highway, it just begs to go faster! The growling exhaust noise lets others know to get outta way. Once you hit 60 mph, the growl goes away, but youll hardly notice as you fly by others with ease. Shaker 500 is loud enough, My Color with trip computer is a nice guy toy to have. Leather seats & interior are fantastic. Car has a lean forward stance that makes it look like the rear end might be jacked up a little. Looks like there will be hundreds of ways to customize your Stang. Ford seems to have got this makeover right!

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  2002 Ford Explorer - 2002 Ford Explorer
  By john - July 18 - 10:23 am

  We owned several Explorers before the 2002 but this was by far the best handling and with the small V-8 had all the power we needed. The V-8 was less noisy than the high revving V-6 and was not much worse for mileage. The Explorer has plenty of headroom and the interior design is very user friendly.

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  best bang - 2003 Ford Mustang
  By cobra - July 17 - 2:00 am

  You cant buy a faster machine for less money. You cant find a machine with as much hidden potential for twice the price. Mine has 375 hp at rear wheels totally stock. Thats approximatly 440 hp at the flywheel. Add a chip and a smaller blower pulley with a cat back exhaust and a cool air intake kit (less than $1000 bucks if you do it yourself), and 475 hp at the rear wheels is easy.

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  darn good so far - 2005 Ford Focus
  By Joe Blow - July 13 - 10:30 pm

  Just bought this car a few days ago and I am impressed with the ride and handling. Great price with rebates. Ford employee pricing $17,600 Canadian. Not getting great mileage yet but will see when engine gets broken in. Love interior space and a lot of bang for the buck. Civic and Corolla cant match price and financing rates are twice as high. Figured with rebates and financing costs the Focus was about $5500 cheaper than Civic or Corolla.

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  big blue toy - 2014 Ford Shelby GT500
  By dan_patterson - July 12 - 1:49 pm

  I got my GT500 a few days ago and have driven it all of 45 miles so far. Im a big guy and I was worried that the Recaros might pinch, but they dont. Still getting used to the shifter/clutch and being very gentle with the loud pedal. Shifter has a fair amount of mechanical resistance. Ride is very stiff, even with the Bilsteins on the soft setting- havent played with the driver-assist controls yet. On the freeway, its just waking up at 75 mph.

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  Beautiful Car For Its Day - 2012 Ford Mustang
  By I Love My Stang - July 12 - 7:49 am

  The car in white, immaculately detailed, with its classic lines made for a head turned all the five years I owned it. Great for straight line runs, mediocre handling in the curves, wonderful exhaust note. Good all around gas mileage around town and better on the highway. Stock Michelin tires prone to blowout at highway speeds (2 in under 23K miles) and gave good traction in wet conditions. Wonderful brakes. Speed limited at 112 MPH. Not the best as far as reliability with throttle body replacement at 20K miles, complete HVAC under-dash replacement at 18K miles, and front lower control arms went bad at 16K miles. This is an old school car that is lovely and fun to drive. It doesnt compare well to the next generation that replaces it as they are entirely different animals.

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  Ford home run - 2006 Ford Fusion
  By was - July 11 - 10:36 pm

  I enjoy driving this auto; it is very stylish and performs very well. It gets excellent fuel economy and has a roomy well designed interior.

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  A Fun Vehicle - 2003 Ford Mustang
  By JaycenRose - July 11 - 10:00 am

  I totally love my car! It is a convertible and I use it all the time since I live in Southern CA. It handles really well and I enjoy the six CD disc changer.

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  good and bad - 2000 Ford Focus
  By Ed Anderson - July 11 - 10:00 am

  I purchased the car in 2000 april.I first was impressed by the inside room, me being a big guy. It was also quick and handled nicely. Even through the recalls and minor problems, I was very happy with this car, until I started having rotor and brake trouble. The first failure was at 18000 miles and again (now) at 26000 miles. I have to admit I have been looking for a little bigger auto, But not a ford.

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  Rides Like an SUV - 2001 Ford Explorer Sport
  By MattP - July 11 - 10:00 am

  I had read some previous reviews on the site, and I feel they are somewhat inacurate. This car is not a Grand Cherokee or an Expedition, as reflected by its selling price. This is a 2 door SUV with a strong engine, extremely capable transmission, and the ride of a SUV. I dont think Ford ever designed this car to ride like a sedan. Having had mine for seven months now, I am very pleased with its performance.