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:

• 

  Its a spunky car!!!!!!!!!! - 2004 Ford Mustang
  By spunkywoman - June 10 - 2:00 am

  The mustange appeals to people of all ages. There is nothing like feeling the wind in your face as your traveling along .....with the top down I love the way the mustang handles and the turn ratio is great.Everything is at my finger tips and I love the trunk button.With the rise in gas prices Im happy its better on fuel than my suv......I drive in Florida during the winter months so I have no idea how it is in snow. The weakness is the small back seat ......but its perfect for shopping bags...... hubby bought it for my 55th birthday.....In that car nobody would ever guess my age

• 

  Awesome performance, great price - 2005 Ford Escape
  By djrobsd - June 10 - 2:00 am

  I love driving my escape. As a former Mustang GT Convertable owner, I didnt think the Escape would live up to my expectations. However, I recently took up skiing and got a dog, so the Mustang didnt meet my needs any more. I miss it, but I love my little Escape. When you step on the accelerator, it MOVES! And it passes with ease. The transmission shifts smoothly and responsively. I think it goes 0-60 in 8 seconds flat which is NOT BAD for an SUV! Cargo room is plentiful and the Escape is a solid and reliable vehicle for the money. So far after 13,000 miles, the car has been reliable with no defects or problems.

• 

  Ford SportTrac - 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By Rocco - June 10 - 2:00 am

  This truck is a well built vehicle. Im impressed with the environment and radio controls in the front and rear. The dual headphone connections in the rear cab was an excellent idea that my kids use (thank God!).

• 

  Love my Probe - 1997 Ford Probe
  By Sharona - June 9 - 11:27 pm

  I find my car very reliable, awesome merging onto the freeway, tons of power, easy to handle. Looks hot, too. The squealer for the brakes is giving me problems, and the brakes are new. The air bag light comes on, but the previous owner said it was an issue with the fuses. Have to look into that. The stereo system, (Alpine), rocks! I was surprised how good it is on gas, especially out on the highway, as my son would say, lots of onions.

• 

  Fuel Economy - 1995 Ford Bronco
  By sdt - June 9 - 8:23 pm

  Excellent Vehicle. Fuel economy can be maximized, (slowing down) sweet spot on mine 62 mph on cruise control. 25-30mpg on highway.Getting children in/out not easy, but their being secured in a larger vehicle is an acceptable tradeoff.

• 

  Great truck - 2004 Ford F-150
  By Anthony - June 9 - 7:13 pm

  This truck is a real pleasure to drive and I would recommend it to any one. Its a very solid truck that rides nice and handles very well.

• 

  Better than my Crown Vic - 2008 Ford Taurus
  By CSS - June 9 - 6:24 pm

  This car replaced a 2002 performance package Crown vVc - and is the only car we liked when shopping for a new car. It drives like a much larger car and feels like a rear wheel drive car. We dislike front wheel drive torque steer common in so many of todays cars. The Taurus has none of that and has great road manners. I know its not the fastest, or the sportiest, but it represents great a great balance of comfort, performance, utility and economy. To me that is the mark of a great car. This is a great car!

• 

  03 V6 - 2003 Ford Mustang
  By lilbit205 - June 9 - 5:31 pm

  I bought this Mustang in 07. So far it has not given me any major problems. I really enjoy driving it. Its fun, stylish, and gets pretty good gas mileage.

• 

  Need more Bullitt Reviews - 2008 Ford Mustang
  By 08-Bullitt - June 9 - 2:52 pm

  The limited edition/build 2008 Bullitt Mustang is loaded with fun! this car has great acceleration thanks to the 3.73 gears although it effects your mileage. Ive been averaging about 17 mpg even though I put my foot into it with regularity. Another nice thing in this day of high gas prices is that the vehicle runs on either premium or regular unleaded. With regular unleaded, you supposedly lose a little torque, but I can tell you that you dont notice it. A good compromise is the plus grade if available.

• 

  Great - 2005 Ford Focus
  By Jim Van Damme - June 9 - 11:38 am

  Automatic tranny, gets 32 MPG in mixed driving, plummets to 28 MPG in winter. OK, its only 3 years old, but so far totally reliable. Once in a great while I get some rough idle and I checked it with my DRB tester & it says its the airflow sensor but it always resets. Bought used, probably traded because there was a big air leak into the bottom of the windshield. Some caulk cured that. Trunk lid doesnt fit well.