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:

• 

  01 Ranger - 2001 Ford Ranger
  By Juszkiewicz - June 8 - 10:01 am

  Purchased used as a daily driver for a migrant hi-tech worker. Reliable as rain in Seattle winter. Pushing 78-80K by end of 2008. No unscheduled repairs, 17.3 mpg overall in mixed driving in Chiago area including many winter days in 4x4 High Mode. Highway mileage > 21 MPG. Comfortable cab, roomy for 2 with extened cab for vacation drives. Definitely purchase another. Recommend to others. Not a sophisticated vehicle by any means but reliabale and robust.

• 

  Family and Forceful car - 1999 Ford Taurus
  By ABmoc2 - June 8 - 10:00 am

  Fords best Taurus. Love the engine sounds.

• 

  Fun in the Sun - 2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By ReefDiver - June 8 - 10:00 am

  Overall I love my Sport Trac, I use it for kayak diving which is very gear intensive and, as you can imagine, wet and sandy. The bed allows me to keep the dirty things out back while my leather interior doesnt have to deal with any of it. If I had one complaint it would be fuel economy but I knew I wasnt buying a Honda

• 

  Loyal to Ford but Crossed Over - 2008 Ford Edge
  By Dennis Orzo - June 8 - 9:25 am

  Im sorry I crossed over from a Mountaineer. The Edge cant compare and suffers from numerous areas of poor engineering. Fuel injectors and exhaust make great deal of noise. Cant drive with windows open above 30 MPH. Extreme wind noise from vista roof diffuser. Constantly hunting for lower gears at highway speed an hangs on upshift. Breaking and gas mileage are both poor. Water builds up under tail light lenses and fills the area behind the high break light. Could also benefit by having some tie downs in cargo area. AC vents dont direct air high enough to clear heat from the ceiling. Suggest you test drive at highway speeds before purchase.

• 

  Not Nearly As Good As Expected - 2005 Ford Explorer
  By michaela - June 8 - 8:28 am

  Traded in a 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo that is sorely missed, for the Explorer in 2006. Instantly regretted the decision. The Explorer is not as comfortable or fun to drive. The gas mileage is worse. There is an electrical problem with the lights that the dealer cannot figure out. The dash cannot be fully lit without the "open door" warning coming on. Now, the rear left window has seized in the down position on a Friday night. It is impossible to manually put the window up, so it cannot be secured until Monday! I miss my Jeep!

• 

  way to go Ford - 2012 Ford Focus
  By aenigmatic - June 8 - 6:41 am

  I have recently purchased my first domestic auto (other than my moms buick I had in HS) in this new Focus and I am really impressed. There are so many features it is easier to ask what it doesnt have than what it does have. More importantly, these features work well, all the way down to the rain-sensing wipers (!). The steering is responsive, the engine sounds great, and the fuel efficiency is best of breed. I have owned VW, Honda, Acura, Toyota, Nissan, Saab, BMW and Buick. I can truthfully say that this is the nicest car I have ever had, and no one will ever accuse me of being a snob for driving it.

• 

  A lot of bang for the money - 2002 Ford Mustang
  By Brian - June 8 - 12:11 am

  I purchased my 2002 GT in March of 2007 after waiting many years to be able to afford one. This car is a real head turner in Laser Red with the factory 5 spoke aluminum rims. I have upgraded the exhaust with a set of Flowmaster 40s (mufflers) and the intake with a K&N cold air intake. Both aftermarket options cost about $500 installed and completely changed the car and woke it up. Would recommend these ad-ons to anyone. A real fun dependable fuel efficient car for the money. I bought the car with 49,000 miles on it and now have 57,000 and I have done nothing but change the oil and put rear brake pads on it.

• 

  Great Truck! - 2002 Ford Ranger
  By Jack - June 7 - 10:00 pm

  I have had this truck for 5 years and have had no problems. Runs great. The mileage could be better, but isnt bad considering the 4.0l motor.

• 

  Horrible tires - 2007 Ford Focus
  By j - June 7 - 9:45 pm

  It is a nice car that has a few glitches. The car has a prolonged start on occasion and losses power when the air conditioner is running. The car is fun to drive, however, the pirelli tires didnt last for very long. I had to replace the tires after 9 months of owning the car and it only had 19,000 miles on it. Ford didnt stand behind the quality of the tires and I had to spend 460 for new tires on a fairly new car!

• 

  Fun to drive, but not solidly built. - 2002 Ford Focus
  By BelleCat - June 7 - 8:07 pm

  I purchased this car 2 years old, and was blown away by the power and performance of this little gem compared to the Kia Rio that I had just test driven. The handling is superb its just so much fun to drive! The size of the car is really deceiving from the outside. I have moved a 6 ft countertop in this thing! Im a little disappointed with some of the repairs I had to do: O2 sensor, new tires (60K mile warranty, ha!), completely new brakes down to the rotors. It is now in the shop again because the acceleration died last week. The carpet is also pulling away from the trim and the rubber seals around both front doors have cracked and are coming loose. Still, not bad for 6 years old!