Describing the Ford Motor Company as a fixture of the American automotive scene would be an understatement. Ford essentially invented the mass-produced automobile with the world’s first moving assembly line. One of America’s greatest automotive icons, the Mustang, is a Ford. America’s perennial best-selling vehicle for nearly 40 years running, the F-150 pickup, is a Ford. American engines have powered 13 Formula 1 championships and six outright wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race… and all of them were Fords.
The American automotive industry is currently undergoing massive changes — and so, consequently, is the Ford Motor Company. It is reorienting toward a future as a multifaceted mobility and tech firm, yet in the here and now, the Blue Oval has shorn its model tree of nearly everything but trucks and SUVs in search of present-day profitability.
So if you’re shopping for one today, what’s the best Ford vehicle to buy? It depends on what you’re looking for…and maybe whether you’re willing to wait for the Mustang Mach-E or the new Bronco. Here’s a quick, helpful guide to help you figure out what you need.
Want the best performance value? Get a Mustang GT
You can find greater precision and refinement in a sports car than the Ford Mustang has to offer, but the car has made major strides in recent years — so it’s nearly impossible to beat the Mustang GT as a value proposition. Ford will give you a 460-horsepower V8 and a six-speed manual transmission with which to wield it for less than $40,000. (Those with some extra cash to spend may wish to level up to the Bullitt edition, however.)
