2008 Ford Models

Ford says 80 percent of consumers recognize the Taurus nameplate, but only 40 percent have heard of the Five Hundred, making the full-size sedan a tough sell. Rather than pour millions of dollars into raising awareness, Ford chose to resurrect the bygone Taurus nameplate and put it on the freshened 2008 Five Hundred.  

For 2008, Ford has dumped several of its slow-selling monikers, hoping fresh faces and new (old) names will revive sales. The Five Hundred sedan and its Mercury Montego twin become the Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable, respectively, while the Freestyle wagon becomes the Taurus X. Although the names recall famous, and top-selling, Fords of yesteryear, all three are essentially freshened versions of their predecessors. 

In its first significant refresh since its 2001 debut, the Ford Escape compact SUV receives some styling changes, inside and out, plus a quieter cabin for 2008. The drivetrains, including that of the Escape Hybrid, remain the same. 

The Ford Escape Hybrid compact SUV receives some styling changes, inside and out, plus a quieter cabin for 2008. The drivetrain remains the same.  

Ford's popular Focus compact car has been spruced up for 2008 with new styling inside and out. A new two-door coupe has been added to the lineup, too, but only the coupe and sedan models will be available for 2008. Available in base SE or uplevel SEL trim levels, the Focus arrives this fall. 

For 2008, the E-Series receives new front-end styling similar to Ford's full-size SuperDuty trucks, with a large front grille and squared-off highlights. The E-Series is available as a passenger wagon that can carry up to 15 people, and there's a commercial van version that offers up to 275 cubic feet of cargo space. 

For 2008, the E-Series receives new front-end styling similar to Ford's full-size SuperDuty trucks, with a large front grille and squared-off highlights. The E-Series is available as a passenger wagon that can carry up to 15 people, and there's a commercial van version that offers up to 275 cubic feet of cargo space. 

For 2008, the E-Series receives new front-end styling similar to Ford's full-size SuperDuty trucks, with a large front grille and squared-off highlights. The E-Series is available as a passenger wagon that can carry up to 15 people, and there's a commercial van version that offers up to 275 cubic feet of cargo space. 

Now entering its second year, the Ford Edge five-seat crossover has the tough look of a sport utility vehicle but is based on a car platform, bringing many advantages compared to the conventional truck-based design. Mechanically, the Edge is unchanged from 2007, but it adds a new top trim level, the Limited, to the existing SE and SEL trims, and there are four new paint colors to choose from. 

Substantially restyled for 2007, the Expedition changes little for 2008, adding a new top trim level and a number of standard and optional features, including a rearview camera. Last sold in 2006, a King Ranch version comes back for 2008 and takes the top slot from the Expedition Limited. An extra $1,940 gets you mostly cosmetic changes inside and outside. The XLT, Eddie Bauer and Limited trim levels continue. The longer version of the Expedition, the Expedition EL, has 21 percent more cargo room than the standard Expedition. 

Substantially restyled for 2007, the Expedition changes little for 2008, adding a new top trim level and a number of standard and optional features, including a rearview camera. Last sold in 2006, a King Ranch version comes back for 2008 and takes the top slot from the Expedition Limited. An extra $1,940 gets you mostly cosmetic changes inside and outside. The XLT, Eddie Bauer and Limited trim levels continue. The longer version of the Expedition, the Expedition EL, has 21 percent more cargo room than the standard Expedition. 

Ford adds standard side curtain airbags and its new voice-activated multimedia system, Sync, to its midsize Explorer SUV for 2008. There are three trim levels: XLT, Eddie Bauer and Limited. The Explorer competes with the Chevrolet TrailBlazer, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Nissan Pathfinder. 

The Explorer Sport Trac SUV/pickup crossover expanded Ford's Explorer lineup and brought a fresh face to the company's best-selling SUV when it debuted for 2001. It got larger dimensions, more safety features and an available V-8 engine in a 2007 redesign, and for 2008 the Explorer Sport Trac gains standard side curtain airbags and newly optional entertainment features, including Ford's Sync communication system and voice-activated navigation. Competitors include crew-cab pickups like the Honda Ridgeline, Dodge Dakota Quad Cab and Nissan Frontier Crew Cab. 

Ford redesigned its F-150 pickup truck for 2004 by giving it a new look, a wider track and new rack-and-pinion steering. For 2008, little has changed beyond the addition of options and packages. The full-size F-150 truck competes with the Chevrolet Silverado, Dodge Ram and Toyota Tundra pickups. 

Ford redesigned its F-150 pickup truck for 2004 by giving it a new look, a wider track and new rack-and-pinion steering. For 2008, little has changed beyond the addition of options and packages. The full-size F-150 truck competes with the Chevrolet Silverado, Dodge Ram and Toyota Tundra pickups. 

For 2008, Ford's Super Duty trucks — including the F-250, F-350 and new F-450 — received an exterior and interior styling overhaul as well as a new diesel engine: a twin-turbocharged V-8 diesel. The F-250's competitors are the Dodge Ram 2500, the Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and the GMC Sierra 2500, which also have diesel and gasoline engines. 

Rated at one ton, the full-size F-350 Super Duty pickup truck comes in regular cab, SuperCab and Crew Cab configurations and is offered in XL, XLT, FX4 and Lariat trim levels. For 2008, the F-350 gets similar design and powertrain changes as the rest of the Super Duty lineup, which also includes the F-250 and F-450. A huge grille sits on the Super Duty's redesigned nose, while a new diesel engine sits under the hood. 

With a maximum towing capacity of 24,000 pounds and dual rear wheels, the F-450 is Ford's poster child for its Super Duty pickup trucks. The F-450 is a new trim level available to consumers for 2008; it was previously offered only as a commercial vehicle. The F-450 steps it up a notch above Ford's other Super Duty models, including the F-250 and F-350. 

Introduced for the 2006 model year as a replacement for the Taurus midsize sedan (which has since been re-introduced), the Fusion has done well for Ford; an all-wheel-drive option was added last year, and a hybrid version is expected to be available later this year as a 2009 model ... unless it's delayed, which is always a possibility with a new hybrid. The four-cylinder and V-6 engines remain, as do the five-speed manual and automatic transmissions — for the four-cylinder only — and six-speed automatic for the V-6. The Fusion has a history of excellent reliability. 

The current-generation Mustang came out for the 2005 model year, and Ford is keeping it fresh in 2008 with new paint colors, additional safety and convenience features and yet another two versions that trade on the name of legendary racer and car developer Carroll Shelby: the Shelby GT convertible and, in the spring, the Shelby GT500KR. 

Ford's compact Ranger truck enters 2008 with a more-aerodynamic front bumper and few other changes. The Ranger is available with a four-cylinder or a choice of two V-6s, with either a manual transmission or a five-speed automatic. While its competitors — like the Chevrolet Colorado, Nissan Frontier and Dodge Dakota — have grown in dimensions over the years, the Ranger has remained relatively the same size for the past decade. 

The current-generation Mustang came out for the 2005 model year, and Ford is keeping it fresh in 2008 with new paint colors, additional safety and convenience features and yet another two versions that trade on the name of legendary racer and car developer Carroll Shelby: the Shelby GT convertible and, in the spring, the Shelby GT500KR.