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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  2002 Expedition - 2002 Ford Expedition
  By OldCIO - August 30 - 2:00 am

  Very satisfied with quality, comfort, convenience. Criticism of "twitchy steering" is overstated. Reasonable driving habits is all that is required. Fuel consumption is greater than the EPA estimate by 2 mpg on both City and Highway (12 vs 14 and 15 vs 17) Very capable towing. Hugh internal space for people and gear. No factory flaws - No complaints.

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  Reliable Truck. - 2002 Ford Ranger
  By DJS2003 - August 30 - 2:00 am

  I traded my 2001 Ranger in for my 2002 because I was going to be doing alot of driving and wanted an Auto Transmission. There are a few things that bug me about this truck it has the 3.0 V-6 if you step on the gas the engine rattles like crazy it sounds like it is going to throw a piston. The ride is horrible over any roads other than smooth highways. Has anyone else heard the racket from this engine in there truck? I can say however I havent had any problems with the reliability though.

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  Only one problem.... - 2014 Ford Fusion Hybrid
  By yodibactum - August 29 - 4:59 am

  I purchased my 2014 model in March of 2014 and have now surpassed 20,000. I live in PA with many hills and valleys, hot, humid summers, and cold winters. Most of my mileage is local, although I do take many trips of 50 miles or more including a trip to Colorado, Georgia, and Canada. That said, the only times I got less then 50 mpg was the first two tanks of gas (47 and 49) and during the winter months because most of my driving was local and the car would take time to warm up. My overall mileage since owning the vehicle is better then 53 mpg and this last tank gave me 60 for the first time. The secret is in how you drive it. My car is no different then the ones claiming lower mileage Only ONE problem -- A driver cannot see the front of the vehicle -- this makes it very difficult to judge the distance of those pesky little parking stops in parking lots... I normally drive right up over them -- not to mention an awkward placed median strip on a side road in WV. I turned and never saw the median strip until I heard it going under my car -- needless to say, this removed the piece under the bumper... I realize the design of the car is to give it the best mileage but I also believe safety should be the first concern. This is dangerous... UPDATE! It is January 2018 and I have made the grave mistake of trading the Fusion for a Malibu Hybrid... I have only owned the Malibu for 8 months but it does not come close to the Fusion overall... With the exception of storage and maybe comfort the Malibu falls way short of the overall performance of the Fusion. Especially the mileage which averages about 14 mpg less...

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  2000 Ranger XLT Excab - 2000 Ford Ranger
  By libsdad - August 29 - 2:00 am

  No major faults, has been very reliable

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  I LOVE MY SUV - 2003 Ford Excursion
  By Cindy S - August 29 - 2:00 am

  I love this suv. There is nothing you cant do with this suv. It is great for my kids and friends.

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  Nice Truck! - 1998 Ford Expedition
  By brickydfan - August 28 - 2:00 am

  I bought it used 9 months ago with 69000 miles on it. Now it has 80000. Ony routine maintenance so far. The family loves to travel in it. When I wear this one out I will get another.

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  Blown Engine 47K $4388 Quality is Job ? - 2002 Ford Escape
  By mightyjoe - August 28 - 2:00 am

  I really enjoyed my vehicle until the day the engine broke down and the dealership told me I needed a new engine. The Ford dealership told me that the oil pump froze up causing the engine failure and it was an obvious defect. Its a shame that Ford does not stand behind their vehicles.

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  2002 Escape 4WD fun and feistiness - 2002 Ford Escape
  By NoJunk - August 28 - 2:00 am

  Good looking, handles great on ice and in snow. I use it a lot for backraod access to hiking trailheads and it outperforms other vehicles I have driven in similar conditions (e.g. Land Rover). Lots of pep.

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  Love it when its not in the shop..... - 1999 Ford Contour
  By Just OK - August 28 - 2:00 am

  SE sport V6 with 5 spd transmission is an excellent drive for the price. Interior features have drove me nuts. Dashboard peeled and replaced twice, endless wind noise and continual rattles in the dash board. The original tires were Firestone Firehawks and were worthless on anything other than dry pavement. Replaced at 30k with Bridgestone Portenzas and significantly improved control and ride. Ive enjoyed the car, but next time will spend the extra bucks for a higher class car with better fit and finish. Also, dont have any idea what the engineers were thinking about with the cup holders.

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  Terrible Automatic Transmission - 2002 Ford F-150
  By bad modulater - August 28 - 2:00 am

  The transmission modulater is terrible. It hangs up in gears or just sits in a big dead spot and nothing changes. The dealer "pinged" the unit but other than that T.S. I had to accelerate quickly to complete a merge manuever and almost got hit because the transmission just refused to shift down quickly. Ford has had problems with this for years and there is no excuse for this. Im getting rid of the truck.