Overview & Reviews

With small Japanese cars dominating the economy car segment by the late '70s, Ford decided to bring something to the table that was more competitive than the antiquated, outgoing Pinto. The result was the subcompact Ford Escort. The vehicle debuted in 1981 as a two-door hatchback or four-door wagon and featured front-wheel drive, an overhead cam four-cylinder engine, a fully independent suspension and rack and pinion steering. On paper, it looked like Ford had a winner. But in reality there were early problems that made a rash of recalls necessary, and the vehicle's longevity was questionable.

But despite the teething problems, the Ford Escort went on to become the top-selling car in America for many consecutive years. Broader appeal for Ford's small import fighter appeared in the mid-'80s via the introduction of a four-door hatchback and the sporty GT.

By the late '80s, the Ford Escort had become a solid little economy car, with build quality and reliability approaching respectable, if not Japanese manufacturer's, levels. By 1991, Ford's partnership with Mazda started to bear fruit in the form of the Escort GT, which was powered by a spirited dual-overhead-cam, four-cylinder engine borrowed from Mazda. A formal sedan debuted around this time, as did a four-speed automatic (which replaced the old three-speed unit). By the time the year 2000 came around, the Escort was being phased out by Ford's new Focus. With a decidedly edgy, European-flavored personality, the Focus offered much more in terms of personality and driving fun.

Most shoppers interested in a used Ford Escort will find themselves looking at the fourth and last generation. This one debuted in 1997 with a more rounded body style and a more refined 110-horsepower 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine. Transmission choices were once again a five-speed manual and a four-speed automatic. The next year brought the sporty ZX2 two-door coupe, which was essentially the Escort GT's overdue replacement. With 130 hp, the ZX2 was relatively quick, running zero to 60 mph in around 8 seconds.

When Ford phased in the Escort's replacement, the Focus, for 2000, the Escort family was thinned out by dropping the wagon, leaving just the sedan and ZX2 sport coupe. By 2002, only the ZX2 remained, and would soldier on for one more year.

Consumer commentary posted on Edmunds.com about the Ford Escort is generally upbeat, with strong points being listed as ride comfort, fuel economy and outward visibility. Proper maintenance is key, as most owners report trouble-free driving well into the 100,000-mile range, while some others have indicated troubles with the automatic transmission. Though a well-maintained Escort with lower mileage will sell for quite a bit less than an equivalent Civic or Corolla, the latter pair still has the edge in predicted reliability.

Although it debuted 10 years earlier, the Ford Escort really came into its own with the introduction of the revamped 1991 model. A lower beltline and increased glass area afforded a more airy cabin and the 1.9-liter inline four was refined for smoother operation. Higher overall build quality was evident in the car's quieter, more refined demeanor and more substantial feel throughout. The all-new Escort GT was one of the better affordable sport hatchbacks of its day thanks to its free-revving, Mazda-sourced, DOHC 127-hp engine, four-wheel disc brakes and firm sport suspension. With the exception of the adoption of safety items such as dual airbags and (on some trim levels) antilock brakes, the Escort stood pat until its 1997 redesign.

User Reviews:

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  Escort - 2000 Ford Escort
  By stephen - September 6 - 4:55 pm

  I love my Escort zx2. I too have also changed the tie rod. I have had a lot of vacuum leaks. I had to replace all the bearings. trensmission gets confused. It does not like stop and go traffic. Replaced transmission. The car hates the heat, you lose way too much power and gas when air conditioning is on. Have to put the pedal to the metal so I dont use it. Nice power, great handling...( eibach suspension). The serpentine belt loves to come off especially in rain. Very quiet car. Put rims on it so I have wider tires. Audio is very easy to do. Engine parts easy to change. Handles well in fender bender. Other than normal maintanance from being old... I love my car.

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  Alright Car - 1997 Ford Escort
  By daf58 - August 8 - 10:12 pm

  Purchased this car at 30,000 miles. Has been very good to me, only minor repairs have been needed. Have owned this car for almost 10 years and I am very pleased, I now have close to 180,000 miles and this little Escort is still running strong.

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  1998 Escort SE - A great, reliable car! - 1998 Ford Escort
  By Scooter - July 24 - 12:14 pm

  Bought this car new in 98 for my wife to drive around town, an SE Sport model thats still fun to drive. After 9 years and only 31,000 miles, the engine still has a lot of pep and gets GREAT gas mileage. No major repairs other than a serpentine belt and A/C work (common to Escorts). Most problems due to age rather that normal wear and tear. Routine maintenance was as expected. Will be a great car to pass on down to the kids!

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  Home Run for Ford - 2002 Ford Escort
  By Josh - July 21 - 12:17 am

  Bought my 02 in 2006 with 17000 miles on it for $4500 its loaded with every option. Now there are 58000 miles on it with nothing other than oil changes. This car cant be beat for the price, performance, and reliability. The lowest mileage I have ever had was 29 and that was in Houston traffic. On the highway 37-40 isnt unusual. Hands down, this is one of the most reliable models Ford has produced. There have been no recalls, yet Ford never really marketed this car at all. If you get the chance at least take it for a test drive. I never thought that I would end up in a four cylinder coupe - I was driving a 79 Bonneville - but I really love my car.

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  A great small car value - 1998 Ford Escort
  By Satisfied owner - July 11 - 1:45 pm

  We bought our Escort SE new in January 1998. This car was going to be a commuter car for my wife. Well, nine and a half years and 100,000 miles later it is still commuting! It has been a very reliable car. The only thing we have done is change the oil and replace items as they wore out. We replaced the struts/springs in 2005 and the clutch in Sept of 2006. Overall cost of ownership has been low and the gas mileage is still good (30mpg+). Other than a dent on the left rear quarter panel from a parking lot fender bender the body is still in good shape.

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  Nice car, can be a nightmare though... - 1994 Ford Escort
  By HOTCAR - July 7 - 5:08 pm

  My 1.9 liter Escort is extremely peppy, but heres some advice for people who are going to buy one. Dont gun it at green lights and stop signs. The head gasket is 95% common to blow in these cars. I learned the hard way burning people at green lights, although it’s tempting. Gas mileage is iffy, cheap to fill, but the mileage is poor. It goes quick. Auto seatbelts broke too. I take care of it as much as I can, but it rusts. I love the car but what can I do?

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  Best Ever - 1995 Ford Escort
  By Scott - July 3 - 12:21 pm

  Best car I ever owned! Got 33-34 mpg driving 75mph on freeways in Texas. Got up to 40mpg on 2 lane highways doing 55mph.

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  10 years and still going strong! - 1998 Ford Escort
  By lori & kenzie - June 17 - 8:03 pm

  We have owned this car for 10 years and we cant complain. Weve never had to replace anything except for a brake, the alternator, and some tires. This car has been on 3 long road trips (about 650 miles each way with a dog) and we had no major breakdowns. The car is still running (even with over 200,000 miles on it) but were finally going to purchase a new 2007 Elantra so we will donate it to charity. BTW: We have the bare bones model-5 speed manual, cassete player (no cd), power nothing, no spoiler, basically just a shell with an engine and some tires.

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  1995 Ford Escort 4dr sedan - 1995 Ford Escort
  By thumper7 - June 10 - 4:53 pm

  This car gets great gas mileage and is pretty comfortable. The performance is OK. It takes a while to accelerate, but it turns good. Great for a first car or an extra

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  Cool Car - 1990 Ford Escort
  By Johnny - June 4 - 7:34 pm

  i bought this car a few years ago with 135k and havnt had any major problems with it. I get about 25 mpg in city driving. Its sweet and fun to drive