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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  Ford Failure - 1999 Ford Escort
  By 1REDZX2 - December 27 - 2:17 pm

  Bought this for my daughter for features, price and CU rating. Noisiest engine,sounds like a diesel, replaced both driveshafts before 60k, now at 85k one is failing again. Both ABS wheels cracked prior to 60K. Odd sized tires that youll pay a premium for. At least it still looks good

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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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  Reliable, Reliable, Reliable - 1997 Ford Escort
  By Christopher - April 4 - 9:13 pm

  This has been the most dependable car I have ever owned. It is not a cool ride, but when it is as inexpensive as it is, and never costs you a dime once you purchase it, I feel pretty cool driving it.

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  DO NOT BUY - 1999 Ford Escort
  By Hatemycar - March 12 - 10:25 am

  I have had such a bad time with this car. I have put two transmissions in it and it had left me stranded numerous times.

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  Found On Road Dead - 1999 Ford Escort
  By NoMoreFords - August 30 - 10:36 am

  This car seemed to work alright up until about 65,000 miles...then I found myself in and out of the dealership/repair shops every few months. I would not buy a Ford again, lesson learned.

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  glad they stopped making this car - 2000 Ford Escort
  By Aaron - May 20 - 4:48 pm

  At first I loved this car. But it can only handle so much. It is an econobox. I replaced the wheel bearings, the head, one of the cams and tie rods. This car is great but it isnt made "Ford tough". It lacks power when needed and there is only one place to get "performance" parts for it. But still youll never get this car to go faster than most imports of the same class.

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  "98 Ford Escort Wagon - 1998 Ford Escort
  By Shey - February 20 - 8:17 pm

  A/C not working but has been a very reliable car.

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  Basic Transportation, Noisy on the Road - 1998 Ford Escort
  By Ken H - January 11 - 9:25 pm

  We bought this car for our daughters use while at school on the east coast. It spent three years in Philadelphia, crossed the country three times ending up on the west coast. The car has 101K miles on it currently. Weve had two major engine repairs. One involving an internal governing device in the engine and the other was a head gasket that had to be replaced at 80K miles. One thing that does stand out with this car is the high road noise especially at freeway speeds. Only other item that is an irritant is the seat belts are attached well behind the front seats and are very difficult to reach with the doors closed.

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  I liked it until... - 1994 Ford Escort
  By x2b4 - December 3 - 1:30 am

  This car has been fine since I bought it, but with only 55,000 miles the darn thing died on me last week. The poorly made engine had a problem with a cylinder head, and now the thing is dead.

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  My kids hate this car! Mom loves it! - 1997 Ford Escort
  By LKB - October 20 - 12:28 pm

  This car has been very very loyal to me. Great gas mileage and very few repairs. I have driven it for 6.5 years and it has proven to be very reliable. Its not a pretty car my kids dont want to be seen in it. I told them theyll be begging my to drive it when they get their licenses I would have done backflips at 16 if this was my car. But I wont review the cars I had to drive with the rusted floorboards. It is great for a small person with 1 or 2 kids nothing fancy and you do get plenty of road noise -- so turn up the radio!