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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  Nice first car - 1999 Ford Escort
  By Paco - May 28 - 8:56 pm

  I love this car. It is good and economical and very reliable when it is well taken care of. Good car for single people or students.

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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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  Best car Ive owned to date. - 2001 Ford Escort
  By F Bean - May 2 - 6:03 pm

  I bought this car new at the advice of my brother, who is a Ford mechanic. He said they had yet to have one come in for any warranty work. True to his word, Ive owned this car for 5 years, drive the heck out of it, wrecked it twice, and it still is there for me every time, knock on wood. Ive never had to have it jumped or had it fail to start. Ive had my oil changed every 3-4 thousand miles and it looks like honey. Good girl car, as it is dependable and looks good too!

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  My Pink Panther - 1995 Ford Escort
  By YanksPhish - April 30 - 5:07 pm

  My family has owned this car since 97 and have had very few problems with it. Weve had no major problems. The mileage is excellent, even after 11 years. I always get at least 22 mpg, and when I drive on the highway I get 35 mpg. For this class of car I cant think of anything that I dont like about the car. Everything is set up to be user friendly by the driver. Easily viewable gauges, plenty of trunk space. Theres about twice as much trunk space as many other 2 door coupes. Ive never been in an accident, so I dont know how the car handles in these situations (knock on wood).

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  My Ownership Experience with ZX2 - 2003 Ford Escort
  By Douglas H. Sowards - April 30 - 1:01 am

  From July 2003 till the present, my ZX2 has not needed anything except two oil changes in the 10,000 miles I have driven it. Has not needed even minor adjustments. It has nice silver paint, A/C, automatic, tilt wheel, fog lights, CD player, AM/FM stereo, tach, folding rear seat, and spoiler. Ford should have continued building this car as it was reasonably priced and very reliable.

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  unbelievably reliable - 1997 Ford Escort
  By Sab - April 29 - 7:29 pm

  I have owned my Escort for 7 years now, and have no complaints. I am a hard driver. I brake hard, drive fast, do a lot of u-turns, and am just plain aggressive, and my car has withstood it all. Ive always maintained it well, with regular oil changes, fixed the brakes every few years, but have never had to do any major repairs. Ive not rust-proofed it, and it only started to rust a couple of years ago, which I think is good. There seem to be virtually no blind spots either (with the exception of the usual one). I would recommend to anyone that they purchase this car. It would make a great starter car. Im not parting with mine, unless she finally kicks the bucket.

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  Sooo Reliable! - 1997 Ford Escort
  By christie - April 29 - 3:05 am

  This Escort is my first and only car I have ever owned, and it has been amazingly reliable. In 6 years, I have only had to get new tires and replace the battery there have been no major mechanical problems. I paid it off 3 years ago, but will probably drive it for one more year before replacing it.

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  Excellent Commuter Car - 1999 Ford Escort
  By scortracer - April 18 - 1:32 pm

  Just got this car not too long ago but it has been in the family for about 3 years. I dont really have to do anything with it besides change the fluids and get new brakes ... just normal wear and tear. The car has about 78K on it and I expect another 100K more at least. The tranny sometimes shifts rough and it idles shaky but I heard those are normal Escort traits. It gets great gas mileage and is quite comfortable to ride in and also handles a lot better than most other small cars. I had a 96 Escort and this generation seems worlds better. I dont know why people are running out and getting Japanese cars, Id take my little Scort over a Corolla or Civic any day. The build quality is great.

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  Ford Zx2 is a good practical car. - 1999 Ford Escort
  By Yanno - April 14 - 10:00 am

  If given the choice between this and a Focus or Honda again I would still choose the Zx2. The car is very fun to drive, work on, its very quick and outruns most cars on the road including some V8s yet still if babied I can get 37 miles the gallon and carry a lot of cargo. Its always been reliable and multi-functional. I went from an SUV to this and will never go back. Truly can not get a car this fast, this practical for this amount of money. Quite possibly one of Fords best cars. If this was in Europe or the UK the raving would never cease.

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  Reliable old Ford - 1994 Ford Escort
  By deec - April 5 - 11:53 am

  My Ford Escort is 12 years old and still running great. It had only had 2 problems before it hit the ten year mark: the alternator and the fan. The fan was covered under warranty, and the alternator cost less than $200 to fix. Now, it needs things fixed regularly, but the repairs are still fairly inexpensive. This car is the best purchase Ive ever made - cheap and dependable. Also, its a manual, so it has some acceleration. It handles well and is fun to drive. For many years, it got 40 mpg on the highway, but now its down to 35. This is the Energizer Bunny of cars.