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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  Not a fun car - 1999 Ford Escort
  By Bob995 - September 12 - 10:00 am

  I have a 99 Escort SE and I hate it. It is very uncomfortable. It is so slow I have trouble pulling into freeway traffic. Forget about anyone but very small children riding in the back seat for more than a couple minutes.

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  Good fuel economy - 1999 Ford Escort
  By Nate - August 28 - 9:45 pm

  The transmission has gone out twice and the alternator once, but it gets great gas mileage and is pretty fun to drive.

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  Good first car - 1991 Ford Escort
  By distortme - February 3 - 9:33 pm

  I bought my Escort in Feb of 2004. It was in bad shape. With some fresh oil and new spark plugs it ran pretty well. The body has a lot of rust on the outside, and the interior is falling apart on the doors. Its got 143,000 miles on it, and even though cant handle the highway anymore it is WONDERFUL for driving around the city. I rarely need to go on the highway good thing because the car feels like it will stall if i go above 60. Its been good to me in the year Ive had it. I have only had to put new tires on it and buy a new 10 dollar belt.

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  Fixed Or Repaired Daily - 1998 Ford Escort
  By Steffidips - January 8 - 2:13 pm

  This car was great for the first four years of existence, but soon began developing small problems here and there. Those small problems have now developed into large problems with the transmission, the flex plate in the shifter and the fact that I get a back massage each time it is at idle because the idle is so rough. Despite these problems, the car can still handle well through corners and can keep up with some of the most moderately priced vehicles. Great car for a new driver.

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  Going and going and ....... - 1996 Ford Escort
  By sasam - November 28 - 7:56 pm

  Bought it hoping to keep for a year, but after three it is still running without any problems, other than oil changes and basic maintenance.

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  Transmission problems - 2001 Ford Escort
  By Shane2001 - November 24 - 10:05 pm

  Great car when it is running, great fuel, good comfort. But I have had the transmission rebuilt Once already, and it is on its way out again. Its only got 39,000 miles on it, it should be able to take what little power that is coming out of the engine. I have heard about some other poeple have the same problem in the years around mine also.

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  practical sports car - 2003 Ford Escort
  By crash86 - November 17 - 4:31 pm

  i purchased this car for $6500 with around 23000 miles, 5speed, the whole package. accelerates and turns very well. a lil rough but its a small car so no surprise there.

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  Buy This Car If You Hate Yourself - 1999 Ford Escort
  By Arun Singh - June 20 - 2:00 am

  I got this car from my parents, mainly because they severely disliked driving it. While I am grateful for having a means of transportation, I would have rather had a good used car than a brand new Escort. They had only used it for 2 years when they gave this car to me, and had taken fairly good care of it. I only recently started having problems (when it was roughly four years old) with the transmission and the engine. It has surges of powers and shifts very hard. The interior and exterior styling is forgettable.

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  My Review - 2001 Ford Escort
  By Geech - May 23 - 2:00 am

  A very good first car for younger drivers. Enough power for safe handling but not too much to get out of control. Runs very good, very reliable and very good fuel economy.

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  Well it got to me to and form work - 1995 Ford Escort
  By FunkySaceCowboy - May 16 - 2:00 am

  Always started, nothing in the drivetrain ever broke in the 15 months I owned it. Cargo space and flexibility sold me on the hatchback design for future cars. Great milage. Bad points: Noisey, bad sound system, very uncomfortable for longer (30 minutes) trips. Lots of interior features were broken: auto-seatbelts, hi-beam switch, rear defrost button (fell into dash), thermostat etc... Ford seemed to put a lot of effort into building a reliable, low maintenance drivetrain in the Escort this year but really cheaped out on the interior bits and driver comfort features. It never ceased to remind me that I was driving an economy car.