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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  my baby - 1994 Ford Escort
  By DANNY - February 4 - 5:15 am

  I bought my Scorty in 94. Since shes been truckin on my side the whole time. Ive driven everything, and for a short period of time i sold cars and compared to everything i had this has been the BEST. The manual transmission is nothing other than smooth. This car has always been at my side and I would recomend a Scorty for anyone whos looking for a GREAT DEAL. A lotta car for this little coupe!

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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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  My Baby - 2000 Ford Escort
  By JJEANR3 - January 24 - 1:16 am

  I have had my car for almost 3 years in June and i have had only one thing happen to it and that had something to do with the gear shifter and the warranty covered that. All around it is a great car for anyone. I have put almost 50,000 miles on it and it is still going, like it is new.

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  Great 1st Car - 1999 Ford Escort
  By ZX2 Driver - January 17 - 4:41 pm

  This was my first personally-owned car, a 5-speed Sport model. This car has great performance for a budget car. With about 71,000 miles, there have been a lot more squeaks and rattles showing up. The interior of the car is also fairly noisy. There arent too many aftermarket parts for this car (especially compared to the Civic). Ford made a special-edition S/R model, and parts are still available to upgrade the basic ZX2 to achieve the S/Rs better performance. So far the only major things Ive had to replace are the alternator and the 3rd gear synchro. The manual trannies in these cars arent the strongest, but if you dont abuse it, it should last. Im still on the original clutch.

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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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  Love our little Red Escort - 1998 Ford Escort
  By rail81 - January 3 - 8:55 pm

  Bought this car used as a replacement for a Nissan Sentra. Other than being a little noisy, its been a great car. It now has 110K on the odometer and still going strong. Weve had to replace motor mounts and the drive axles in the past few months but at 100K those are wear items anyway. This car has been flawless otherwise. Car has never had to go in for service except for routine maintenance items. For those who are shopping, stay away from the dual cam engine unless you just gotta have the power. Routine maintenance for the twin cammer is far more expensive than the single cammer, or so Ive read.

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  Most Reliable Car Ive Ever Owned! - 1995 Ford Escort
  By AQ - December 31 - 4:41 pm

  I bought this car when I was in college. It was a Salvaged Title with only 3K miles on it. I drove it till a couple of years ago and donated it with 245K miles. NEVER HAD ANY DRIVETRAIN ISSUES! Barely changed oil every 15K miles, only problem I ever had was the alternator went bad, which I changed myself/ NO OTHER PROBLEMS. What a great car. Now Im looking to buy another because of its reliability (for commute).

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  The Nightmare before Caddie - 1992 Ford Escort
  By Cadillac Jack - December 27 - 12:25 pm

  I bought this car for about $2,000 at the time. In the first 3 months, the car was in the shop for a total of 2 whole months total. The tranny was the first to tank. This happened shortly after the sale, the dealer felt so bad, he replaced the transmission free of charge (would have been about $600). Shortly after that, the carburetor tanked ($150), then the ignition($210). Then the ignition again (warrantied). Then the axle shaft on the front driver side ($300). There were some other general repairs in there as well. Finally Id had enough after 1 year of constant repairs (and finding out that I needed new rear struts). I sold the car for $550.

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  Teenager (with little money) - 1999 Ford Escort
  By an escort? - December 23 - 2:02 pm

  My Escort does not run well. The exhaust manifold got a crack in it and it takes a whole block to get up to 25 mph. The battery has died at least 5 times, even though i bought a new one. I get regular oil changes and replace the air filter. All the repairs this car need cost over $400 per thing to be fixed. Also, the flywheel in my transmission is bent so it makes a loud clicking noise whenever I am not accelerating. if you want a reliable car get a Honda Accord or something similar.

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  Loved This Car - 1999 Ford Escort
  By JC - December 14 - 5:52 pm

  I loved this car. Bought it new and just after the warranty expired the air conditioner broke. Was about $300 to fix. One other thing went wrong about 6 months later that cost about the same. Other than that this is a great car. I swore I would never buy an Escort but this car was great. We totaled it last week when we hit a deer. Id buy another but they dont make them anymore.