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 zx2 - 2003 Ford Escort
  By zx2driver - November 19 - 2:00 am

  Bought in Jan 1999. Its a fun car to drive, its been really reliable, it looks better than the focus does. Its pretty quick, but a turbocharged zx2 would be awesome. It can be awkward to work on because of the the design, but its nice.

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  little blue escort - 2000 Ford Escort
  By sheryl - November 19 - 2:00 am

  this car has been to hell and back and still goes great, need i say more?

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  Good Teenage Car - 2003 Ford Escort
  By Babygirlmegz - November 18 - 2:00 am

  Good Car, Reliable, a good little car for a student to have

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  Just keeps on going-and going-and going! - 1997 Ford Escort
  By slate stevens - November 13 - 2:00 am

  Bought it new in 1997 for $9999.00 on a weekend sale ad. I thought it was going to be a strippo, but to my suprise it was a "sport model", which included head rests on rear seats, sportier front seats, alloy wheels, spoiler, body colored accents, am-fm casette with 4 speakers, intermitant wipers, chrome tip exhaust, etc. 105,000 miles later, extremely reliable car, just plain wont break! Oil changed every 5,000 miles, replaced front brakes, rear still good! Just make sure you replace that timing belt every 60,000 miles, or it could break and it will damage valves and maybe pistons when it goes.

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  My ZX2 experience - 1998 Ford Escort
  By SarMK - November 13 - 2:00 am

  I purchased my ZX2 used about a year and a half ago. With the exception of some trouble getting it started on some brutally cold winter days (which was remedied by a coolant flush which was probably due anyway) this car has been very reliable! I even drove it cross-country from NY to AZ and was pleased with the my cars performance. My only complaint- sometimes it gets a little shakey at the higher speeds, but much better than my last escort! Overall rating- an attractive, reliable car that was affordable for a college student even with lots of options.

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  2002 ZX2 Manual Transmission - 2002 Ford Escort
  By Todd Skrypek - November 12 - 2:00 am

  It is a suprise to get decent power and good reliability for under $14,000. I had two transmissions put in within the first 20,000 miles but it was my fault the first time and the dealers fault the second time. My only complaint is it is rough shifting but it could be the result of the multiple transmissions.

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  Humble but reliable - 1995 Ford Escort
  By quarthex - November 6 - 2:00 am

  I love my escort. I bought it used and I have never had any problems with it. Not once have I ever turned the ignition key and had a failure. The looks could use help, but hey, its a cheap car. I hope that whenever I buy a new car, it is as reliable and trouble free as this car.

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  The best car I ever owned - 1991 Ford Escort
  By lornad - November 5 - 2:00 am

  I have not had a problem yet with the car. I only did the typical maintenance that you do with a used car. I drove from Virginia to Connecticut for the first time by myself and I had no fear about driving that distance alone. I have never driven that far before. I made it to and from. I have more confidence in that car than any car that I had in the past (and there were many). I will keep this car for a very long time.

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  Wish I could keep it forever - 1993 Ford Escort
  By Louiza - November 3 - 2:00 am

  A great little car. It would be even better if I had not taken it to horrible places such as All Tune and Lube in Fairfax. They fixed one thing and destroyed another...Having a great mechanic is important, and I think with the help of one, the Ford Escort 93 can keep going and going and going.

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  The Idle - 2003 Ford Escort
  By zx2owner - October 30 - 2:00 am

  I have had this vehicle for over a year now, and while it is fun to drive and rather reliable, there is one concern I have about the automobile. I recently took the ZX2 into the dealer ship for a vibration in the steering wheel (well actually the whole car) when I am at a complete stop. I was told that all the ZX2s have the same problem, and that it just "idles hard" since it is a four cylinder engigne. However, many automobiles are four cylinders and do not recieve the same problem. I was told there was nothing that could be done to alleviate the problem.