Overview & Reviews

The Ford Escort is totally redesigned this year with improvements across the board. The most noticeable improvements are in the powertrain and ride quality. New sheet metal gives the Escort a rounder, more aerodynamic appearance as well. The GT hatchback version is dropped.

• Attractive new design. Good cargo space. Zippy new engine makes driving this car fun.

• Not much rear seat room.

User Reviews:

Showing 1 through 10 of 93.00

• 

  bought new - 1997 Ford Escort
  By Tony - October 7 - 12:21 am

  We bought this nee and although we got it - 287000 miles it wasnt without lots of work. Alternator 13000 miles serpentine belt 32000 miles water pump 42000 miles alternator again 56000 miles battery 57000 miles EGR valve 62000 miles oxygen sensor 73000 miles fuel pump 81000 miles alternator again 92000 miles transmission torque converter 93000 miles needed new transmission 93000 miles head gasket 98000 miles alternator again 103000 miles blower motor and heater core 106000 miles radiator hundred and twenty eight thousand miles ac 172000 miles alternator again 181000 miles transmission again 201000 miles Im sure Im missing a whole bunch but I cant remember it all

• 

  My dream car!!! - 1997 Ford Escort
  By amadisily - October 8 - 4:24 pm

  I bought this car in 99 after my previous one was totaled. It was a great value. At the time it only had 36K miles. Now it is at 308.6K! It still drives well but must retire. It has a tiny oil leak, but just started leaking radiator fluid from the engine and just sprung a gas leak. All in the past 4 months (3K miles). So, Id say this car is AH-MAZING! I keep routine maintenance on the car, but I drive it like the sport car it is. It has held up royally! I still see them all over town, so I know they are great cars. But its time to retire it and move on to a newer car. *sniff*

• 

  Ford escort 97 station - 1997 Ford Escort
  By micamans - September 20 - 2:45 am

  I bought this car a year ago second hand. I needed a cheap car to get me to work and just prayed it would not die on me even though it had 220000 Ks on it. It now has 310000 It still gets me from A to B fine. Ive had the problem that it sometimes refuses to go into first gear. This problem has something to do with the sync rings in the gearbox but the problem just seems to sort its self out. Other then that I have not r had any problems with the car. It is quite sluggish compared with all of these modern cars here in Europe and the suspention is like spagetti in the corners, but hey it is no racing car.

• 

  Excellent temporary car, wouldnt recommend long term - 1997 Ford Escort
  By brendan12090 - June 26 - 4:31 pm

  Have had this escort for a little less than a year and it has just been terrible. Everything has had to of been replaced including, all four struts, both lower ball joints, full exhaust, and little repairs along the way, I should have just bought a new car! Although it has many problems, it refuses to die and for that I gave it a 4 in reliability. Moving on to a Toyota because of their reliability. But for cheap temporary transportation its a good car and gets relatively good gas mileage. Cheap to repair but nothing is extremely cheap. Engines arent too bad and the transmissions arent terrible either, but the body style is absolutely ugly and it rusts so quickly!

• 

  Great at first but awful now - 1997 Ford Escort
  By brendan12090 - June 20 - 11:53 pm

  I have had 3 escort models in my life span, so far the 96 wagon was the better of them all, I have a 98 escort wagon now and Ive had to replace everything, except for the engine. I love the gas mileage but the cost of repairs is starting to go through the roof and about to just junk it because the unibody is rotted and will not pass inspection and to think its 2013 and it barely has 95000 miles on it, amazing, anyways if you want reliability go foreign stay away from fords

• 

  Ticking Bomb. Avoid !!! - 1997 Ford Escort
  By madcarpenter - March 1 - 1:52 pm

  Our 97 Escort, 2.0 SPI engine recently succumbed at 121k miles to the well known, dreaded Dropped #4 Valve Seat fatal engine defect particular to this poorly designed powerplant. ALL 97-04 Ford vehicles using this engine are at risk of this happening as they approach 100k miles. Most consumer reviews of this problem claim it happened abruptly between 100k and 130k. It even afflicts vehicles that have been meticulously maintained by their owners! The steel valve seats pressed into the aluminum head of these engines expand and contract at different rates, eventually loosening. WHEN (not if) this happens, its like dropping a grenade into your engine! Google it! Shame on you, Ford!!!

• 

  300,000 kms and still going strong! - 1997 Ford Escort
  By emersome - January 12 - 11:46 am

  Bought my Escort Wagon used and best money Ive ever spent on a vehicle so far. Plenty of cargo space but small enough you can park anywhere. Put winter tires on it and is amazing around town have passed half-tons stuck on the side of the road. Can even do some light off-roading. Easily put 2 kayaks on top and has enough clearance that you can get where you need to go. Little slow off the start but once its going has lots of pep. With regular maintenance its been very reliable and is still zooming along at 300K. And fuel mileage is awesome! Had a hatchback Escort before and wasnt too thrilled but the Wagon has really been impressive.

• 

  Plenty Left at 150,000 Miles - 1997 Ford Escort
  By bisjoe - December 11 - 5:52 pm

  My 97 just got a new clutch, just before that a new serpentine belt. Other than those recent jobs only brakes, tires and oil changes and its still getting me to work every day at 32 mpg. For a cheap little car the quality has been surprisingly good, even great.

• 

  Great 1st Car! - 1997 Ford Escort
  By LizzyLouBorne - July 31 - 6:13 am

  My mom bought this car for me in January, when I turned 17. She paid $1,500 it only had 123,000 miles on it. It was from an older couple. The interior is in perfect condition. I cant say much about how it runs because I finally went take my driving test yesterday, and I passed. I drove it all day long. The only problem I have is there is no AC. I am getting that fixed very soon, though. The only set backs are I have read about shaking when it idles low or something, and there is no tape or cd player. Its good for me though because I dont need it. I am having a problem with it shaking when I am parked, but other than that it runs like a champ.

• 

  Wish Ford still made them! - 1997 Ford Escort
  By Loving It Still - May 16 - 5:13 pm

  Ive driven BMW, MG, Healey, and the German-designed 97 Ford Escort is as much pleasure and fun as all of those. The car is an uber-reliable and sound vehicle if proper care and maintenance is taken and no stupid-loud stereos installed to shake it to bits. Most of the performance issues are readily deal with by installing sportier tires and with very few minor modifications, the sportier handling is that much more. This is an in-city sport-commuter crossover, not a sports car and not a luxury road boat, so dont bash it for not being what it wasnt designed to be or for user failure to maintain.