1991-1996 Ford Escort: Finally, An American Compact Done Right
One of the first cars that I seriously considered after college was the Ford Escort. I had watched the Escort evolve from a trans-Atlantic World-Car in my childhood to an Anglo-Japanese hybrid by the beginning of the ‘90s. Ford would leverage its part ownership of Mazda to wean the American Escort from its European connection once and for all. In Europe the Escort’s development took a parallel trajectory, resulting in even less in common with the Escort of the American and Asian markets.
The 2nd generation Escort in America was easily the best expression of a Ford compact car until the Focus arrived. Still a global car, it rode on the Mazda B platform – the underpinnings of the Mazda 3. The American Escort had relatives sold as far away as Asia as the Laser or across the street as the Mercury Tracer or Mazda 323/Protege. The 2nd gen Escort’s wheelbase grew a tad bit to just over 94 inches putting it within an inch of the step-up Tempo/Topaz. The Escort from its beginning in America was a sort of island unto itself until it became a true world car in 1991.
The Escort line for the ’91 model year consisted of the base Pony, the mid-level LX and the sporty GT. These models came in 2 door hatchback coupe, 5-door sedan and wagon. A proper 4-door sedan would arrive for 1992. The GT was only available as a two-door hatchback, although a variant of the LX-E sedan would feature the Mazda built DOHC 1.8 from the GT. Escorts were either 88 hp economy cars or 127 hp pocket rockets. There was no in between models although that did not stop dealers from adding stripes, decals and spoilers to Pony cars to bridge the gaps.
I of course was in the market for the most stripped-down Pony on the lot (similar to the one pictured above. I imagined putting a red or blue strip along its bumpers to mimic the look of an European Escort RS. Although it only came with a OHC 1.9 liter inline four engine (from the previous American Escort), it was a lightweight car that when paired with the standard 5-speed manual was fun to drive. Not many options were available beyond air conditioning and a 4-speed automatic transmission. Like all Escorts, the Pony came with a fully independent suspension that in 1991 was still rare on an American car (big or small).
Next up was the LX. The LX shared the base engine of the Pony, but offered more creature comforts like more comfortable seats, center arm rest, cruise control and variable intermittent wipers. There were also a range of stereos that went beyond the AM/FM radio of the Pony. Visually the LX’s most striking feature was the full-length beltline molding and stylized wheel covers. Some LX cars would feature 14’ alloy wheels and pop-up sunroofs.
The top of the line was the GT. Its 1.8-liter engine produced a healthy 127 hp making it one of the faster pocket rockets of its era. In fact, the Escort GT was often voted best among competitors like the VW Rabbit and Honda Civic Si. It was a handsome design with subtle ground effects and color matched bumpers. The front fascia featured a off center air vent design reminiscent of the ’85-88 GT. Eventually all Escort models except the base/Pony would get color coded bumpers. The GT always had distinctive ’15 alloy wheels, sometimes with the option of high-performance summer tires. The interior of the GT was special too with its red or blue stitching along the contours of the seats. Designed in the ’80s, the Escort interior looked like it with a clean and efficient dash layout with straightforward ergonomics (thanks Mazda).
There was not much external difference between the various models of the Escort, but by the 1994 model year the LX sedan came with body-colored bumpers like the GT. Also, very GT-like was the sport appearance package that gave the LX coupe the look of the GT complete with a rear spoiler and sporty alloy wheels. Only the GT’s side skirts, distinctive grille and 15′ alloy wheels gave it away as a LX externally. Mid way through the 1991 model year there was a special edition of the GT called the Cayman GT. It was a special green with body-colored accents on its wheels. This special edition had no more power than the run of the mill GT and would eventually become a standard color option on other Escorts by the closing years of the 2nd generation. Even the LX could be had with similar body-colored wheels for the 1994 model year.
By 1995 a new Escort arrived with a slimmed down model range. Still based on the Mazda B platform, it was the beginning of the end as the Focus began to take the limelight of Ford’s compact cars. A sportier variant of the Escort arrived two years later with a proper coupe form factor more in line with the Chevrolet Cavalier/Cobalt. Needless to say, it was a far cry from the Escort coupe of beginning of the decade.
For various reasons I ended up with a tarted up base Chevrolet Cavalier – a car that felt more upscale than the Escort Pony I had been eyeing for so long. Years later I would eventually get to own a ’91 Escort GT. The white on grey car, was just what I might have dreamed of 10 years earlier. That car with its 5-speed manual transmission and pop-up sunroof was fun to drive but its efficiency was not what I had hoped. I kept it for a year and sold it to an enthusiastic buyer in Wisconsin who was more than willing to fix its leaky fuel tank.
I still think of what it would be like to own a 2nd gen Escort as a kick-around town car. Recently I came across a freshly restored Pony for $10,000. That’s more than what it would have cost in 1991 new. If $10k for a Pony is any indication of where the market for these cars is heading, a GT would be prohibitively expensive. It seems I’m not the only one who dreamed of owning an Escort Pony.
Autopolis 