1994 Ford Escort LX Wagon review from North America

So far only very minor problems have occurred, beyond normal wear and tear.

After 4 years, the heat shield under the car losened up and started rattling. I got this fixed quickly and cheaply.

The passenger door lock (not power) occasionally sticks and the door can't be opened from the inside (may be due to locking myself out once and having to "slim-jim" the door...)

Car has always made a rattling sound (from in front of the dashboard somewhere) during acceleration. I've also noticed exactly this same noise in 2 other Fords, different models (rented... Taurus and Focus). Is this a Ford pattern?

Car delivers pretty big static shocks when you touch the body after getting out. Another Ford phenomenon.

Otherwise, nothing major has gone wrong yet. Overall it's been exceptionally reliable and cheap to maintain, although 45k miles is pretty low for a 7 year old car.

I'd recommend this to someone looking for a cheap and economical car, for short trips. I drove it on a 6 hour trip once and was absolutely miserable. Wind noise is too loud, and the car isn't terribly comfortable.

The wagon version (mine) is a Godsend. I've fit things in there (furniture, lumber... a whole bathroom door from Hope Depot) that logic says would never fit. I've moved 4 times using just that car. Thank God for wagons!

Overall the car is OK for normal driving. Acceleration is very low (car has only 88 horsepower... low even for a compact, although the '96 and above models were more powerful). Fuel economy is good, and maintenance costs have been minimal. It looks like this car may be driving for a very long time to come, and I'll probably keep it even after I buy my next car (hopefully in a year). Its utility as a wagon is wonderful.