12 DISCONTINUED FORD CARS FROM THE 90S, RANKED WORST TO BEST

4.Ford Escort second/third generation (1990-2003)

The Escort was to Ford what the Corolla was to Toyota—a compact, economical, and affordable bestseller. Originally developed by Ford Europe with tiny dimensions that wouldn’t quite fit the American market, Europe got their first taste of the Escort back in 1968. North America, however, had to wait until 1980. The car quickly gained traction, with Ford moving 440,000 units in 1984 alone. That said, European and North American Escorts weren’t the same car. The difference was especially clear in the ’90s, when the second-generation Escort made its debut in the U.S. Offered in four body styles—four-door sedan, five-door wagon, five-door hatchback, and three-door hatchback—the American Escort sported a sharper, more angular design. The three-door hatch even came with a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine sourced from Mazda, delivering 127 horsepower and a 0-60 time of 8.1 seconds. Car and Driver even called it a legitimate competitor to the Golf GTI and Civic Si. Of course, European enthusiasts could boast about the Escort RS Cosworth—a homologation special packing 224 hp and all-wheel drive.

In 1996, Ford gave the Escort another refresh. It grew bigger and improved but kept the same price point as its predecessor. Still, as the years rolled on, the Escort’s star began to fade. Meanwhile, Ford was busy developing a much sharper successor—the Focus. By 2003, the final North American Escort had rolled off the assembly line. Interestingly, the Escort nameplate found new life in 2018, when Ford revived it for the Chinese market.