Ford Escort Hatchback (1990 - 2001) 1.4i Encore 5d Owner Review

i bought this car in January 2014 from a local dealership as my first car. I chose this car for several a reasons firstly it was something different from the typical city car and supermini driven by people my age, secondly I wanted useable classic (which in my opinion, the escort just now falls into this category) to satisfy my lifelong love of older vehicles and thirdly for nostalgia as my uncle had one when I was young. In other words I bought this car purely for subjective reasons because objectively there's little to recommend it. The sole source of criticism is a result of its CVH power plant, it is loud, coarse and hopelessly unrefined. It produced a mere 74bhp and performance never surpassed sluggish, expect to be frequently down changing to cope with hills and overtaking is possible but not necessarily recommended. Salt is further rubbed into the wound when one takes into account that I could never get more than 30mpg, usually averaging between 23-25mpg (a figure I'd expect for a V8 luxury car, not a 1.4 family hatchback). The driving dynamics don't fare much better, with little grip and plenty of body roll couple that with an unsettled ride and you seen realise the fundamental shortcomings of this car. However, it is very easy to drive with light controls, plenty of visibility and well laid out controls. The driving position was also comfortable with surprisingly pleasant seats, with a not unattractive interior and plenty of space, the Escort is a actually a surprisingly nice place to spend time despite its morbid lack of equipment (even for its day, the encore spec was basic). Mine had a few electrical niggles, but due to its simplicity most were easily remedied by myself. The styling was dull in its day, but due to its advanced age and relative rarity it is now unusual and interesting to look at compared to modern traffic. Overall, with its outdated driving dynamics, poor engine, and flimsy build its difficult to recommend an escort to the uninitiated. I did however thoroughly enjoy my ownership, and there will always be a certain group of people (like me) who will be able to enjoy the charm of a old car like this, and will be able to look past its many flaws.