Ford Escort — Reliability by Year
894,768 vehicles · MOT data 1980–2002 · first-test pass rates
This page shows MOT first-test pass rates for each year the Ford Escort was manufactured — click any year to explore that cohort in detail. Trying to decide which year to buy? See the full buying guide →
| Year | Pass rate | Avg mileage | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 |
|
88,396 mi | 8,164 |
| 2001 |
|
87,858 mi | 18,009 |
| 2000 |
|
80,447 mi | 41,317 |
| 1999 |
|
60,714 mi | 44,984 |
| 1998 |
|
60,004 mi | 118,795 |
| 1997 |
|
59,391 mi | 113,072 |
| 1996 |
|
59,507 mi | 115,206 |
| 1995 |
|
59,166 mi | 105,843 |
| 1994 |
|
57,787 mi | 97,282 |
| 1993 |
|
55,596 mi | 62,726 |
| 1992 |
|
55,266 mi | 52,933 |
| 1991 |
|
52,729 mi | 23,447 |
| 1990 |
|
53,063 mi | 24,349 |
| 1989 |
|
53,562 mi | 18,626 |
| 1988 |
|
53,907 mi | 12,178 |
| 1987 |
|
53,112 mi | 8,165 |
| 1986 |
|
50,743 mi | 5,536 |
| 1985 |
|
52,168 mi | 5,092 |
| 1984 |
|
54,366 mi | 3,712 |
| 1983 |
|
54,079 mi | 3,818 |
| 1982 |
|
55,957 mi | 4,107 |
| 1981 |
|
52,000 mi | 3,296 |
| 1980 |
|
49,391 mi | 4,111 |
Which year Ford Escort is most reliable?
MOT pass rate by year of manufacture — averaged across each vehicle's lifetime of tests. Green = noticeably above average for this model; red = noticeably below average.
Tests range from an average of 49,391 miles (newest year) to 88,396 miles (oldest year). Older years naturally accumulate more tests at higher mileages — see the mileage-normalised breakdown →
We've done the full analysis — which years to look for, which to avoid, and where to find the best value for reliability on a Ford Escort.
Check any UK registration — free MOT history and risk insights.