Escort ZX2 is a great teenager's first car!

I am 19 years old and have had my ZX2 for a little over a year. I'm happy to say that it has proved to be quite reliable. When I went looking for my first car my father and I looked at every conceivable small car on the market; Tercel, Corolla, Civic, Protege, Contour, Mirage, Saturn SL2, and Sentra. Except for the Saturn all of these small cars were excellent. The Saturn is sold by great dealers, but the car itself is unrefined.

So why did I buy the ZX2?
Well, first off the ZX2 had the most horsepower, 130. Only the Contour with the V-6 had more, 170. Also I had just read an article in the May 1997 issue of Car and Driver in which the ZX2 came in first place when compared to other small coupes. Moreover, Consumer's Reports had rated the 99 model at above average reliability; something that other domestic sedans (Cavalier and Neon) could not say. But enough with the boring stuff what the car is like in action is what convinced me to buy.

Performance:
I can't say enough about this car's acceleration, but 0-60 in 8.0 seconds should sum it up pretty well. The car has plenty of power in 5th gear, therefore,when I want to pass on the parkway a downshift into 4th is not needed. There are some drawbacks to this engine though. It is kind of noisy at speeds above 3,000 rpm, but that's O.K. most small 4-cylinders are. More annoying is that when the A/C is on the compressor is always cycling (turning on and off), and it makes it feel as though the car has misfired. However, after reading some newspaper articles about the ZX2 it turns out this is normal. Ford intended the A/C to cycle to save gas. Once the engine gets this car moving the suspension does not let you down. The handling is awesome . This car inspires confidence in the driver, and the tires have never squealed on me yet. The ride is pretty good too. Most of the large potholes are absorbed well, and the suspension makes a nice thud noise. Braking is O.K.. My car is equipped with ABS, but the brakes don't have an initial grippy feel.

Interior:
The seats are nicely shaped up front, and the back seat is not bad for hauling around friends. I just recently completed a two hour road trip, and the car proved comfortable coming and going. The cruise control keeps the set speed very well. The factory installed power moon roof has never leaked. No problems with the power windows, locks, or keyless entry. I did have an after market CD player put in the dash, and because of the oval pod I had to pay $50 to get a special faceplate.

Overall:
I am very pleased with my decision to buy the ZX2. There are times, however, when I would have liked to have the extra two doors of a sedan, but whenever I long for those two doors the admiring looks I get from other drivers in their dowdy sedans, SUVs, and minivans always changes my mind. Not to mention the internal joy I get when I drive this car. IT IS JUST PLAIN FUN!!!