Ford

Ford Escort build years & generations

Coverage 1980-20004 named generationsHatchbackDIESEL / PETROL

The Ford Escort spans several build years and named generations (1980-2000). Match a build year to its generation, then see how each group of build years does at its MOT.

Which year is which

Build years & generations, side by side

Find the build years you're looking at and see which generation they are. You'll also see which group of build years the MOT figures come from.

Built 1980-1986
Generation
Mk4
Figures from
cars built before 2005
Counted together with Mk4, Mk5, Mk5 (facelift) and Mk6 cars built in the same years.
Built 1990-1991
Generation
Mk5
Figures from
cars built before 2005
Counted together with Mk4, Mk5, Mk5 (facelift) and Mk6 cars built in the same years.
Built 1992-1994
Generation
Mk5 (facelift)
Figures from
cars built before 2005
Counted together with Mk4, Mk5, Mk5 (facelift) and Mk6 cars built in the same years.
Built 1995-2000
Generation
Mk6
Figures from
cars built before 2005
Counted together with Mk4, Mk5, Mk5 (facelift) and Mk6 cars built in the same years.

Build years	Generation	Figures from cars built	What to know
1980-1986	Mk4	Before 2005	Counted together with Mk4, Mk5, Mk5 (facelift) and Mk6 cars built in the same years.
1990-1991	Mk5	Before 2005	Counted together with Mk4, Mk5, Mk5 (facelift) and Mk6 cars built in the same years.
1992-1994	Mk5 (facelift)	Before 2005	Counted together with Mk4, Mk5, Mk5 (facelift) and Mk6 cars built in the same years.
1995-2000	Mk6	Before 2005	Counted together with Mk4, Mk5, Mk5 (facelift) and Mk6 cars built in the same years.

“Figures from cars built” is the group of build years behind each row's MOT figures. Years where one generation gave way to the next can sit in a wider group until there's enough history to split them.

“Figures from” is the group of build years behind each card's MOT figures. Years where one generation gave way to the next can sit in a wider group until there's enough history to split them.

By build-year group

How each group of build years performs

Each card shows MOT results for one group of Ford Escort build years. “Age” means the car's age on the day of its MOT, not its build year. “25+” groups every test on cars aged 25 or older.

Built

Before 2005

A mix of Mk4, Mk5, Mk5 (facelift) and Mk6

These build years include both Mk4, Mk5, Mk5 (facelift) and Mk6 cars, so the figures are less exact than for a single generation.

Fail rate at 25+ years old

16.8%

UK average for cars this age: about 1 in 4 (23%)

Ages with data

22 to 25+ years old

MOT tests counted

10,974

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

22 years

9324.7%

23 years

31627.5%

24 years

47731.9%

25+ years

10,08816.8%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 24 years old.