After 2000, the four-door Escort was moved primarily to fleet sales (with the coupe remaining available); production ended entirely after the 2002 model year.

During model development, American and European design teams diverged in thinking, leading to extensive differences in the final product lines.

While sharing a common 94.2 inch wheelbase, the American Escort is longer and wider than the European version; most versions are fitted with a larger amount of chrome exterior trim typical of American vehicles of the period, and the altered proportions gave the car a heavier and more ungainly appearance than its European sister.

In Europe, the Escort was produced in three body styles never developed for North America, including a 3-door station wagon, 2-door convertible, and a 2-door van.

[7] Offered for the five-door hatchback or wagon, the LX was fitted with the fuel-injected engine of the GT, along with its blackout trim and styled cast-aluminum wheels.

The list of available options was very limited, to the extent that such luxuries as power steering and factory-installed air conditioning were not offered (a dealer-installed A/C system was available).

As Ford was gearing up for the April 1990 introduction of the next generation Escort, this version was only built at the Edison Assembly plant in New Jersey for the abbreviated 1990 model year.

[8] In March 1982 an HO (high output) version of the engine was added, originally only in the EXP and with an automatic transmission, but soon thereafter available with a manual and also in the sporting Escort GT (which had replaced the SS).

[13] This unit produces 80 hp (60 kW), thanks to a higher compression ratio, a new exhaust system, and larger venturis in the carburetor.

Estimates state that only about 1,000 Turbo GTs were built in the partial 1984 model year, it is unknown how many early 1985s were made.

For 1987, the standard Escort adopted throttle-body fuel injection, dropping the carburetor; output again inched up to 90 hp (67 kW).

The first production two-seat Ford since the Thunderbird, the EXP was developed with a sportier exterior appearance (but few performance upgrades) over the standard three-door liftback.

For 1981, Ford introduced the Escort SS as a performance-oriented version of the model line, offered as both a three-door liftback and five-door station wagon.

Also included were metric TR sport alloy wheels with Michelin TRX tires, fog lights, and front and rear spoilers.

[7] Alongside the standard Escort, the 1.6 was replaced by a 1.9-litre fuel-injected engine, with the GT receiving a higher-output 108 hp (81 kW) version thereof.

While 1987 was largely carryover, the GT underwent a second facelift midway through the 1988 model year alongside the standard Escort 3-door.

The 19881⁄2 Escort GT replaced the asymmetrical grille with a body-color insert and new rear spoiler, while power climbed by two horsepower.

Sharing its entire body with the Escort, the Lynx differed from its Ford counterpart primarily in its grille styling, parking light and taillamp lenses, and the use of additional chrome trim.

Similar to the Escort, the Lynx was introduced in base, L, GL, GS, LS, and RS trims;[19] the Mercury LN7 was the divisional counterpart of the Ford EXP.

A late addition for the 1983 model year, Mercury introduced the Lynx LTS (Luxury Touring Sedan[20]) in October 1982.

[21] The counterpart of the Escort LX, the HO engine equipped LTS was also fitted with blacked-out exterior trim, TRX aluminum wheels, low-back bucket cloth seats, and upgraded suspension, serving as a five-door counterpart of the Lynx RS (Escort GT).

Adopting mechanical commonality with the Mazda 323, the Escort became the American-market version of the third-generation Ford Laser (introduced in 1989).

While the Laser shared powertrain offerings with the Mazda Familia/323, the Escort carried over the 1.9L CVH inline-four (retuned to 88 hp) from the previous generation.

While growing in wheelbase, the Escort saw only negligible growth in overall size, gaining less than two inches in length and approximately 100 pounds of weight.

For 1995, dual airbags becane standard for 1995, requiring a redesign of the dashboard, with the motorized seat belts were retained on the US-market models through 1996.

The Escort wagon largely retained the same body style, gaining only the new interior, front end and fascia, side-view mirrors, door handles, badging, and slightly restyled taillamps and reflectors.

It had a completely redesigned dashboard and included a panel that unified the heat and radio controls, similar to that of the third generation Ford Taurus.

The 1998 Escort ZX2 coupe featured the 2.0 L, 130 hp (97 kW) Zetec DOHC four-cylinder engine as standard equipment, an option unavailable on the sedan or wagon.

The ZX2 continued with little more than 15 in (38 cm) alloy wheels and a rear defroster newly offered as standard equipment and for 2003, a revised front fascia.

The optional S/R package added stiffer suspension parts (Eibach springs (M-5560-Z2), Tokico struts (M-18000-Z2) and Energy Suspension brand polyurethane suspension bushings), more power (through a Ford Racing PCM (M-12650-Z2)), more efficient intake (Roush or Iceman), rear disc brakes (M-2300-Z2), a stronger clutch (Centerforce dual friction M-7560-Z2), a short-throw B&M manual-transmission shifter (M-7210-Z2), an S/R-unique shift knob (M-7213-Z2) and boot (M-7277-Z2), upgraded seats, a unique blue valve cover, a different speed cluster that goes up to 150 mph (240 km/h) and a unique tire and wheel package.