This Might Be The World's Cleanest Ford Escort

Photo: Cars & Bids

Odds are, it’s been a while since you’ve seen a first-generation Ford Escort on the road. Ford may have built a ton of them, but it sure didn’t build any to last. Which is why this 1989 Ford Escort LX Hatchback is so interesting. Currently listed for sale on Cars & Bids, it doesn’t just run and drive. It actually looks like it’s in great condition.

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Why the previous owner worked so hard to keep a Ford Escort in near-showroom condition, we have no idea. But we appreciate the fact that they did. With less than 43,000 miles on the odometer, that works out to something in the range of 1,200 miles per year, although the listing says the original owner donated it to a charity at some point, so it’s possible that it was driven more frequently and has simply sat for a while.

Photo: Cars & Bids

But even if it hasn’t been driven in a while, it sure cleans up nicely. Its Wild Strawberry Pearl Metallic paint looks absolutely fantastic, and it pairs nicely with the red interior. Not everyone is going to be a fan of the red-on-red color combo, but those who do are going to love it.

At the same time, though, it’s still just a front-wheel-drive Ford that’s more than 30 years old. Its 1.9-liter inline-four only makes 90 hp and 106 lb-ft of torque. Even paired with a five-speed manual transmission and not an automatic, it’s still going to be beyond slow. On a car with more charm, that would be less of a problem, but we’re not so sure “1980s Ford Escort” and “charm” belong in the same sentence.

Photo: Cars & Bids

The good news is, the listing says it’s been kept in California all of its life, so it hasn’t rusted nearly as badly as the rest of them probably have. But even so, we have a hard time imagining that the final price will end up being particularly high. And yet, whoever the special person that wins this is, we’re sure they’re going to love it.