2002 Ford ZX2 consumer reviews

Always had good luck with Fords, and this is no exception. Good fuel economy and great value; no major problems in 90,000 miles.

I purchased a 2002 about 6 months ago, with 75,000 miles on it. In the time I've had it, the check engine light has come on at least 4 times. We've replaced the temperature gauge but the light came back on showing the same problem just a short time later. Now my alternator has gone out and it ruined my battery. This led us to discover how nearly impossible it is to reach something as simple as the alternator. Comfort in the car is not great. It's difficult for anyone but a small person or child to get in and out of the back seat as the front seats do not roll forward when the seat is up like many other 2-door models. Then when a taller or larger person is in the front seat, the seat has to be moved and the person in the back will be very cramped. The car seems as though it's made of cheap plastic. For example, when closing the glove box, the door and the dash seem very flimsy. As mentioned in other reviews, I am also having troubles with the car shaking at certain highway speeds.

i think that this is the best desision of buying this car it is everything power handling accelleration and everything this car is comfortable and has airbags in the passenger and the driver so that is the entire thing i strongly suggest this to anyong who likes power and comfort

I purchased this car new in 2002 with 13 miles on it. The factory installed 40,000 mile tires had to be replaced after 20,000 miles. I made sure to rotate the tires every 3,000 miles. I had two broken tie rods within the first two years of ownership. The bolts holding the guard below the engine broke off and the guard is now being held in place by duct tape because the remnants of the bolts can not be removed from the chassis. The emergency brake cables loosened for no reason that the mechanics can discern and can no longer be used as the mechanism that controls both the emergency brake and the rear brakes will stick if the emergency brake is pulled. The rear brakes are used to determine the amount of pressure available to the front brakes. If the mechanism sticks you will have no front brakes as I discovered much to my terror shortly after having the cable repaired by a Ford Certified Technician. The hood latch broke and had to be replaced after two and half years of ownership. The replacement latch must be lubricated each time the hood is opened or the latch sticks and the hood will not shut. The only component in the engine that is easy to reach is the air filter. The Alternator is behind and below the back of the engine and has a third bolt holding it in place that is difficult to reach even with a deep-well socket. Also, this third bolt is not listed in any of the repair manuals. The factory installed radio has buttons that stick and the boot for the gear shift broke away from the knob. There is a large plastic piece directly behind the steering wheel that came off and will not snap back into place. The seats were not designed to hold someone taller than 5'11. With the seat all the way back, I hit my knee against the steering wheel when shifting or braking swiftly. The vehicle is not insulated and highway driving is very loud. The vehicle also vibrates heavily when driving above 60 miles an hour. I have visited several mechanics and the alignment and balance of the tires is not the cause. The vibration is most likely the cause of the broken tie rods. The exterior paint is very easy to scratch and expensive to fix professionally. The vehicle does have decent acceleration, the gauges are easy to read and well lit, and its not difficult to manipulate the radio while driving.

One of the last of a dying breed of light-weight, small cars. What made the original Volkswagon GTi a great car makes the ZX2 to a lesser extent a really fun trot for little money. Even though it is no longer manufactured, it easily outperforms the Focus that replaced it. A few days ago, after driving a Pontiac G5 hours earlier, then a Neon, I got behind the wheel of a somewhat battered, used ZX2. Once I hit the road I immediately noticed the difference that the lighter weight gives this car. It handles corners very well and the ride quality is more sporty than comfortable. But the remarkable thing about the ZX2 is its acceleration with the manual transmission. The amount of torque seems just right for the weight of the vehicle. When I finally parked the car, I was very impressed with the experience and felt none of the mild dissatisfactions I usually have after driving the cars mentioned above. I highly recommend this car for someone looking for a mildly sporty drive (not a race car) to the supermarket and back, but not for long trips (as is the case with most compact vehicles). Compared to the newer econo-cars that are heavier by 600+ lbs. or more, the ZX2 can rival their performance even though they have 15 to 30 more horsepower. If you can find one cheap and in good condition, I suggest you seriously consider it!