Mk5 Si
1994–1995Replaced the XR3i in 1994 with a quieter look, in 105 and 130PS 1.8 versions plus an 89bhp 1.6.
- 1796cc Zetec 16v
- 130 bhp
- 0–60 8.8s
- 125 mph
1990–1995 · From ridiculed to redeemed
Ford Escort Mk5
Reviewers panned the Mk5 at launch for its dull chassis and old engines. Ford answered with the 1992 Mk5a facelift, 16-valve Zetec engines, a new RS2000 and the car everyone remembers from the decade: the RS Cosworth.
Key facts
- Built
- Halewood (UK) and Saarlouis (Germany). RS Cosworth assembled by Karmann in Rheine, Germany
- Layout
- FWD; four-wheel drive on RS2000 4x4 and RS Cosworth
- Bodies
- 3/5-door hatchback, 4-door saloon, estate, van, Cabriolet
- Engines
- 1.3 HCS; 1.4 & 1.6 CVH; 1.6 & 1.8 Zetec 16v; 2.0 DOHC 16v (RS2000); 2.0 Cosworth YB turbo
- Trims
- S, XR3i (to early 1994), Si (from 1994), RS2000, RS2000 4x4, RS Cosworth (Motorsport, Standard, Lux)
- Facelift
- 1992 "Mk5a": revised nose with a small oval grille, Zetec engines, improved chassis
Parts supplyGood; Cosworth parts costly
Fake riskMedium
Values trendCosworth rising
What makes a good one
The RS Cosworth wears an Escort-shaped body but sits on a shortened Sierra Cosworth 4x4 floorpan. 7,145 were built between February 1992 and January 1996. Cars to 1994 used a large Garrett turbo (engine code YBT); later cars got a smaller, quicker-spooling one (YBP). From 1994 buyers could delete the whale-tail spoiler. Almost every Cosworth has been modified at some point, so a standard, low-mileage car with its original engine and full history can be worth double a tuned one.
Models & specifications
Escort Mk5 models
Specifications are approximate period figures. Value ranges are indicative UK prices for good to excellent cars in 2026; see the full price guide.
£2.5k–£7k
Mk5 RS2000
1991–1996A properly quick 150bhp front-driver with Recaros as standard. Around 6,000 were built, and it's still undervalued next to its Cosworth sibling.
- 1998cc DOHC 16v
- 150 bhp
- 0–60 8.2s
- 129 mph
Mk5 RS2000 4x4
1994–1996The four-wheel-drive RS2000. Only around 500 were built, making it one of the rarest modern RS Fords.
- 1998cc DOHC 16v
- 150 bhp
- 0–60 8.5s
- 127 mph
Mk5 RS Cosworth
1992–1996A Sierra Cosworth 4x4 floorpan under an Escort body, built by Karmann with the famous whale-tail spoiler. 7,145 were made in Motorsport, Standard and Lux versions.
- 1993cc Cosworth YB turbo 16v
- 224 bhp
- 0–60 5.7s
- 140 mph
Common faults
- Cosworth: head gasket and cooling system
- Cosworth: turbo wear, cracked exhaust manifolds, boost control faults
- Cosworth: MT75 gearbox synchro wear, 4x4 viscous coupling and transfer box noises
- Rear arches, jacking points and the area around the rear wing mounts
- ABS faults and expensive brake components
- RS2000 and XR3i: cambelt history on 16-valve engines, rear subframe mounts
Walk-away signs
- A Cosworth with no evidence of which engine and turbo it left the factory with
- Wiring and engine management bodges from past tuning
- Crunching gearchanges and transmission whine on a car priced as "perfect"
- Rot around the rear subframe mounts
Where the Mk5 rusts
Check each of these areas, in this order, at any viewing.
- Front panel and wing edges
- Inner wings and strut tops
- Front crossmember (Cosworth)
- Sill ends and jacking points
- Door bottoms
- Rear wheel arches
- Rear subframe mounts
- Boot lid and rear wing mounts
- Boot floor and spare wheel well
- Floor around fuel and brake lines
Free 46-page PDF
Don't buy a
Don't buy a
£40k mistake.
A fake Mexico or a rotten RS2000 can cost you more than the car. The Escort Buyer's Bible is 46 pages of what the specialists check, written for people about to hand over real money.
- Chassis and VIN checks to spot a genuine RS
- Rust maps for every generation, Mk1 to Mk6
- Price guide covering 31 models, from Harrier to Cosworth
- Printable inspection score sheet