I recently rented a late-model Escort for a month. I'm not one of those people whose identities are shaped and/or expressed by a cool car -- 'the more anonymous, the better' is my motto. Few cars are more generic than a beige Escort. I kept mistaking other cars for my rental, once even accidentally setting off the alarm on a similar-looking sedan (I cravenly ran away before the owner could show up).

Under 45 miles per hour and 6 feet of driver height, this is generally a decent utilitarian car. It handles decently (especially in confined spaces like parking lots), is extremely easy to park, and goes in and out of first gear fairly snappily if somewhat twitchily. There's a surprising amount of interior space for such a small car, plenty for me -- although I never use the back seats, so I can only speak for the front seats. The trunk is also quite roomy for a subcompact -- I managed to shove a huge computer box in there, which wouldn't fit into the trunk of a midsize sedan. This would be a very nice car for running around town, especially if you're a woman.

However, most of my driving is done on Highway 101 in California. This is where the two biggest weaknesses of the Escort are revealed: it sucks on the freeway, and the gas tank is really really small. This car has no pickup at highway speeds -- now that the speed limit in many states has been increased, this is a bigger concern than it might have been a couple years ago. The brakes are also correspondingly weak and squeaky, and cornering at highway speeds is not very secure feeling. The ride is also extremely rattle-y, like small parts might be about to break off at any moment. Finally, with my 50-mile daily commute it seems like I rattle my way from one gas station to the next. I haven't been blown away by the mileage I'm achieving either, which seems to be less than 20 miles per gallon.

Finally, this car is clearly designed for shorter drivers (I'm 5'4"). The steering wheel is small, the car rides low, the dash is low, the ignition key is set super low, and the seat can be pushed forward so far your thighs can be trapped under the console. If you're a larger human being, you won't appreciate any of this.