The Ford ZX2 is a compact car built from 1999 to 2003. Most were assembled in Mexico — 100% of those on record. Engines offered: 4-cyl. Worth buying? It depends heavily on which year you buy at 3.5/5 — and the year you pick matters far more than the badge (best and worst years →).
What the ZX2 is
The Ford ZX2 is a compact car that Ford built from 1999 to 2003 — 5 model years. It has been offered with 4-cyl power. Its closest siblings in the Ford range: Mustang, Fiesta, Festiva.
Where the ZX2 is built
A badge says where the company is registered; the VIN says where the car was bolted together. We counted the first three characters — the manufacturer identifier — across 14 ZX2s on record.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico | 3FA | 2002-2003 |
Check your own: the first three characters of a Ford VIN decide which of these 1 lines your ZX2 belongs to. What every character in a ZX2 VIN means →
Got the full 17 characters? A free VIN check on a Ford ZX2 adds what the decoder can't see: open recalls, theft and total-loss records, and the safety ratings for that exact build.
Ford ZX2 tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment ZX2 owners look up most — tires, wheels, oil and batteries. Exact wheel and tire sizes decode from your VIN or the driver's door-jamb placard; the universal items are listed below.
Exact tire, wheel, oil grade, capacity and battery group are added per trim and model year — decode your VIN above for the factory fitment. Universal items shown as-is.
What engines does the Ford ZX2 have? Power & range
The Ford ZX2 is offered with 1 powertrain — 2L 4-cyl. Here's the lineup by engine, transmission and drivetrain — 1 for the Ford ZX2, against one or two on most rivals.
| Engine | Displacement | Transmission | Drive | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4-cyl | 2.0L · 4-cyl | Automatic 4-spd | FWD | Regular |
Horsepower, torque and fuel-tank size decode from your VIN — exact figures vary by engine and trim.
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov (engines, drivetrain, range, charge time). Horsepower & torque from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.
The ZX2 by the numbers
What the federal and market records say about the Ford ZX2. Each line opens the full breakdown by year.
| Topic | ZX2 | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 2 campaigns | NHTSA, all years |
| Owner complaints | 146 filed | What breaks and when |
| Reliability | 3.5 / 5 | Best and worst years |
Frequently asked questions
What kind of car is the Ford ZX2?
The ZX2 is a compact car, built from 1999 to 2003. Engines offered: 4-cyl.
Where is the Ford ZX2 made?
Across 14 cars in our records the split is: Mexico (100%). The first three characters of a VIN identify the plant's manufacturer and country — that is where these shares come from, not from a press release.
What is the Ford ZX2 warranty?
New models carry 3 years / 36,000 miles basic cover and 5 years / 60,000 miles on the powertrain. Worth knowing: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, so most repairs land after the basic warranty ends.
Is the ZX2 reliable?
It scores 3.5/5 in our data. The honest answer depends on the year far more than the model — see the best and worst years, and when this car starts to break.
How do I check a specific ZX2?
This page describes the model; it cannot tell you whether that car has an open recall or a branded title. Run its VIN against the records — free, and matched to the exact production run.
More in Ford
| Model | Years | Recalls | Best MPG | ForCar score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ford F-150 | 1981–2026 | 462 | 72 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Ford Bronco | 1981–2026 | 146 | 27 mpg | 3.5/5 |
| Ford Mustang | 1981–2026 | 240 | 26 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Ford Explorer | 1991–2026 | 212 | 39 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Ford Escape | 2001–2026 | 226 | 41 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Ford Ranger | 1982–2026 | 278 | 58 mpg | 3.5/5 |