1998 Ford Contour Reviews, Pricing & Specs
What owners say
"Overall, drivers find the 1998 Ford Contour to be a decent car, especially valued for its fuel economy and handling. Many appreciate its good looks, trunk space, and performance for daily driving. However, some owners express dissatisfaction with reliability issues, especially concerning the transmission and other mechanical components. While some feel it's a good option for beginners, others caution about potential maintenance challenges."
You wouldn't know to look at it, but this modest little sedan has a beast under the bonnet. The 2.5L Duratec V6 develops 170hp, which endows the car with some spirited acceleration. Brakes are responsive, linear, and adequately powerful, though I hate to see rear drums on a car that is branded as a sport model. Oh, well. The suspension gives a great balance between ride comfort and handling. It feels stable and planted in hard turns, though I admit I have yet to push it close to its skid pad rating of 0.90g. The shocks seem to be tuned for smoothing out irregularities in the road surface more than anything else; medium-to-large sized bumps can feel jarring. The interior is fairly quiet at speed, with minimal intrusion from road and wind noise. The engine can get loud at high revs, but you can't complain when it sounds this good! The exterior styling has stood the test of time well--it doesn't look as "old" as other cars from its model year. A sleek (but unfortunately nonfunctional) spoiler graces the trunk lid. The interior is a different story. Almost every surface is upholstered in soft grey fabric, which is nice to touch, but pretty boring to look at. Comfort-wise, the seats are supportive, and the driving position is perfect. Every power feature you could expect in a 1998 car is present (though buyer beware: most are options). Build quality is difficult to judge on such a young car (so far only 25k on the odometer). Suffice it to say it hasn't fallen apart yet. Gas mileage is good--wait for it!--for a V6--designed in 1993. I will just state it outright: 19 mpg city, 26 highway (my own figures). It is rated for 22/28, so perhaps driving very conservatively (and without that ice-cold air conditioning), one could do better. In any case, not a high point of this vehicle. Most importantly, though, this car is a blast to drive. The combination of power, responsiveness, and comfort is unparalleled for a car of this type. If you are looking for a cheap sporty car that is also practical enough to be a family hauler or daily commuter, look no further than the 1998 Ford Contour Sport.
August 28, 2011Great car overall. Decent performance. I had the 5 speed 2.5 V6 24V (fell in love with this engine), with eibach springs, koni struts, K&N cone filter, and other ford racing parts. I had some great Montreal/Toronto trips on the 401.
December 31, 2007Overall it's a good beginner's car for those learning to drive since it's small which makes it easier to maneuver and park. It has just the right amount of power and acceleration for a beginner. The handling is surprisingly decent if you're into some drifting and messin around in the snow. The quality isn't the greatest we all know what FORD stands for. The appearance wasn't bad, the interior was fine. MPG was decent maybe 25mpg hgwy. It was a fun car to drive and mess around with some times it drifted not too bad.
December 20, 2011What owners say
You wouldn't know to look at it, but this modest little sedan has a beast under the bonnet. The 2.5L Duratec V6 develops 170hp, which endows the car with some spirited acceleration. Brakes are responsive, linear, and adequately powerful, though I hate to see rear drums on a car that is branded as a sport model. Oh, well. The suspension gives a great balance between ride comfort and handling. It feels stable and planted in hard turns, though I admit I have yet to push it close to its skid pad rating of 0.90g. The shocks seem to be tuned for smoothing out irregularities in the road surface more than anything else; medium-to-large sized bumps can feel jarring. The interior is fairly quiet at speed, with minimal intrusion from road and wind noise. The engine can get loud at high revs, but you can't complain when it sounds this good! The exterior styling has stood the test of time well--it doesn't look as "old" as other cars from its model year. A sleek (but unfortunately nonfunctional) spoiler graces the trunk lid. The interior is a different story. Almost every surface is upholstered in soft grey fabric, which is nice to touch, but pretty boring to look at. Comfort-wise, the seats are supportive, and the driving position is perfect. Every power feature you could expect in a 1998 car is present (though buyer beware: most are options). Build quality is difficult to judge on such a young car (so far only 25k on the odometer). Suffice it to say it hasn't fallen apart yet. Gas mileage is good--wait for it!--for a V6--designed in 1993. I will just state it outright: 19 mpg city, 26 highway (my own figures). It is rated for 22/28, so perhaps driving very conservatively (and without that ice-cold air conditioning), one could do better. In any case, not a high point of this vehicle. Most importantly, though, this car is a blast to drive. The combination of power, responsiveness, and comfort is unparalleled for a car of this type. If you are looking for a cheap sporty car that is also practical enough to be a family hauler or daily commuter, look no further than the 1998 Ford Contour Sport.
August 28, 2011Great car overall. Decent performance. I had the 5 speed 2.5 V6 24V (fell in love with this engine), with eibach springs, koni struts, K&N cone filter, and other ford racing parts. I had some great Montreal/Toronto trips on the 401.
December 31, 2007Overall it's a good beginner's car for those learning to drive since it's small which makes it easier to maneuver and park. It has just the right amount of power and acceleration for a beginner. The handling is surprisingly decent if you're into some drifting and messin around in the snow. The quality isn't the greatest we all know what FORD stands for. The appearance wasn't bad, the interior was fine. MPG was decent maybe 25mpg hgwy. It was a fun car to drive and mess around with some times it drifted not too bad.
December 20, 2011Like it becuase it handles good, huge trunk, not bad on gas, and not bad power .Built was okay on this one. not great. in 98 it had, and still has a front appearance that i liked. Ownership has been expensive for what it is. Yes it is a fun car to drive
October 19, 2010The 98s received a cam sensor which helped boost highway mpegs to around 35. I owned a 98 mercury mystique and used it to travel for 400+mile trips. The 2 liter 4 cylinder was the engine of choice. One of Fords better ideas.
January 10, 2024This car was a last chance for transportation my last option.... And it has treated me fairly well Suspension has issues @ 138,000 miles any car will stiff suspension holds corners well but you can feel each pebble on the road's surface.... mediocre fuel mileage 19-26-ish mpg 0-60 around 9-ish seconds.... manual tranny "sporty gear ratios" means it revs like crazy but burns gas just as fast i started out hating it but have grown used to it's annoying problems like the squeeks rattles pops and snaps and the doors stick open and the locks stick closed 170bhp isn't too bad for a 2.5L v6 I'd say if it is in your price range and runs good get it..... but only with 4 wheel disk brakes the drums are horrible on the base models
December 12, 2008Overhead light fell out twice because the plastic clips became brittle. The manual window cranks broke off on both the driver's side and the passenger side. Acceleration is ok for a 4 cylinder. Fuel economy is great. It isn't the most fun car in the world.
July 6, 2009It is good for ford, but it is not in production any more. Not many around. Some wiring problems but maybe that is just my specific car.
May 2, 2008a good car for beginner. bought it as my first car. drive swiftly. engine is reliable. nice interior. smooth transmission. nice design. big trunk. a good car for beginner. bought it as my first car. drive swiftly. engine is reliable. nice interior. smooth transmission. nice design. big trunk. i like it.
September 29, 2008This car has so much pep yes is immaculate on fuel. Has no problem getting up to speed in a hurry, just keep an eye on the front wheel bearings, they don't have a very good track record for durability!
August 17, 2009
