The Escort was around long before the Festiva was. It was pretty much a POS, though I know a couple of people that owned them and were happy with them.
In 1987 (and perhaps other model years) there was a "souped up" escort. Don't remember the model information (LX, SS, etc.). It had maybe 20 more horsepower and wasn't much of a difference. However, if you could get by with the low powered engine and lack of air conditioning (or aftermarket) in some models, the Escort wasn't the worst vehicle ever made.
I think it's the EXT you're thinking of. Actually, I had a '92 Escort. It was a good, reliable little car. The best $9999 I ever spent on a car.