WS to WZ

[shevek]

So I'm driving along the Newell to Moree at 9.30 on a Friday night a few weeks ago when I get this rood shock. (see below) Always a risk of roos when it's so dry.
Anyway, AAMI writes off the 2010 WS Zetec and pays me a lot, $17k. Unintentionally, I'd over-insured it.
I'm up North for a week and reminisce a bit.
Great car, great to drive, few problems. Gearbox a bit notchy, awkward to get reverse. I bent a rim once on a pothole - needed a new tyre - got the rim rolled straight. A month later a bigger pothole - yes, my vision is okay - and cracked a rim. I'd read here that those WS 16" allows were crap, so I got CSA Swords which were fine.

I need a new car when a I get back to Sydney. No time for serious research and testing so I figure another Fiesta. Naturally I think ST but can't afford to wait for delivery and don't like the colours of the demos on offer. Besides, the wife wants four doors.

Then I find out about the 3-cylinder turbo, sounds a perfect match, better than the same engine in a Focus. So I email around and get a(nother) light blue one from Rockdale, rear sensors thrown in. For the same 21k I paid 4½ years ago.

After two weeks, how do they compare? Hard to think back but the Thai WZ Sport seems better built than the German Zetec, better paintwork, tighter feel, no rattles. I'm thinking lower Thai labour costs might mean better quality control.

Interior looks and feels fine. No issue with the hard plastics. The Sony sound system looks a bit busy but the extra functions are useful and the sound seems a bit better. They've skimped a bit, such as no projector headlights which the Zetec had. Has a real spare wheel, extra airbags, stylish seats with some leather. SYNC is a bit fancier, I like the facelift, don't mind the Aston grill.

This is my first turbo. I start by changing down a lot, not trusting the engine to pull from low revs. Ford says 1400 is enough but it doesn't sound happy.
I learn to trust that and now potter through roundabouts in third. Need to do that to get good mileage. On the other hand, this is a warm hatch that squirts along nicely if you want it to. Sounds good, haven't noticed any of what the Yanks call NVH. Same beautiful, direct steering, light pedals, silky gearbox (better than the WS)

So far, it's all good. I'm really surprised that the Fiesta is outsold by the likes of Yaris, i20, Mazda 2, remembering it's the top-selling car in England.