Buying a used Ford Fiesta WP-WS (2004-2010)

After failing to attract any significant following with its strangely-styled Ka, Ford went away for a think and returned in 2004 with the conservative but hugely-successful Fiesta. Cheap and passably cute, the German-sourced hatch gave Ford a Light Car contender that could seriously challenge Hyundai's dominant Getz and Holden's entrenched Barina.

The WP-Series Fiesta which arrived here in 2004 came as a three-tiered range with three or five-door options. Only one engine – a 74kW, twin-cam 1.6-litre petrol – was available to buyers of early cars, so you made your choice based on equipment levels.

The three-door LX cost $14,990 plus an extra $2000 for air-conditioning. Even then, it wasn't bare or bland, with power steer, mirrors and front glass backed by remote central locking, four-speaker sound (but no CD slot), a leather-rimmed wheel, dual air-bags and belt tensioners.  Adding ABS involved spending $17,490 on an automatic version.

Jumping up to the Ghia version, which with automatic transmission sold at launch for  $23,790, brought in all the safety gear plus a CD stacker, alloys, fog lights and five-door convenience.

People who wanted to be noticed probably preferred the Zetec version. It came as a three or five door but added 15-inch alloy wheels – with 16s as an option – a deeper air-dam and fog-lights for a more muscular appearance.  

Those who wanted a genuinely feisty Fiesta had to wait until 2006 when Ford imported a batch of 'hot hatch' XR4s. With 2.0 litres punching out 110kW and with masses of included equipment, these still sold for less than $25,000.

Helping deal with a 40 per cent power increase were 17-inch alloys hosting 40-profile, P Zero tyres. Bigger brakes with lowered and stiffened suspension were among the bits you might not notice but up top were  side skirts and a rear roof spoiler. If anyone had doubts about this being a performance car, fat front-to-rear 'GT' stripes dispelled that notion.

All WQ Series Fiestas came with revised frontal treatment including enlarged lights. There were also improved seats and a revamped dashboard, with air-con now standard in every car. ABS with Electronic Brake Force Distribution remained a $900 option.

Major change came in 2009 with the arrival here of WS Series cars. A very serious restyle brought scalloped side-panels and the visage of an evil, interstellar traveller. Despite their swept-back and serpentine appearance, the new 'eyes' still did a decent job of lighting up the road.

Buyers could now choose between 1.4 and 1.6-litre petrol engines or a 1.6-litre 'Econetic' turbo-diesel. The diesel only managed 66kW of power but made a solid 200Nm of torque against the 1.6-litre's 125kW. Big hill, little car? No problem.

The 1.4-litre engine produced an acceptable 71kW and the 1.6-litre had 88kW. The Ghia badge was gone and the LX replaced by a CL in three and five-door form. The Zetec was available with all three engine options.

The shape of later cars is a little odd, but at least you won't lose it in a carpark full of Getzes. The lights on a WS model owe more to style than function, not to mention their contribution to the dealership’s spares department’s profitability if damaged, and the same goes for the in-your-face dash design. If you can drive one of these at night without having flashbacks to Close Encounters you might be an alien yourself.

Despite the star-fighter layout, everything is basically where you expect it to be and easy to use. Unlike a lot of Euro-sourced music systems, the one in the Fiesta is easy to adjust and those ugly central air-vents that dominated the view in early versions were moved and made smaller.

The seats even in low-cost models are well-shaped and it’s unusual to see a used Fiesta with trashed trim. Later versions have a trip computer and will connect your MP3 player as well.

 Ford isn't the only offender, but ditching the full-sized spare in a country the size of Australia and where specialised tyres are hard to source, it is an ill-advised measure. If you travel in or through remote locations, make a trip to the wreckers first for an extra wheel and tyre.

In other respects, the Fiesta promotes a good case for Light Car safety. Upper-end versions come with a variety of air-bags and all of them pick up four stars in ANCAP crash testing. Make sure you get one with ABS.

Best in the bush will be cars fitted with taller, more bump-absorbent 55 series tyres, but drivers who  spend most of their lives on highways and urban bitumen will revel in the grip provided by lower-profile rubber.

People who are considering a used Fiesta may already have checked out the fuel consumption figures and been impressed. However, reality is somewhat different from the 'claimed' consumption numbers. They show 6.9 litres/100km but tests using 1.6 automatics under everyday conditions returned around 8.0L/100km.

The diesel is exceptional and carefully-driven cars did manage to better the projected 3.7L/100km consumption target. Even slogging along in peak hour traffic, an Econetic should not deliver anything worse than 5.5L/100. The disadvantage is that they only come with manual transmission.

>> An automatic Fiesta that feels sluggish when accelerating, jerks or shudders should be avoided absolutely. Owners report a range of auto transmission problems that have not been satisfactorily resolved by dealer workshops or independent service organisations.  

>> Clutch shudder is mostly likely due to owner abuse. If a car showing fewer than 30,000km has been fitted with a new clutch it might have been driven hard and display other problems as well.

>> The plastic headlamp covers are vulnerable to damage and those that have been exposed to harsh weather may have become 'clouded' . This restricts beam penetration and may fail a roadworthy inspection. The damaged surface can be buffed clear again but it's a tedious business.

>> Brake wear was an issue with early models but aftermarket pads and rotors can extend distances between replacement from 30-50,000km to around 80,000km without costing a fortune.