The versions of Verna and Fiesta that you have mentioned has its own merits. Verna has more power and if that is what has you thinking which to choose, easier would be to think how much of a difference that power is going to make.
On a day to day basis, it doesn't make much difference. Stop and go traffic will not let you exercise that power to the hilt. If you look at FE (that is if you are running things on a budget), it makes sense here. Fiesta gives more FE than Verna in city, while on highway the margin between the two is less. I own a Fiesta and can tell you that it does not feel under-powered and can attain good speeds, handles well and is stable. I have taken it till 140kmph and then ratted out!!! It had more left to go on. Only negative would be the absence of ABS in Zxi.
My highway use is more than city use as I keep travelling to my home town in Kerala from Bangalore, and it has given me consistent 20kmpl or above, with AC on always. Ford service till now has been a good experience for me (touch-wood maybe, based on what I read here).
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1995 - Zen - 119000kms
2005 - Pulsar 150 DTSi - 14580kms
2008 - Fiesta TDCi ZXI - 12817kms |