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There are many members who own or have owned (me included) the OHC. A lot has been said about this car in numerous threads. Sadly this car was discontinued without a proper replacement. However good the car may be, today it is next to impossible to get a decent one for a decent price. So what to do?
This brings me to another car that a lot has been said about. The Ford Fiesta. This is fast becoming a popular car. My question is; "Is the Ford Fiesta the ideal replacement for the OHC?". I think so. Anyone who has driven both the cars extensively, can you share your experience.
This thread is not to compere the cars like a shoot out but to see how the Fiesta fits into the shoes of the OHC, what it does better than the OHC and what it's missing compared to the OHC.

Mods: Don't know whether it's the right section. Kindly move it if necessary. Also could not find a similar thread addressing this question despite the numerous OHC & Fiesta threads. Kindly merge is something already exists.

the OHC was all about Jap reliability and good power to weight ratio.

Fiesta on the other hand, i feel, packs a better ride/handling compromise, far better interiors/seating and a more driveable engine for normal driving conditions also. hence its from a totally different mould

btw - who says you cant get a decent car for a decent price. come to Chennai next year. Will show you a good specimen - right here in my garage :)

At least in Goa it is difficult. And in any case for someone looking for a new car, this seems to be an option, specially the S model.

The S was launched in late 2008 only if I am not mistaken and any owner, after having sampled the goods, would be nuts to sell the car so soon. :D The OHC was mostly about the crazy engine, but the Fiesta is a good mix of engine, handling, ride and interiors. But there is no doubt that if anyone is looking for a new performance car at a reasonable price, the 1.6S is the car to buy.

I was talking about the OHC being difficult to get, so a New Fiesta S is the car to go for as it offers similar driving pleasure as the OHC. I doubt you'll find a second hand S.

There was one for sale in Hyderabad, few months ago.

Anyways I think when the OHC was discontinued, the replacement for it was the Baleno which also had Jap reliability, good power to weight ratio and amazing drivability.

The 1.6 S can be compared to the OHC VTEC but the Fiesta is somehow a much better package than what the OHC ever was.

I'm not saying they are not available. What I'm saying is that one fine day if you wake up and want an OHC you cannot get it. You will have to hunt. Whereas you can wake up, walk into a Ford Showroom and pick up a brand new Fiesta S (ok you may have to wait if it's not in stock). And to add to that the peace of mind with a new car.

Why did people buy the OHC? What made them so crazy about this car?
Why do people buy the Fiesta S? What makes them so crazy about this car?
Obviously each car has it's advantages and disadvantages, but in spirit I think the cars are the same and more or less cater to the same customer.

Somehow American muscle sounds more fun than Jap tuner. My vote for the 1.6S. Mind you I would kill for 'Godzilla'.

the fiesta is more euro than american :D

OHC: + brand image, + mileage, + reliability, + cheap maintenance, = okay A.S.S, + Fun to revv (VTec), + excellent resale ('01 OHC's command a better resale than a '05 Fiesta)

Fiesta: + Fun to Drive, + European, + safety with ABS & Airbags, - expensive maintenance, = average image, - poor resale, - poor A.S.S

No voting please. This is not a "which is better" thread.

I think the Honda is more expensive to maintain. Also dealers don't stock all the parts, so you may have to wait.

An OHC is an OHC and a Fiesta is a Fiesta. Both cars are very different from each other.

But the Fiesta does to todays competition what the OHC did to its competition back then.

Shan2nu

Not to be touchy, but I do not agree that a Fiesta is Expensive to maintain. This has come down from the time of the Escort which was EXPENSIVE to maintain. Ford cars nowadays are not expensive to maintain for a car in it's segment

Fiesta is a fun car to drive and it is reliable. Have not had major breakdowns ever ( even though I have done only around 15000+ kms). It is a very Driver friendly car and it very easy to drive. People who are 5 feet as well , feel this car is easier to drive than the smaller cars. This is mainly due to the fact that the Drivers seat is quite high , when adjusted , and the entire road can , in front of the car can be seen without any issues.
I believe Fiesta's resale is not that high , but one got to pay a price for driving a pleasure.
Poor A.S.S - Again a myth. I have used both outlets in bangalore and have absolutely nothing to complain about.So this again is from the Escort/Old Ikon Era.

Would not comment on a OHC since I have driven it only once. The car got to be driven a lot since one cannot see anything of the bonnet and would have to make judgements on where the end of the bonnet is based on his/her experience while driving.
Otherwise it was a nice drive.

Nope, the Fiesta 1.6 is NOT the new OHC.

The OHC was the OHC because of its stonking engine. The Vtec took this even further, with an absolutely maniac rush to the redline. That 1.5 106 BHP had a sense of urgency, and when it hit the revvlimiter, the car felt like it could live there all day. Couple that to the light weight body shell and you had acceleration times that are unmatched even today (in the sub-10 lakh segment). This feel of "power surge" and crazy acceleration is absent in the Fiesta 1.6 (and most other modern sedans, for obvious reason). To top it up, the OHC was also spacious by C segment standards, had a decent ride, excellent fuel efficiency and stellar reliability. Then, when you want to sell it off, you benefit from strong resale. 2003 OHCs go for the same rate at 2006 Fiestas. Go figure.

The Fiesta 1.6, on the other hand, may not have that crazy adrenaline rush, but is a better handler. The OHC felt nervous above 120 kph, the Fiesta is sufficiently stable. Plus, the Fiesta also brings a solid body, airbags and ABS to the table. But the Fiesta isn't to the segment what the OHC was, at its time. Also, the OHC was the first to bring 100 / 106 BHP to the C segment and remained the most powerful, even toward the end of its production. The Fiesta's 100 BHP is only average by todays standards.

If we were to draw parallels, I'd say the Fiesta is similar to the Lancer, and NOT the OHC. The Mitsu had great ride and handling, a better feature list and a power output that was the segment average at the time. The Fiesta is exactly the same today.

I agree as well. Both have their strong points. The Fiesta may have only about 100 BHP only but it packs a great deal of punch. It was the fastest around the track on ACI tests beating out much more powerful cars including Hondas. It's not even worth comparing to the Verna petrol which also has a similar power output on paper. As far as reliability is concerned, OHC would definitely have the edge but the Fiesta isn't too bad either. The Fiesta feels heavy because it's a far more safer car than the OHC. No debate on the re-sale aspect.

It's sad that this decade has seen very few cars for the enthusiasts. Only the OHC VTEC, Palio GTX and the Fiesta 1.6S come to mind. I hope Ford launches an S version of the All New Fiesta as well.