My new to me

[look no hands]

Yes, I've heard that. You lucky chap.

I briefly worked for a Ford dealership back in 1998 and felt that the smaller cars were much more fun than the softer, more vague feeling larger ones. Those early 1.25 motors in the Fiesta were fun and characterful.

Yep I have a mk5 (mk4 facelift) Fiesta Black edition with the 1.25 engine and its actually pretty nippy, considering its only 75bhp.

[Segata]

Few lads back in College had them, was better than the 1.3 and similar performance to the 1.4 as was a newer design (Mate currently has a Kack with said 1.3 and its barely hiding it's 60s roots), I had a 1.4 Civic that was faster so I somewhat ruled things car wise.
If a HW is a BMW I assume it must regularly have a tantrum and make a mess, most definately not a poor mans Merc though, Mercs are designed comfort first, BMWs are designed driving ability first which is why they can run rings around equivlents with less engine and HP, you stand my E46 next to it's C-class equivlent and more will want to drive it than the Merc.
Really wouldn't mind trying the Puma, need to be careful to check which 1.7 it is as theres a power difference, both I think are still Yamaha though and essentially its a perfect balance for a B road blaster, Fiesta chassis so light but simple so responds well without needing a giant lump to shift it and a sporty Body thats still usable day to day.

Dunno what you could say an Allaggro would match, I think the Brummies more akin to stuff like Rootes or BMC, the right one is a rewarding thing and handles well and the wrong one leaves you wondering if you should've taken the bus or in shooting equivlent thrown the pellet instead.
And modern ones, usually built by someone else somewhere else, feel ok but still leave you thinking you should have got something else.