A base model 1990 Ford Festiva L (designed by Mazda, built by KIA, sold by Ford) didn't have a lot of extras - radio, speakers, antenna, intermittent wipers, passenger side mirror, tachometer, A/C, power windows, power locks, cruise control, air bags, traction/stability control, & power steering were all missing.
A base model 2022 Mirage ES manual in the States would have all of those features. I realize a Canadian base model Mirage doesn't come with cruise control & a few other features.
In my opinion, the base model Festiva handled better on the highway, because it didn't have power steering. I agree with you! A small car with skinny tires doesn't really require or need power steering. The Mirage is not horrible in this regard, but I do believe it would handle better without the current electric power steering it has added to it. If it didn't come with power steering, I am sure some would disagree with me, too.
At the same time, i must also acknowledge small cars were not be driven as fast in 1990. Although the National Maximum Speed Limit law was repelled while I owned that car (1990-2004), it took some time for speed limits to increase again in my area. I don't really have a 55+ mph highway within an hour of me even today.
"The National Maximum Speed Limit (NMSL) was a provision of the federal government of the United States 1974 Emergency Highway Energy Conservation Act that effectively prohibited speed limits higher than 55 miles per hour (89 km/h). It was drafted in response to oil price spikes and supply disruptions during the 1973 oil crisis and remained the law until 1995." taken from another source