What's the news?

Vauxhall has taken the wraps off the all-new, fifth-generation Corsa for our first look at the supermini. It will make its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show in October, before production lines in Spain and Germany start churning them out at the end of the year.

Exterior

As this is the first time we've seen the Corsa, the announcement is more about how it looks outside and in, rather than a full rundown of all the tech that will be incorporated. The Corsa is just four metres long, which apparently allows room for five people, while it will available in three- and five-door body styles as before.

In terms of its appearance, it looks exactly how you might expect of a model that slots in between the Adam and Astra in the line-up - so the front end is reminiscent of the smaller car, the rear end very similar to an Astra GTC. Neither of these observations are a bad thing as the Corsa looks stylish and crisp, as it always has, and the side 'blade' feature seen on other Vauxhalls is present to give some definition to its flanks. One bit of technology news here: the daytime running lights on the Corsa are LED affairs.

Interior

This is the bit Vauxhall is keen to play up, with mention of a 'high-class' finish, the Intellilink system with its seven-inch colour touchscreen, heating elements for the steering wheel/seats/windscreen, a panoramic roof and both Apple and Android smartphone compatibility. Corsa will also offer voice command, a large number of apps and driver assistance features such as Advanced Park Assist (auto parking), a rear-view camera, Hill Start Assist and more. At the back, there's the option for the FlexFix bicycle carrier, something exclusive to Vauxhall.

Mechanicals

The running gear is glossed over in the bumf, with mention made of 'new, refined and efficient' 1.0-litre, three-cylinder turbo engines and 'smooth-shifting' transmissions. Perhaps of more interest here are the company's bold claims about improved driving dynamics. Apparently, the fifth-gen Corsa does not inherit a single component from the chassis of the outgoing model, with roll behaviour, steering response and understeer characteristics all said to be much better for the freshman. Uprated damping also promises a velvety ride and concomitant luxury car feel for the Corsa.

The steering has had special attention, with new geometry and a recalibration of the speed-sensitive electric power assistance software, apparently meaning the Corsa will offer both enhanced driving pleasure and comfort. There's also a City mode with super-light steering at low speeds, available at the push of a button - kind of like Fiat was doing some years back on the Punto et al.

Anything else?

Aside from the standard equipment, there are even more technologies from grander cars filtering into the fifth-gen Corsa, such as bi-Xenon headlamps, a blind spot warning system, road sign recognition and lane departure warning, high-beam assist and a forward collision warning safety set-up.