Test Car Specifications
Model tested: Vauxhall Corsa 1.0T SRi 90
Price: £13,425 on-the-road
Engine: 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol
Transmission: front-wheel drive, six-speed manual
Body style: three-door hatchback
CO2 emissions: 102g/km (Band B, £20 per year)
Combined economy: 65.7mpg
Top Speed: 112mph
0-62mph: 11.9 seconds
Power: 90hp at 5,200rpm
Torque 166Nm at 1,800rpm
What's this?
Vauxhall is calling it an all-new Corsa, but that's not entirely truthful, even if its revisions over the old model are very comprehensive. There's a new look front and rear, while the flanks have also been sculpted to ape the looks of its Insignia and Astra relations. Inside, there's an entirely new interior with lots of connectivity options via your smartphone and what Vauxhall dubs IntelliLink - it's standard on all but the base model. Underneath, the suspension is completely revised - Vauxhall claiming no carried over parts at all - while the engine line-up has also been significantly changed and added to. The Corsa is important to Vauxhall, responsible for around a third of the company's overall sales. A huge seller in the UK then, and the changes made to it are certain to ensure it remains so.
How does it drive?
That Vauxhall highlighted a heated windscreen as a key piece of standard equipment (via JD Power customer satisfaction surveys) describes how the Corsa drives as much as anything else. It's competent, a car for everyone, its brief and demographic wide, so it's unsurprising that the Corsa doesn't engage like its key Ford Fiesta rival does, but it's a bit closer than it was. The suspension and steering have been given a thorough going over, but neither stand out as exceptional, the now electric steering being light and accurate enough and the suspension doing a decent job on smooth roads - though it becomes a bit bouncy over tougher, undulating country roads.
The most significant addition though is the new three-cylinder engines, the 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol unit uncharacteristically smooth compared to buzzy rivals, its ample low-rev torque making it an easy (if not hugely brisk in 90hp guise) drive. There's a 115hp version too, though this adds little increase in urgency - the 90hp unit is more than adequate for most buyers. There's a six-speed manual gearbox attached to it, which delivers a mostly accurate shift, though downshifts sometimes need a bit of work to engage smoothly. All fairly unremarkable, if decently refined, the Corsa fills its brief to appeal to everyone, which means it really fails to shine in any particular single area.
Verdict
The Corsa's changes do exactly what's required to maintain its position at the upper end of the sales charts. It's difficult to love, but then it's a competent, decently equipped and inoffensively styled supermini that's well priced. And really that's all that a sizeable majority are after. If you're one of them then you won't be disappointed, but if you're not there are more engaging and interesting choices out there.
Exterior Design
Interior Ambience
Passenger Space
Luggage Space
Safety
Comfort
Driving Dynamics
Powertrain
