AutoenGadget.com - The all-new fourth-generation Vauxhall Corsa is
unquestionably one of the most significant cars the brand has launched in
recent years. The supermini is the manufacturer’s most popular model in the UK
and in fact it is the third best-selling car in Britain, behind the Ford
Focus and Ford Fiesta.
Vauxhall
is hoping the latest Corsa can clinch the top spot from the Fiesta, with a raft
of updates including more kit, better engines and sharper looks. The big news
is the addition of an all-new 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine, which gives
Vauxhall a direct rival to the Ford Fiesta 1.0-litre EcoBoost. It’s available
with either 89bhp or 113bhp, with the more potent version being the quickest
Corsa currently available. For hot hatch fans, a racy VXR model will arrive
next year, which could develop up to 200bhp.
Another
tactic Vauxhall has employed to help increase the supermini’s appeal is by
slashing prices. The new model starts at only £8,995, undercutting the Fiesta
by around £1,000, with list prices across the Corsa lineup reduced by up to
£3,000 over the outgoing model.
The
other good news is that the Corsa remains as practical as it was before, due to
the overall shape being left untouched. The A, B and C pillars are identical to
the previous model, which doesn’t make the Corsa look dramatically different in
terms of style but it does mean its as spacious as ever, with enough room for
three passengers in the rear. The three-door remains the more stylish choice,
and the five-door is much easier to access for rear-seat passengers.
Styling
At
a glance, you could easily mistake the new Corsa for its predecessor, because
it has the same door pillars and glass area as before. According to Vauxhall,
that’s because existing customers liked the look of the previous car, although
we’re sure that retaining the same layout helps save money on the redesign.
Instead,
the brand has splashed the cash on a comprehensive reskin, with updated
bodywork, new lights and a nose inspired by the Vauxhall
Adam. The front end is closer to the ground, with a low-set grille
and LED running lights that are similar to the city car’s.
Two
sharp creases have been added to the doors, while the window line kicks up
at the rear. Open the back doors, and you’ll see that the glass is
identical to the old model’s, with a painted section covering the exterior
metalwork. However, it’s well executed for a cost-cutting measure, and you
don’t notice it when you’re sitting in the back.
At
the rear, the lights extend over the tailgate, while new wheel designs add a
finishing touch. Overall, the Corsa looks fresh and modern, although a casual
observer might not notice that it’s brand new.
Climb
inside, though, and the differences between old and new are obvious. The
dashboard gains the touchscreen from the Adam, which groups all cabin functions
together bar the climate controls, while the plastic trim across the dash adds
a bit of style. Higher-spec cars get extra silver trim, and a grey-metallic
painted finish for the dash that complements the gloss-black trim found
elsewhere.
All
in all, the cabin looks neat; it’s as well built as ever and the plastics are
of a decent quality.
Driving
Vauxhall
has reengineered a substantial proportion of the Corsa’s running gear to ensure
it can compete with the Fiesta when it comes to driver engagement. The basic
platform from the outgoing Corsa has been carried over but bolted on is a new
suspension setup which improves the ride considerably and gives better body
control.
We’ve
tested the 113bhp 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo, which is currently the most
powerful Corsa you can buy – a VXR model will arrive next year – and completely
changes the character of a car which doesn’t look all that different on the
surface.
It
takes 10.3 seconds to get from 0-62mph, which is a little slower than the Fiesta
1.0-litre EcoBoost, but it is a supremely refined engine. Around town or at
higher speeds, there’s very little noise from the engine in the cabin and even
from low revs it pulls surprisingly strongly.
Vauxhall
has taken care to revise the Corsa’s suspension and also give UK cars a unique
steering set-up. This means that while it feels a little nervous on the
motorway, it makes up for it with fast responses on twisty roads. Turn-in is
quick and there’s plenty of grip, and while body roll is present, the Corsa
feels stable and sure-footed. The suspension soaks up bumps well – it’s
certainly less harsh than
a Ford Fiesta’s.
a Ford Fiesta’s.
Around
town, the City steering mode makes the wheel extremely light for parking, and
it disengages at speeds above 30mph to deliver a more natural feel.
Certainly,
the 1.0 is much better than the 1.4-litre engine, which only has 98bhp, and
doesn't feel close to its claim of 200Nm. The car is thrashy, slow and not very
economical - and it doesn't have the character of the 1.0-litre unit either,
which simply must be picked if you want to be at all satisfied with your Corsa
ownership.
Reliability
The
latest Corsa uses many parts from the old car, which bodes well for
reliability. Elsewhere, the IntelliLink touchscreen system features in the
Adam, Insignia and Ampera, so it should prove trouble-free. Even so, we did
notice our car’s system took some time to boot up once the engine was started,
while touchscreen controls didn’t react as crisply as those on the Polo’s
similar system.
The
Corsa achieved a four-star Euro NCAP rating, but it has a lot more safety kit
than the car it replaces. One highlight is the Technical Pack, which adds front
collision warning and lane departure, among other features. It’s a pricey
£1,300 option, though. Other additions include a self-parking function and tyre
pressure monitoring.
The
previous Corsa came in at a disappointing 140th place of 150 in our 2014
Driver Power customer satisfaction survey, but Vauxhall will be
hoping the new car's extra features will improve its rating in the fourth-gen
car.
Practicality
As the Corsa hasn’t changed shape or size, practicality
remains unaffected, but that’s no bad thing as the supermini has always been
rather spacious. There’s enough space on the rear bench for three and there’s
good amounts of headroom.
The
285-litre boot sits right between the VW Polo and Ford Fiesta in terms of
capacity but a high boot lip can make loading items a little tricky. The rear
bench isn’t a 60:40 split and doesn’t fold completely flat, so your left with a
loading area which isn’t that well designed. Like before, the Corsa will be
available in either three or five-door body styles. The three-door looks
smarter, but it's difficult to clamber into the rear seats, and the longer
front doors aren't very helpful in tight spaces.
Running Costs
One
vital characteristic of a supermini is that is has to be cheap to run. Purchase
prices for the Corsa have been slashed to give it even greater showroom appeal,
with the new car costing around £1,000 less than the equivalent Fiesta. But
don’t think you miss out on standard kit, as USB connectivity, LED daytime
running lights, cruise control and a multi-function steering wheel are fitted
across the range.
The
new 1.0-litre engine isn’t the most efficient powertrain but it is the best all
rounder. Vauxhall claims fuel economy of 57.6mpg and 115g/km of CO2 for the
113bhp version and a slightly better 65.7mpg and 100g/km for the 89bhp model. A
new 1.3-litre CDTi diesel is the most frugal, returning up to 88.3mpg with
tax-free emissions of 85g/km.
1.2
and 1.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engines are also available, but neither are
as efficient or as clean as the downsized three-cylinder.
by AutoExpress
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