Explore the Hidden Talents of the Vauxhall Corsa

The Vauxhall Corsa is one of the mainstays of the Vauxhall line up, first presented to the British market in 1983. The most recent incarnation, which appeared in 2014, was the Corsa’s fifth generation and goes by the name of Vauxhall Corsa E.

With a competitive starting price of £8,995 for the new three-door Sting model, the Vauxhall Corsa was £1,000 cheaper than the basic Fiesta, its main competitor in the class and soon became a popular alternative choice. Five-door versions cost around an additional £600, and while the upgrades were plainly noticeable, the car remained roughly the same size as its predecessors. As this current version of the Vauxhall Corsa is now three years old, there’s already a wide selection of good second hand models on the market.

Refreshed and more youthful than ever

Design-wise, the Corsa E offers subtle, yet noticeable evolution over previous generations, with the looks mirroring the hip and youthful, more compact Adam model both inside and out. The front is much more streamlined with updated headlights, and its sides have a new set of character lines emphasising the dynamics of the whole Vauxhall range.

Vauxhall Corsa Interior

Inside, the changes are much more substantial - a new modern-looking dash which features a more organic flow and a blend of textures, from grainy to polished and shiny. The changes made the most recent Vauxhall Corsa E much more inviting than ever before. Consumers praised the new design as both pleasant and functional, pointing out its roominess and levels of comfort. In addition to this, high interior quality is also among the features consumers are particularly satisfied about.

Turbocharged power is the way to go

 

The Corsa E is powered by five engines, or six if we include the hot VXR version. The smallest engine is the turbocharged 1.0T SIDI inline three tuned to produce 89 or 113bhp. All other engines are inline fours. For a short amount of time, the base engine had 1.2 litres and 70 bhp, but it was soon discontinued, making it a rare model if you can find one!

Next, a 1.4-litre engine offers either a naturally aspirated 89 bhp or a turbocharged 99 bhp. There’s also a choice of two 1.3-litre turbodiesel powerhouses with 74 and 94 bhp. Finally, the hot Vauxhall Corsa VXR version is powered by a whopping 204 bhp turbocharged 1.6-litre four cylinder, and is the most potent engine in the collection. All engines, except the VXR, offer decent fuel consumption figures, with the most economical being the 1.3L diesel which can average up to 90 mpg according to Vauxhall.

Compared to its predecessor, this generation Corsa has lower suspension and two settings: Comfort and Sport. The latter is a bit stiffer, but it offers more fun in the corners. On average, consumers feel very satisfied with both consumption and overall ride quality, with running costs being universally applauded as very reasonable.

Vauxhall Corsa Infotainment Screen

As the current-generation Vauxhall Corsa is aiming at a more discerning audience, the equipment levels have been conceived accordingly. With that in mind, only the basic Corsa Sting lacks GM’s global IntelliLink system, and air conditioning comes as standard from Energy A/C upwards. The 7” infotainment system has USB and Bluetooth connectivity, and is compatible with both Apple and Android. It has voice recognition, and acts as satellite navigation too. The Vauxhall Corsa E also benefits from Vauxhall OnStar system which acts as a personal assistant, safety device and WiFi hotspot all at once. This system is available as standard on higher trim levels starting from SE.

More connectivity and more safety

 

Vauxhall Corsa Rear

When it comes to safety in the Vauxhall Corsa E, the list of equipment and features is fairly long for its class. Some of the standard features are hill-start assist, heated windscreen, and tyre-pressure monitoring systems. Optional and higher-spec safety features include parking assistance, rear-view camera, blind-spot monitoring and dynamic xenon headlamps that follow the direction of the steering wheel. Finally, there’s the ‘Eye Camera’ system, with automatic dipping headlights, road-sign recognition, forward collision and lane-departure warning systems. All this makes the Corsa E a very well equipped model, able to compete well with other cars in this supermini class. In case of collisions, the occupants are safe too, as the Vauxhall Corsa E is equipped with front, side head and side chest airbags as standard.

As of 2017, the brand new Corsa Sting has a starting price of £10,635. Top of the line, Red, Black and White Edition Vauxhall Corsas start from £18,310. However, you can treat yourself with a second hand Corsa for less than £6,000, and for that money, you’ll be able to find a well-preserved, low mileage example even in higher trim variants. For a price closer to £7,000, the choice broadens, and for £7,500 to £9,000, you can find the best equipment on a low mileage example with a 2015 registration. With that in mind, the Vauxhall Corsa holds its price pretty well, so you can expect both great value for money and a good resale price in a couple of years.

If you’re on the lookout for a hatchback that offers a lot, yet demands little, visit our Liverpool showroom and find a Vauxhall Corsa which suits your needs the best!