By Julie Marshall
Copyright thescarboroughnews
The Corsa, Vauxhall’s incredibly popular supermini, has been around far longer than you may realise.
Although the name Corsa debuted in the UK in 1993, it had been known as the Nova in this country for the 10 years preceding its introduction. Elsewhere in Europe, it was known as the Corsa.
It proved popular, with 500,000 sold during the decade.
I owned one in the early 1990s and loved it, only relinquishing it when I needed something bigger.
According to figures from the industry’s trade body, the Corsa is the fourth best-selling car in the UK so far this year, with 23,486 units. The top three are Ford Puma (33,221), Kia Sportage (29,279) and Nissan Qashqai (25,571).
Since launch, there have been six generations of Corsa (including the Nova), with the most recent, as tested here, making its appearance in 2019. It was given a major upgrade in 2024.
Over the years, like the majority of cars, it has grown in length and height and has matured from the cute, rounded supermini I drove to a smart and very stylish offering that can hold its own with others in the class.
In common with other Vauxhalls, New Corsa now sports the Vizor front end, which incorporates the redesigned black Griffin logo. It really lifts the styling to new heights. As do the black roof and windscreen pillars, and, in our test car, the dark-tinted rear windows.
Overall, Corsa looks good without being flashy, is made from decent-quality materials and has enough room for four adults – five at a pinch.
The steering wheel and driver’s seat have plenty of adjustment, and storage space is adequate apart from the glove box, which is impractically small.
Unlike many new cars, there is just one USB port in the front. Presumably, Vauxhall expects most owners to use the multimedia infotainment system rather than plugging in their own devices.
A wireless charging system would be a nice addition and negate the need to plug in a phone all the time – it already has wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which is a plus.
Two new hybrid engines were introduced for 2024. Both are powered by a three-cylinder 1.2-litre petrol engine mated to an electric motor with either 99bhp or 134bhp and a six-speed dual clutch automatic gearbox.
We drove the smaller of the two, mated to a six-speed manual transmission and found it did a pretty decent job of accelerating and keeping up with traffic.
The steering is light and the turning circle is tight, so the Corsa is particularly at home in towns.
We drove the GS trim – the middle spec with Design and Ultimate bookending it, and it was well specified.
It comes with plenty of safety kit, including lane departure warning, side blind spot alert and speed sign recognition.
Our GS had a rear-view camera and front and rear parking sensors, which proved useful as rearward visibility is not the best.
In all, a really nice little car that has stood the test of time well.
Vauxhall Corsa hybrid
Price: £25,605 (£26,305 as tested)
Engine: 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol and electric motor
Power: 98bhp
Torque: 151lb/ft
Transmission: six-speed manual
Top speed: 116mph
0-62mph: 10.7 seconds
Economy: 61.4-62.8mpg
CO 2 emissions:104g/km
