Driving instructors are getting excited. Why? Because a new Vauxhall Corsa has just broken cover. And although it might seem a bit odd, if driving instructors give the thumbs-up to a particular car, you can bet your bottom dollar that it’s simple to drive, reasonably comfy and easy to live with.  

There’s a very good chance that a decent chunk of you reading this will have had driving lessons in a Vauxhall Corsa, so you can judge for yourself.

The outgoing Corsa was painless to own but you’d never call it exciting to look at or drive. However, that didn’t stop it from being the UK’s best-selling car of its size, although it was helped massively by the demise of the Ford Fiesta.

Anyway, Vauxhall has decided it’s time to give the car a refresh and bring it in line with the designs which are spreading across the rest of the Vauxhall range, notably the ‘vizor’ strip which goes along the front of the car below the bonnet lip. The headlights are new too and I think it looks smart, even a tad sporty.  

You’ll also find some new tech inside and a new line-up in terms of power options.

Diesel has been given the heave-ho, so your options are limited to petrol (1.2 litres) and electric. There are varying power outputs. The 3-cylinder petrol engine comes with a choice of 74 bhp, 99 bhp or 128 bhp. The entry level engine gets a 5-speed manual gearbox. The 99 bhp model has a 6-speed manual ‘box while the top of the range engine gets an automatic 8-speed shifter. The latter two also get a turbocharger and all of them are expected to achieve around 55 mpg.

In terms of performance, the lower powered 1.2-litre engine manages the 0-60mph dash in a shade over 13 seconds. The 99 bhp model cuts that to 9.9 seconds, while the higher power version manages 8.7 seconds.

If you prefer electric power, there are two battery options - 134 bhp output which gives you 222 estimated miles or 154 bhp which goes further to 256 miles and drops your 0-60 time to 8.2 seconds. But, as with all electric cars, it feels quicker.

As for trim, Vauxhall took the decision a couple of years ago to help customers simplify their choices because it was getting downright ridiculous. The new Corsa is available in just 3 trims - Design, GS and Ultimate, though Vauxhall is finding that most customers go for the top two trims.

Prices kick off at £19,625 for the 74 bhp engine in Design guise. The one I’d go for is the 99 bhp engine which costs a further £900. It all makes the £32,445 required for a Corsa Electric look extremely expensive in comparison. Design and GS trim are available in the lower two engine outputs, Ultimate for middle and top.

Every Corsa comes with LED headlights, rear parking sensors, cruise control, powered windows, air con, 10-inch info screen, 3.5-inch digital cluster, and 16-inch alloys. Move up to GS for a further £2400 and you’ll now get electronic climate control, front fog lights, a black roof, a rear privacy window, powered/folding mirrors, a rear camera, a 7-inch digital cluster, and smart 17-inch alloys.

Ultimate trim takes the purchase starting price to £25,335 and adds adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, front parking sensors, heated front seats and a heated steering wheel.

If you had to push me to make a choice, I’d go for the 99 bhp Corsa GS. It looks good, is well priced (£22,555) and has the right sort of kit that you need without going over the top.

Out on the road, whereas the previous model was as safe and houses but rather dull, this 6th generation Corsa is light years ahead. It’s great to drive and has a really nice exhaust note. You can chuck it into corners with its perfectly controlled turning and it’s actually a lot of fun.

The shame is that the Corsa driving revolution hasn’t spread to the interior. Unfortunately, it’s a bit dark and certainly lacks the sort of flair that we’re seeing from other models of this size. Take a peek inside something like the Peugeot 208 and you’ll see that Vauxhall has missed a trick here. The space in the front is fine, but adults will find legroom is somewhat lacking in the rear. For that reason alone, it wouldn’t surprise me if another revamp of the Corsa doesn’t arrive sooner rather than later.

Don’t forget that there is an electric Corsa too. It has a decent range no matter which battery you go for, and if you use a rapid charger, you can go from 0-80% in around half an hour. A typical wallbox charger will take about 7 hours or so. With the electric Corsa you get 3 driving modes, all of which give you enough oomph for overtaking.

Other than that, the Corsa Electric is just about identical in terms of driving manners to its ICE stablemate. The car is heavier than the petrol powered model so the suspension has been beefed up and makes the ride slightly firmer. Don’t worry though as it’s not harsh by any stretch of the imagination and certainly makes the Corsa a compelling option for those of you who fancy going electric.  

However, the £30k+ asking price means you need to do your sums. If you want the Ultimate trim and the bigger battery, you’re looking at £38,585. That’s a big premium over the petrol Corsa so choose wisely.

Overall though, Vauxhall has done a fine job with the new Corsa. It’s a comfortable, well appointed, economical car that’s great to drive and should be easy to live with. It is a bit of a shame that Vauxhall didn’t go the whole hog and give the interior a thorough makeover though.

The outgoing model was a best seller and I’m sure the new model will pick up where it left off.

Words: Graham Courtney
Pictures: Vauxhall