Vauxhall Corsa review

It takes about three corners behind the Corsa's (usual-sized, not teeny Peugeot-esque) steering wheel to discover this latest one reacts, rides and handles night-and-day better than any Corsa before it. You sit lower and the seat is more supportive, but it’s the linearity of the steering weight and the sharpness of the response off centre that wakes you out of your ‘oh it’s a Vauxh-zzzzz’ slumber.

This is an agile, peppy little car. We're focusing on the petrol here of course, but you can read our full review of the Corsa Electric by clicking these blue words. In internal combustion form you'll marvel at how game and lively it feels. And Vauxhall has tried here: it’s reinforced the suspension mounts for the sportier models so turn-in is crisper. You even get a (Peugeot-pinched) Sport button and the fake engine growl to go with it.

How does it compare with the Peugeot 208?

After another three corners, the next thing to awkwardly rub in Peugeot’s nose is the fact the Corsa’s easier to fling through bends than the 208, because the steering wheel isn’t from a fairground ride. In the petrol versions, it rides with a pleasing balance of firmness and control, too. It can get lively, but you buy into it because you’re having fun. Leagues more than in the electric one, which is quieter, more settled and generally more grown up.

The 1.2-litre 99bhp triple is a fine engine, with adequate performance, a slick six-speed box, and a chirrupy sound. There’s nothing sporty about the eight-speed automatic (which’ll also set you back around £2k extra), but it doesn’t fumble the job too badly and makes the car a very flexible and mature way of getting about. It’s a sensible Corsa, and yet the most fun ordinary Corsa ever.

Whatever gearbox you go for both are rated around 50mpg and in our experience will easily manage that in mixed driving. We saw 50.3mpg in the six-speed manual without trying too hard. Unless you can rely on home charging, you’ll have to do some clever maths to see whether it’s really worth making the switch to Electric or just sticking with petrol.

What about the mild hybrids?

We’re yet to try them in current guise (they’re now more powerful and available in two states of tune, 108bhp and 143bhp), but the basic setup is still the same and our experience in previous versions was impressive. 

The 28bhp/41lb ft electric motor smooths out the stop/start procedure and assists the petrol engine under acceleration, with the teeny, tiny battery allowing for entirely electric power only running at speeds up to 18mph.

As a result Vauxhall claims the hybrids will sip approximately 20 per cent less fuel compared to the non-hybrids, with economy around 60mpg and CO2 emissions from 105g/km. We averaged 57.5mpg while treading lightly: not bad at all.

Can it cope with long journeys?

It’s much less wearing over distance than it used to be. The driving position makes more sense, because it’s no longer like being sat on a space-hopper in a telephone box. You’re sat lower in the car, and don’t feel like you’re reaching down to operate everything. Apart from some wind rustle around the mirrors at motorway speed, it’s very quiet too. Quiet enough to wipe the smile off a Polo's face.