• New Cars
    • First Impressions
    • Road Tests
  • Classics
    • Classic Profiles
    • Classic Driving Impressions
    • Classics Information
    • Events and Days Out
  • Motoring For Fun
  • News & Views
  • Bookshelf
  • Technical
    • Grumpy Old Mechanic
    • Kim’s Tips
  • Features
    • Visits
    • Track Days
  • Contributors
    • About our contributors
    • Kim Henson
    • Chris Adamson
    • Kieron Fennelly
    • Ant Henson
    • Rachel Henson
    • David Miles
    • Gerald Morgan
    • Dave Moss
    • Dave Randle
    • Robin Roberts
    • Tom Scanlan
    • Glen Smale
    • Jeremy Walton
    • Keith Ward
    • John Price Williams
  • More…
    • About Wheels Alive
    • Tips for using this website
    • Useful Links

Wheels Alive

Old cars, new cars, borrowed cars & blue cars. If it steers it's here!

Old cars, new cars, borrowed cars & blue cars. If it steers it's here!

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

Vauxhall Corsa – Driving Impressions (after 25 years!)

Author/Source: Robin Roberts

17th April 2018

The Corsa generation – 25 years young.

By Robin Roberts (Miles Better News Agency).

It maybe from another era but the truth is the Vauxhall Corsa is even more relevant today than when it first appeared 25 years ago.

Born in the Britpop, Walkman and shell-suits age to the sounds of The Spice Girls, it has outlived them and is still Vauxhall’s best-seller.

What’s more it consistently lurks mid-way in the UK’s top ten best sellers list and blocks out more modern super-mini rivals.

A lot of that success must be down to price, although it’s not cheap but it’s cheerful and actually when taking into account the rate of inflation the Corsa today is less expensive than when introduced. Three door hatchback models are priced from £11,050 to £18,720 and five door versions from £14,435 to £19,370.

Maturity means the Vauxhall Corsa is more powerful, economical and “greener” than ever and delivers these virtues with a sophistication and refinement unheard of in 1993.

At last week’s Vauxhall regional media tour with new and interesting models I had a brief opportunity to reacquaint myself with Vauxhall’s super-baby in its SRi Nav trim, three door hatchback body with a 100 hp 1.4 litre turbo-petrol engine and six-speed manual gearbox. It has the DNA of the noughties boy racers but it’s playing a modern generation game with its appeal and abilities.

The smooth-running, pokey powerplant and sporty six-speed gearbox are a delight once you come to terms with the surprisingly long travel clutch, and it steers and stops with confidence and precision.

You just have to read the road ahead and carefully anticipate overtaking opportunities and the Corsa 1.4T rewards with swift and safe responses.

The ride is biased towards firmness but it’s not hard and felt supple over some bad roads without being too soft on undulating sections or rolling around bends.

It pulls well, particularly through the gears in mid-range, and it provided a composed character on main roads, returning over 47 mpg without a problem.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

There’s no shortage of creature comforts which include air conditioning, cruise control and Apple-play, automatic lights and wipers. Seats are sporty and supporting infront with reasonable room but those in the back might find legroom was short once they wriggled into them.

The boot holds 285 litres (10.06 cu.ft) with the backseat in use and 1,090 litres (38.49 cu.ft) maximum. It’s not the roomiest of modern superminis but will take a few cases and it’s easy to use.

VERDICT

There is something Tardis-like about the Corsa, not because is bigger inside than out but it is a true time machine, and who’s not going to enjoy it?

For: Brand/model longevity, wide range of models and prices, suspension tuned for UK road conditions, nippy high torque engine, still looks young after 25 years.

Against: Not as roomy as the latest new generation super-mini competitors, Fiesta, Polo, Ibiza for instance, ungenerous warranty.

 

Corsa Clips

Corsa means ‘race’ in Italian.

Vauxhall has sold two-million Corsas in the UK, 52,772 of them in 2017

Around 20,000 have been sold to police forces

There have been convertibles and pick-ups

Grey is the most popular colour at the moment

Originally it cost £7,195

Today’s price means it’s actually less after inflation

An electric Corsa will arrive in 2019

Mini Milestones and Wheels-Alive Fast-facts:

Vauxhall Corsa SRi Nav 1.4T

Price: £14,345 (with options £17,190).

Engine/transmission: four cylinder, 1,364 cc, 100 hp, 200 Nm (148 b.ft), turbo-petrol engine, six speed manual.

Performance: 115 mph, 0–60 mph 11 seconds.

Fuel consumption: Combined Cycle 55.4 mpg, (47.5 mpg on test).

Emissions and taxation: CO2 119 g/km, VED road tax First Year rate £165 then £140 Standard rate, BiK company car tax 24%.

Insurance Group: 10E.

Warranty: Three years/60,000 miles.

Dimensions/capacities: L 4,020 mm (13.19 ft), W 1,736 (5.70 ft) mm, H 1,479 mm (4.85 ft), boot/load space 285 to 1,090 litres (10.06 to 38.49 cu.ft).

 

 

Save Post as PDF

Categories: First Impressions, Robin Roberts Tags: hatchback, hot hatchback

Tip: For improved search accuracy, enclose search terms for multiple words in quotation marks. For example:
"Land Rover".

Advertise with us

Recent Posts

A summer of fun at Beaulieu

Lakeland Motor Museum kicks off the start of The Club Triumph Coast 2 Coast Run

The Motor Ombudsman marks nearly one million contacts as ADR Regulations reach a decade of service

INEOS Grenadier ups its game with portal axle collaboration

New Chief Executive Officer for The British Motor Museum

Legacy of Austin pedal cars honoured with Blue Plaque at original factory site in Bargoed

Kia EV3 GT Line S – Road Test

National Motor Museum to take Sunbeam 350hp Blue Bird to Wales for the World Land Speed Record centenary

Contributors

contributors

Our well-respected contributors live and breathe motor cars; aren’t we lucky?

Contributors to the site include talented, highly-respected people (so they tell me) on the hallowed membership list of the Guild of Motoring Writers, and from the similarly well thought-of Western Group of Motoring Writers. In addition there are valued contributions from other knowledgeable and capable motoring writers who have something useful to say about all aspects of driving and running vehicles in the 21st Century. All of our team are passionate about motor cars!


Read about our contributors  ››

Tags

saloon plug-in hybrid all-electric Coupé Hybrid five door hatchback PHEV SUV Kia British Motor Museum Estate car Electric Suzuki Beaulieu First Impressions EV crossover 4x4 Compact SUV hatchback road test Tyres luxury SUV Seven seater SUV City car estate The Motor Ombudsman MPV National Motor Museum large SUV

All Tags ››

Like us on Facebook

Like us on Facebook

Wheels Alive Social

  • E-mail
  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Please share our website

Contact us

We welcome your questions, comments and feedback. Please click here to contact us.

Advertising Opportunities

Please contact us if you would like to discuss advertising opportunities on Wheels Alive.

Copyright © 2025 Kim Henson, Wheels Alive