Vauxhall Corsa (2014 – 2019) Review

Vauxhall Corsa (2014 – 2019) At A Glance

3/5
Honest John Overall Rating
The Vauxhall Corsa is a fixture of every street corner and for good reason. It's good value, easy to drive and there are plenty on the used market.

+Much improved over previous Corsa, better quality interior with a more upmarket feel, impressive for around town.

-Baffling number of different trim levels, steering is slow and lacks feel, other hatchbacks are more enjoyable to drive.

Insurance Groups are between 2–35
On average it achieves 79% of the official MPG figure

The Vauxhall Corsa is one of the best-selling hatchbacks going, with sales figures helped along by its popularity with company car fleets. The 2014 Corsa gave us more of the same with a car that came in a multitude of trims with a wide variety of engines on offer to suit all pockets. You also have a choice of three- and five-door body styles, as well as the VXR hot hatch model, so there’s plenty to choose from. Where this Corsa falls down is several of its hugely talented rivals do most or all of what the Vauxhall manages with more panache. 

If this Corsa has more than a hint of the old one in the design then that's because it's not actually 'all-new'. In fact it's a very heavily revised version of its predecessor with a new look, a redesigned interior plus an overhauled chassis and suspension set-up.

That said, while the profile looks very similar, this Corsa has more to it design-wise than its rather bland predecessor. The front end apes the Vauxhall Adam while the rear follows the design of the Astra. But it's inside where you find the biggest changes.

The latest Corsa has a far better interior than before. Gone are the scratchy plastics and dated layout, replaced by a cabin similar to the Adam. That means more panache and style plus a big leap in quality. The plastics used are far superior and touches like the soft touch dash top and glossy trim make it feel more upmarket. Standard equipment on all models now also includes a heated windscreen.

As before it's reasonably spacious for a small hatchback while refinement has notably improved, especially at motorway speeds where there's less road and engine noise.

And when it comes to engines, there are again some considerable improvements. The new 1.0 Ecotec petrol is the pick of the range. It may be a small three-cylinder engine, but thanks to the fact it's turbocharged it provides perky performance with good refinement.

Two versions are available - a 90PS model and one with 115PS - and both are economical with the former averaging a claimed 65.7mpg in the three-door model. Under the skin there have been big changes with a reworked and stiffer chassis plus all-new suspension which has been tuned specifically for UK roads. It also has a lower centre of gravity.

These changes certainly improve the refinement of the Corsa and it rides very well for a small car, feeling stable and comfortable even at higher speeds. Unfortunately the new electric power steering is overly light and feels vague in corners. As a result the Corsa isn't much fun to drive, but it's ideal in town and easy to park.

Ask Honest John

Do I need to replace all four tyres if switching to all-weather tyres?

"I am preparing my 2017 Corsa 1.4 Turbo for its forthcoming MoT. I do not do many miles, no more than about 5000-6000 per year. The front offside tyre is low on tread and for sure needs replacing, the near side front has just under 4mm and I will also replace. Since I do so few miles, I am looking at all season tyres so that I can get maximum grip and stopping ability throughout the year, but the websites I am looking at (national chains) are recommending to replace all 4 tyres when fitting all weather tyres. My rear tyres both have between 5 and 6mm tread. Is it really necessary to replace the rears also?"
When replacing tyres it is recommended to replace them in pairs on the same axle to ensure equal grip between each side of the vehicle. However, if you are switching between summer tyres and all-weather or winter tyres, it is not recommended to mix the different types on the same car, as this can cause differences in handling and grip characteristics between the front and rear. If you only want to replace two tyres we would advise sticking with a similar in design and specification to those on the rear.
Answered by David Ross

I need a small reliable automatic with a torque converter gearbox, what are my options?

"My wife's Honda Jazz 2012 model needs a new or secondhand gearbox, so I am looking to see what automatic we can buy for around £6500 that will be reliable and a torque convertor auto gearbox What would you recommend should we bite the bullet and replace the Honda?"
If you are looking to replace your Jazz with a similarly-sized car, the issue you will find is that most cars of this size use either a dual-clutch gearbox or a CVT. There are a few exceptions however, such as the 2014-2019 Vauxhall Corsa 1.4 petrol automatic and the 2015-2019 Mazda 2 automatic, which both use a torque converter automatic.
Answered by David Ross

We unknowingly bought Cat S write-off car, what can we do?

"Three years ago we bought a Vauxhall Corsa from a dealer, all HPI checks came back clear. We recently tried to sell the car to be told that it is a Cat S vehicle. This is the first time of hearing this. We went back to dealer, who has since gone into administration. So we went the HPI company who have declined our complaint saying that the insurance company didn't register it as a Cat S until August 2019, over a year after it had been in an accident. Any ideas where we stand and what our next line of action could be? "
As the dealer has gone into administration I would suggest making a complaint to the insurance company as clearly it should not have taken a year to register it, it should have been within days of the inspection. You could also seek free legal advice from your local Citizens Advice Bureau.
Answered by Sarah Tooze

I want to swap my Corsa for something reliable and fuel efficient - what do you suggest?

"I'm currently driving a 2013 Vauxhall Corsa 1.2-litre. I'm doing about 1000 miles a month and it's costing me about £200 in petrol. I have a five-year-old and a dog and we spend most of our time on the moors (driving country lanes) so the car is always full of wellies coats, blankets etc. I am looking for a much more fuel efficient car and one that has enough space to fit us and all our stuff in, along with being reliable and low maintenance costs. Including part exchange, I can only afford to spend about £4500. What would you suggest?"
You're not going to find a much more efficient car than your Corsa, unless you consider diesels. A cheap, second-hand diesel can be very expensive to maintain, though - especially as you don't cover many motorway miles (which are necessary to clear out the diesel particulate filter and prevent issues). Before you go trading in your Corsa, have you done everything you can to ensure it's as efficient as possible? Consider clearing out any unnecessary items and have it serviced. If you still want to change your car, we'd recommend something like a Hyundai i20, Honda Jazz, Toyota Yaris or Ford Fiesta (with the reliable 1.25-litre engine). They're all very efficient and should be very reliable.
Answered by Andrew Brady
More Questions

What does a Vauxhall Corsa (2014 – 2019) cost?