I notice that the Corsa was the best-selling new car in Britain in September, knocking the Focus into second place. The Corsa is also consistently the best selling supermini, despite the fact that the motoring press seem to regard it as pretty mediocre compared to the competition. For example, if one looks at the number of blobs What Car gives the different mainstream superminis, they seem to reckon that the Corsa come 12th out of . . . well, about 12.
My question is - why does the Corsa sell so well? The motoring writers have no difficulty explaining the success of the Focus, but don't have much to say about the success of the Corsa. Are they out of touch with the car buying public? Or if it is all down to fleet sales, why do the fleets buy Corsas rather than some other supermini? What do backroomers think?
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Ford & GM sell cars cheap to fleets and also do a lot for pre-registration to keep up the numbers sold up.
I think auto car worked out last year that the 206 was the best selling car to private buyers. I don't have any idea why anyone with a choice would want a Corsa, but we all have different tastes.
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Perhaps it is just because they are good, affordable and reliable?
number_cruncher
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I've only driven one corsa, and that was a petrol engined base model I had for half a day. I hated it, but as I am used to diesels that would probably go a long way to influencing me in a negative fashion.
In truth, the difference between the best and the worst among the major manufacturers these days is probably miniscule, and the differences that would make an experienced driver favour one model over another probably wouldn't be noticed by those who form the Corsa's main market, housewives and new drivers.
They will be more interested in price, availability and looks rather than what the motoring press - which they don't read anyway - think of the car.
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In truth, the difference between the best and the worst among the major manufacturers these days is probably miniscule....
Too right, Skoda getting good press, German cars getting bad press - no wonder Joe Public isn't taken in by all the hyperbole.
Motoring journo's have a job to do and with modern cars being so capable, it's not surprising that they go a bit over the top.
I hire cars fairly regularly and wouldn't object to driving anything I hire, as you say it's down to looks and price (and depreciation for the savvy).
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The Corsa is also consistently the best selling supermini, despite the fact that the motoring press seem to regard it as pretty mediocre compared to the competition.
Perhaps the public have finally woken up and no longer take any notice of what the "so called" experts think.
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I'm afraid the quality of the car has little to do with private sales in the supermini market:
1. Showroom appeal - The Corsa looks a lot better than it drives.
For a lot of people, the Vauxhall Corsa looks more attractive than the other superminis and the interiors are OK. There are lots of people out there who do not plan a test drive and some don't bother to have one at all
They don't read the motoring press so it doesn't affect them. We have dozens of programmes about house buying and a handful about cars, do the math.
2. Location, Location, Location - Vauxhall dealers all over the place. For many non-enthusiasts having a local dealer is very important.
3. Special offers, special editions. Vauxhall are the champions at this. The dealers know how to use this to their advantage.
4. BSM used to use them for years, Vauxhall knew a small percentage of drivers would go out and buy the car they learnt to drive in.
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This is more than likely going to get me into trouble with the women here but I don't mean it in an insulting way.
The majority of people I see driving Corsas are either:
1) Young girls - probably couldn't give 2 figs as to how the car handles - it looks 'good' - has a cd player (usually) and is relatively new
2) Older women - again, probably don't care how the car handles - as long as it gets them to the business deal with Starbucks and Nescafe, can sit on the motorway at 70 (which let's be fair, it can) and won't break down (unlikely given the age), they're happy.
3) Young lads - either they've been granted access to their Mum's car, in which case, they're not going to say no - they've bought it with their hard earned cash (yeah right) or, when they get a Sony million kijillion watt amp and blue neons attached, won't care one bit - it's db they're interested in not hp.
None of these people care how the car handles - it's reliable and new and looks pretty much 'ok' - seeing as they can't think of anything else (or need anything else) why should they buy different.
I apologise profusely if this offends anyone - Duchess, NW, HF - (can't think of any more ladies) it's just an observation by an unobservent juvenile.
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Adam
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"The majority of people I see driving Corsas are either:
1) Young girls - probably couldn't give 2 figs as to how the car handles - it looks 'good' - has a cd player (usually) and is relatively new"
And Clios! My daughter has one but chose it for different reasons - diesel (good mpg), diesel, (decent performance), looks good, climate control, good price!
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Perhaps Vauxhall are just skilled enough to make cars that appeal exactly to their target market and they sell in their hundreds of thousands despite what the so called experts may write. Also despite selling so many Corsas, problems with the model show up very infrequently in these threads. Perhaps in addition to looking good they are screwed together pretty well.
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The Corsa and indeed Vauxhalls best asset is it's build quality.
This means showroom appeal to undemanding punters who couldn't care less about dynamics even so it's not really that bad to drive. The Corsa has a quality feel that is missing from many other superminis.(IMO) I have to say it's a pretty well sorted product.
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Hear Hear....One of my collegues has been looking at new cars in the Corsa class; and commented that the Corsa had a much better 'quality' feel to it inside than it's competitors.
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I don't know the breakdown of sales, but a quick look at hire fleets or at any company fleets which include lots of small cars usually includes lots of Fords and Vauxhalls, so that probably accounts for a significant proportion of their sales.
Why do the fleets buy them? My guess is that that it's because they are no worse than average on reliability, and supplied at ginormous discounts.
A friend had a P-Reg Corsa, and it was reliable enough, but a horribly bouncy little thing to ride in. Gimme a Punto or a Clio or a 206 anyday, but those things matter more to private buers than to fleet buyers.
Interstingly, another friend hires very frequently (say 20 wks a year) from a smallish independent hire company. They obviously buy on price too, but because they aren't buying in such bulk, I guess they don't get the huge discounts which would lure the big companies to Vauxhall. So this hire firm mostly stocks Hyundai, Nissan, and Toyota, along with the occasional Citroen (apparently when they are on heavy discount, like the Xsara recently).
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Why do the fleets buy them? My guess is that that it's because they are no worse than average on reliability, and supplied at ginormous discounts.
Discounts of 45% weren't unheard of when I was selling into fleets for Ford in the early/mid 90s, usually accompanied by VERY bullish buy-back agreements.
At one point NatWest bank were getting a deal whereby they disposed of Mondeos through the auctions after 9 months and it cost them..... nothing, due to the whopping discount they received.
Given the Enterprise, Avis and Europcar all seem to operate huge numbers of Vauxhalls, the sales of Corsas really don't surprise me.
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A bit unfair to lump the Corsa B (1993 to 2000) with the current model. Chalk & cheese really. The Corsa B was really a Nova with a new body, the latest model is all together a more refined & spacious car hence its appeal.
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my younger brother - 5 of his friends aged 18/19 drive - 3 of them drive corsas for one reason.
Band 1 insurance
Up until recently - they where the only main car to offer it (fiat seicento did to - but 4 seats doesnt appeal)
Now the c2 and panda fall into the boundary.
Male - young - insurance cost is one of the main considerations beofre spec, power and badge.
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We have always gone for Vauxhall cars because we prefer them. They handle well, the ride in an 1994 Corsa is not bumpy as someone else described - its pretty smooth, smoother than the 04 reg Fiesta I have to drive for work which is like a tank - Corsa's in particular are also economical on fuel compaired to other makes of cars we have tried.
Just got our second Corsa (still have the first one and my hubbie uses it each day for work) and having experienced not only Ford cars but the service team at the local Ford Dealership - I will go for anything but a Ford!!
When we bought our first Corsa we looked at the same level model in a Fiesta and I have to say the Corsa was much more plush and less like a plastic tank inside. May be thats why they are so popular, if you can pay the same amount and get something which looks better quality then many people will go for that.
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Gosh! The silent (normally) Vauxhall loving majority speaks out. Great to see.
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Gosh! The silent (normally) Vauxhall loving majority speaks out. Great to see.
As the old advert used to go, "once driven, forever smitten" ;o)
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They're pretty good little cars, totally contrary to my expectation - we did about 1000km in a 1.2 in the South of France last year and it did nothing badly at all; handled pretty well, adequate power, big-car ride and decent refinement, very reassuring for the first-time left-hand drive driver negotiating mountain road hairpins...
That easy-driving nature is the reason they make good transport for the non-enthusiast. Certainly much better than the hideous wallowy Renault Scenic I got landed with in Spain last week, which also did nothing to change my conviction that even modern diesels mostly suck.
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I think even the most ardent Vauxhall fan will admit the 93-00 Corsa was a total dog to drive - notchy gearchnge, poor brakes, very heavy steering if not PAS, wallowed round corners, hopeless performance (even the 1.4 16V was poor and had a habit of snapping its cambelt), poverty spec equipment levels...
Never driven the current model but has to be a lot better than the previous one.
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